Flourishing Health Cascade: A 3-year evaluation of an inter-generational Health Promotion Program to enhance holistic care of elderly patients with chronic disease

This abstract has open access

Abstract Description

Background: This community and school based health promotion concept uses an innovative teaching model by partnering youth with chronic disease patients and focuses on enhancing physical and psychosocial healthy behavior. As studies have shown that life review interviews is effective in enhancing positive mental-wellbeing in elderly, it could also be incorporated with positive psychology concepts dealing with human’s positive aspect through the development of personal strengths and virtues.

Objectives: To evaluate whether this program could enhance physico-psychosocial well-being and cross-generational perspectives in both elderly and youth

Methods: This program was conducted from 2015 to 2018 wherein secondary school students were paired to elderly patients with hypertension and/or diabetes, forming healthy buddies team, who all went through a series of health promotion journey lasting for 5 months, focusing on chronic disease management and prevention, physical activity, healthy diet and mental wellness. Specially-designed health promotion workshop and day camp activities aimed to enhance inter-generational team engagement were conducted. Some students also conducted a total of 4-6 hours of 1-2 hours per session at 1-2 weeks interval of strength-based life review interviews with their elder buddies with supervision after attending 4-hr life review interview workshop incorporating Positive Psychology concepts. Students designed and handed creative life review books together with a “special’ gift exemplifying their matched buddies’ “signature strength” in a specially-arranged ceremony.

Results and Outcome: A total of 186 students and 124 elderly patients joined this program. Both groups showed not only improvement in their healthy behaviors with eating more vegetables, fruits and increased physical activity but also enhanced self-esteem and mental well-being. The cross-generational perception of the elderly towards the young and vice-versa were markedly improved. Qualitative evaluation also showed better cross-generational understanding and appreciation besides healthy lifestyle and chronic disease prevention awareness. This inter-generational and innovative model of health promotion program is a creative option in building healthy, flourishing and age-friendly community

Abstract ID :

HAC83

Submission Type

HA Staff

Authors (including presenting author) :

Ng Lorna (1), Chiang L K (1), Li Y C (1)

Affiliation :

(1).Kowloon Central Cluster Family Medicine and Primary Health Care

Introduction :

This community and school based health promotion concept uses an innovative teaching model by partnering youth with chronic disease patients and focuses on enhancing physical and psychosocial healthy behavior. As studies have shown that life review interviews is effective in enhancing positive mental-wellbeing in elderly, it could also be incorporated with positive psychology concepts dealing with human’s positive aspect through the development of personal strengths and virtues.

Objectives :

To evaluate whether this program could enhance physico-psychosocial well-being and cross-generational perspectives in both elderly patients with chronic disease and adolescent youth

Methodology :

This program was conducted from 2015 to 2018 wherein secondary school students were paired to elderly patients with hypertension and/or diabetes, forming healthy buddies team, who all went through a series of health promotion journey lasting for 5 months, focusing on chronic disease management and prevention, physical activity, healthy diet and mental wellness. Specially-designed health promotion workshop and day camp activities aimed to enhance inter-generational team engagement were conducted. Some students also conducted a total of 4-6 hours of 1-2 hours per session at 1-2 weeks interval of strength-based life review interviews with their elder buddies with supervision after attending 4-hr life review interview workshop incorporating Positive Psychology concepts. Students designed and handed creative life review books together with a “special’ gift exemplifying their matched buddies’ “signature strength” in a specially-arranged ceremony.

Result & Outcome :

A total of 186 students and 124 elderly patients joined this program. Both groups showed not only improvement in their healthy behaviors with eating more vegetables, fruits and increased physical activity but also enhanced self-esteem and mental well-being. The cross-generational perception of the elderly towards the young and vice-versa were markedly improved. Qualitative evaluation also showed better cross-generational understanding and appreciation besides healthy lifestyle and chronic disease prevention awareness.This inter-generational and innovative model of health promotion program is a creative option in building healthy, flourishing and age-friendly community