Exploring New Models of Community Initiatives for Older Adults – an Expert Consultation
In many societies, health and social care primary support is provided by the immediate family circles. Demographic growth, urbanization, and the changing composition of family units have challenged this assumption in the last decades. In response to drastic demographic and social changes, as well as the growing need for care support among ageing populations, the WHO Kobe Centre (WKC) launched a call for case study on models of community-based care in low- and middle- income countries in 2014.
Eight case studies had been selected representing a diversity of options to provide support to older adults in their communities, as well as to engage older adults to care for their peers. These case studies provide a key starting point to discuss issues related to the changing role of caregiving, the position of community-based initiatives within health systems, the types of services delivered or referred to, and the challenges of determining clear outcomes and metrics to measure progress.
The expert consultation convened in Kobe from 14 to 15 July 2015 gathered 8 experts from Australia, Canada, India, Italy, Poland, South Africa, Uganda, Viet Nam, as well as WKC researchers, to review the experience of selected initiatives conducted in China, India, South Africa, Thailand, Poland , Uganda, and Viet Nam.
The discussions focused on identifying how and with which depth these initiatives respond to the gaps in health and social care for older people. The conclusions of the consultation allow for the development of the second phase of the research, with a stronger focus on the diverse range of initiatives in middle- and high- income countries. The ultimate purpose is to derive key principles for the implementation of community-based models of care for older adults, articulated around people-centred and integrated health and social care approaches.