Health improvement for the elderly, final report excerpt

Transcription

1 Health imprvement fr the elderly, final reprt excerpt Appintment and purpse On 23 Octber 2015 the mayr f Reykjavík appinted a wrking grup fr senirs health imprvement. The grup is a sub-grup f the Steering Cmmittee fr Public Health and Equality fr Reykjavik and was frmed in light f the imprtant rle public health and health imprvement play in quality f life. Senirs ( 67+) are becming a larger prprtin f the ppulatin in Reykjavik as well as elsewhere in Iceland, and enhanced activity and imprved health amng members f this grup is imprtant fr the entire cmmunity s quality f life. The imprvement f lder adults health is als cnnected t the city s cperatin in WHO s Glbal Netwrk f Age-Friendly Cities, int which Reykjavik was accepted in May The wrking grup s mandate was t generate prpsals aiming t elevate the health and activity level f the elderly in rder t enhance their quality f life and psitive aging. The grup s main tasks were t dcument health prmting prgrams and pprtunities fr the elderly already n ffer by the municipality and thers within Reykjavik, t prpse actins fr imprvement, and t explre pprtunities fr cperatin amng public entities such as swimming pls and cmmunity centers as well as sprts clubs and private health clubs. Infrmatin was requested frm the municipal cmmunity centers regarding pprtunities and prgrams in each neighbrhd, bth city-run peratins and thse ffered by private cmpanies and nn-prfits. This generated many avenues f inquiry n which the grup fllwed up. In all, the grup cntacted and requested infrmatin frm 122 entities, public, private and nn-prfit. Half f thse cntacted respnded t the requests. The fcus was n physical activities t prmte health; althugh the spiritual is als imprtant it is mre difficult t quantify. Of the respndents, tw churches ffered prgrams f physical activities, a walking grup and exercise classes. It was suggested that libraries hsted walking grups, but n respnses frm them supprted that. Many f the health clubs, sprts clubs, and thers that were cntacted ffered prgrams directed specifically at lder adults. The csts invlved varied widely. Many f thse cntacted wh did nt at this time ffer senirspecific prgrams indicated an interest t d s, and requested infrmatin abut what needs and wishes senir citizens might have in that regard. The pprtunities fr physical activities ffered by the city thrugh its cmmunity centers (varius exercise classes, dancing, yga, bccia, and mre) vary frm ne neighbrhd t anther and represent t sme extent the residential distributin f lder adults in the city. Prpsals 1. That the city f Reykjavik take part in in the prject Multimdal Training Interventin: An Apprach t Successful Aging. The prgram is intended t prmte independence and self-sufficiency fr lnger,

2 thrugh a diverse prgram f exercise and fitness. The entire annual cst f the prgram brne by the municipality is rughly equivalent t the annual cst fr ne individual staying in a nursing hme. 2. That exercise maps be prduced fr all neighbrhds. Clear and simple neighbrhd maps n which have been drawn walking paths intended fr peple f varying abilities based n the presence f benches, hills, lighting and mre. The walking paths shuld be useful in peple s daily lives, being near service centers, cmmunity centers, swimming pls, sprts facilities, shpping, health clinics and mre. The maps shuld shw distances, sidewalks with ice/snw-thawing-equipment, lcatins f benches, etc. 3. Lwer the age f thse wh are admitted free f charge t city swimming pls t include thse wh are 67 years f age and lder. The age fr free admissin was raised t 70 in It is imprtant that senir citizens have access t exercise early and need nt wait t begin exercising until after their health has deterirated. Every year makes a difference. 4. That the city supprt regular health prmting activities in the tw city neighbrhds having n cmmunity center run by the Reykjavik Department f Welfare. At least three ptins shuld be ffered weekly. 5. The elderly als like t play install and maintain utdr equipment suitable fr senirs. Install new putting greens and retrfit existing nes, install mre utdr bccia curts, install equipment t enhance enjyment assciated with utdr areas, such as placards with infrmatin abut e.g. histry and lcal birds, star telescpes, etc. 6. That the city s fd services fr the elderly be scrutinized in terms f prcurement, quality, and service, nutritin, needs, and chice. Current prductin and delivery methds d nt allw fr much further scaling up. 7. That senirs access t nutritinal advice be imprved, e.g. thrugh the regular services f a nutritinist at the city s cmmunity centers. 8. Install mre benches and better lighting alng ppular walking paths. This need was nted at the Agefriendly-cities kickff. This culd be dne in cnjunctin with the exercise maps in prpsal Cmplete access sanding and salting sidewalks. Thawing peratins and ther slutins t slippery sidewalks shuld be imprved in places that are imprtant fr the elderly, e.g. marked walking paths n exercise maps, areas arund cmmunity centers and places f physical activities etc. 10. That a vlunteer grup f senirs be frmed as a pilt prgram at ne service center, with the intentin f encuraging and supprting healthy activities amng senirs in the neighbrhd.

