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Involving the Community Elderly in the Planning and Provision of Health Services: Predictors of Volunteerism and Leadership*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 March 2010

Marita Kloseck ,
Richard G. Crilly  and
Roger C. Mannell
Marita Kloseck*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Western Ontario
Richard G. Crilly
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, University of Western Ontario
Roger C. Mannell
Affiliation:
Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies, University of Waterloo
*
Requests for offprints should be sent to: / Les demandes de tirés-à-part doivent être addressées à : Dr. Marita Kloseck, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Western Ontario, South Valley Building, Room 216, London, ON N6A 3K7. (mkloseck@uwo.ca)
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Abstract

A rapidly growing older population has led to changes in health care, including a community health movement with an emphasis on community collaboration, self-help, and capacity building. This study examined factors in the lives of older individuals that influenced their ability and willingness to participate in a health-related community-capacity-building project to help their frailer, older neighbours. Using cross-sectional survey methodology, 107 volunteers who lived in a high density seniors' apartment complex known for its high health service utilization were compared with a random sample of 74 non-volunteers from the same community. Factors associated with volunteer involvement included age, activity level, functional ability, life satisfaction and certain personality characteristics. The study suggests that, within a community, the “younger-old” may be able to support their frailer, older neighbours so that they can remain living in the community.

Résumé

La croissance rapide de la population âgée a engendré des changements en matière de soins de santé, y compris l'apparition d'un mouvement de santé communautaire qui met l'accent sur la collaboration, l'auto-assistance et le renforcement des capacités au sein de la collectivité. Cette recherche étudie les facteurs, dans la vie de personnes âgées, qui ont influencé leur aptitude et leur volonté de participer à un projet communautaire de renforcement des capacités en matière de santé, dans le but d'aider leurs voisins plus âgés à la santé fragile. Au moyen d'une étude transversale, nous avons comparé les résultats de 107 volontaires qui vivaient dans un complexe résidentiel à densité élevée pour personnes âgées réputé pour son niveau élevé d'utilisation des services de santé à ceux d'un échantillon aléatoire de 74 personnes non volontaires de la même collectivité. Parmi les facteurs liés à la participation volontaire, on compte l'âge, le niveau d'activité, l'aptitude à fonctionner, la satisfaction à l'égard de la vie ainsi que certaines caractéristiques relatives à la personnalité. Cette étude semble révéler que, au sein d'une collectivité, les personnes âgées les plus jeunes peuvent être en mesure de soutenir leurs voisins plus âgés à la santé fragile afin de leur permettre de continuer à vivre au sein de la collectivité.

Keywords

agingcommunity healthseniorspeer support modelvolunteercapacity buildingvieillissementsanté communautaireaînésmodèle de soutien par les pairsvolontairerenforcement des capacités
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 25 , Issue 1 , Spring/Printemps 2006 , pp. 77 - 91
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 2006

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Footnotes

*

This research was made possible in part by Health Canada through a National Health Research and Development Program (NHRDP) Research Training Award.

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