3 11. That daily living rehabilitatin is emphasized in hme services. The purpse is t empwer the elderly t re- assume tasks and daily activities that they were unable t perfrm when the hme service started. 12. Preventative visits t senirs wh are nt receiving hme services. During these visits the main fcus wuld be t ffer infrmatin and advice regarding exercise, nutritin and scial participatin. These visits might in part be staffed by vlunteers, in cllabratin with emplyees f the city s senirs services. 13. Public transprtatin in accrdance with the needs f lder adults. Bus rutes and stps shuld be analyzed, in cperatin with the Reykjavik Assciatin f Senir Citizens, in terms f the needs f senir residents, and rerganized as need be. 14. Leisure activities bus fr the elderly. Accrding t service center staff, user cmmittees have repeatedly requested a bus service designed t pick up passengers arund the neighbrhd and take them t the cmmunity centers r ther places where daytime leisure activities are ffered. 15. Funding t supprt new ideas and prjects prpsed and/r implemented by residents and designed t enhance scial activities has been ffered thrugh a small designated pl f mney in ne city neighbrhd, arranged by that neighbrhd s service center. The experience has been gd, and such pls f funding shuld be available in all neighbrhds. 16. That specially designed bicycles, making it pssible fr vlunteers t take 1 2 individuals, wh cannt ride n their wn, ut n bicycle turs, be made available at cmmunity centers. 17. That the city s Department f Sprt and Leisure initiate cllabratin with the Reykjavik Sprts Unin and individual sprts clubs t utilize facilities that are already in place t benefit senir citizens in their activities. Many sprts clubs have already indicated their interest in such arrangements. 18. That the city initiates cllabratin with the Primary Health Care system regarding exercise prescriptins, t ptimize daily living rehabilitatin. Primary health care staff rganizing exercise accrding t prescriptin shuld be regularly infrmed abut ptins fr exercise fr the elderly. 19. Crdinatin. The city needs t address barriers between city departments and ther stakehlders t imprve practices in the plicy area. Further cllabratin with ther municipalities in the capital area shuld be explred. 20. Cnsider a pilt prgram in cllabratin with the shpping center Mjódd, lcated near a large senir apartment center and cmmunity center. The idea is t make the shpping center a mre attractive place fr indr walking, with distance markers, benches and pssibly synthetic sprts grass n lnger in use by sprts clubs.

4 21. That private health clubs be encuraged t ffer senirs a free trial f at least ne mnth when they begin exercising, and cntinued discunted admissin (i.e. thse that d nt already ffer senir discunts). 22. That Reykjavik city emphasize mre strngly that infrmatin abut exercise as well as ther activities fr senir citizens be available, clear and accessible, nline and thrugh ther utlets. The city s website needs t be analyzed and amended t suite better lder users; this shuld be dne in cperatin with the city s Senir Citizens Cmmittee. Infrmatin must als be accessible ff-line in places where senirs can easily find it, such as neighbrhd newspapers, cmmunity centers, swimming pls, dining halls, assisted living apartment buildings, etc. 23. The city f Reykjavik mail a letter t all residents as they reach the age f 67, with infrmatin abut exercise and activity ptins that is pen t them. 24. That the website Hreyfitrg Exercise marketplace which is run by the Directrate f Health, be utilized t impart infrmatin and regularly updated with pprtunities ffered by the city. 25. That neighbrhd newspapers be used mre than currently is dne t advertise and prmte the activities available at cmmunity centers as well as ther services fr the elderly. 26. Increase preventative educatin fr senirs regarding substance use and abuse (drugs, alchl, tbacc), in cllabratin with medical persnnel such as geriatric and substance abuse specialists. Appendix: Overview f available exercise ptins fr lder adults in Reykjavik, by neighbrhd Neighbrhd: Árbær Cmmunity center: Mrning exercises with the radi, fur days a week, free. Yga, twice weekly, IKR 1160/mnth. Walking grup, weekly, free. Bccia, twice weekly, free. Swimming pl: Aquatic exercises, fur times weekly, free. Neighbrhd: Breiðhlt Cmmunity Center Seljahlíð Exercise prgram, five days a week, free Bccia, weekly, free. Cmmunity Center Árskógar

5 Exercise prgram, twice weekly, free Chair dance, weekly, free Bccia, weekly, free. Cmmunity Center Gerðuberg Exercise prgram, twice weekly, free Bccia, weekly, free. Walking/exercise grup, twice weekly, free. Sng, dance and exercise, weekly, free. Line dancing, weekly, IKR 400 each class Swimming pl: Aquatic exercises, twice weekly, free. Neighbrhd: Grafarhlt N infrmatin was available abut regularly scheduled exercise pprtunities fr senirs in this neighbrhd Neighbrhd: Grafarvgur Cmmunity Center Brgir Walking grup, weekly, free Quigng, twice weekly, free Fundraising exercises, twice weekly, IKR 500 per class Line and Ballrm dancing, weekly, IKR 500 per class Church Walking grup, twice weekly, free Sprts facilities Bwling, twice mnthly, IKR 750 each time, cffee included Putting, twice mnthly, free Swimming pl: Aquatic exercises, twice weekly, free. Neighbrhd: Háaleiti Cmmunity Center Furugerði Exercises with the radi and mre, twice weekly, free Exercise prgram, twice weekly, free Walking grups, five days a week, free Bccia, twice weekly, free Cmmunity Center Hvassaleiti Exercise with the radi, five days a week, free Yga, twice weekly, IKR 7000 per mnth, 6 weekly classes t chse frm

6 Bccia, weekly, free Easy aerbics, weekly, free Chair exercises, weekly, free Line dancing, biweekly, IKR 500 per class Cmmunity dance, biweekly, free Cmmunity Center Hæðargarður Exercise prgram, twice weekly, IKR 5000 per mnth Exercises with the radi, twice weekly, free Bccia, weekly, free Line dancing, weekly, IKR 500 per class Tai Chi, twice weekly, IKR 5000 per mnth Laughter yga, weekly, free Putting, any time, free Walking grups, twice weekly, free Cmmunity Center Selið Sléttuvegur Exercises, weekly, IKR 2000 per mnth Exercises with the radi, twice weekly, free Walking grup, weekly, free Bccia, biweekly, free Line dancing, weekly, IKR 500 per class Sprts facilities Exercise prgram, twice weekly, free Neighbrhd: Hlíðar Cmmunity Center Bólstaðarhlíð Exercises, twice weekly, free Walking grup, weekly, free Bccia, weekly, free Dancing, weekly, free Cmmunity Center Lönguhlíð Exercises, weekly, free Bccia, twice weekly, free Neighbrhd: Kjalarnes N infrmatin was available abut regularly scheduled exercise pprtunities fr senirs in this neighbrhd Neighbrhd: Laugardalur

7 Cmmunity Center Nrðurbrún Exercises with the radi, five days a week, free Walking grups, five days a week, free Bccia, weekly, free. Cmmunity Center Dalbraut Exercises with the radi, five days a week, free Walking grups, weekly, free. Bccia, weekly, free Chair dance, weekly, free Swimming pl Aquatic exercises, fur times a week, free. Laugarneskirkja (church) Walking grup, weekly, free Neighbrhd: Miðbrg Cmmunity Center Vesturgata Dancing, weekly, free Cmmunity Center Vitatrg Chair dance, twice weekly, free Dancing, weekly, free Swimming pl Aquatic exercises, fur times a week, free. Hallgrimskirkja (church) Exercise classes, weekly, free t all, but mstly senirs attend Neighbrhd: Vesturbær Cmmunity Center Vesturreitir Exercises, weekly, free Walking grups, twice weekly, free Yga, twice weekly, IKR 800 per class Swimming pl Aquatic exercises, twice weekly, free. Sprts facilities and physical therapy centers Many pprtunities: Aquatic and ther exercise prgrams, gymnastics, hrseback riding, rifle and handgun target practice, yga, walking grups and mre, in varius lcatins arund the city, prices ranging frm free t appr. IKR 2500 per class