Summary
www.MyHealthE.net is making collaboration easier with local area hospitals, advocacy groups, government and more to place health education classes on ONE website. This makes it easier for patients and caregivers to find the health education they seek.
The research created the strategic plan and we are now in the implementation process.
“The 2017 KIPDA Needs Report, conducted by the UofL Institute for Sustainable Health & Optimal Aging (the Institute), analyzed the social service needs of the seven-county region of the Kentuckiana Regional Planning & Development Agency (KIPDA), representing Bullitt, Henry, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer, Trimble, and Jefferson counties. This needs assessment analyzed the existing age-friendly features of Louisville as well as identified gaps according to the eight age-friendly domains of livability. This alignment with the eight domains of livability was intentionally done in order to support age-friendly efforts across the KIPDA service region.”
“Respondents to the survey indicated a 36% average gap between needing community support and health services resources and what is available in the county. According to the Age Friendly Index, Jefferson County scored 48% in this domain, not meeting the 50% threshold for age friendliness.”
The need in the community mirrors the vision and the goals:
“VISION: Residents of Louisville will have access to health resources in their community and will be supported in their interest to “age in place” due the compassionate care of well-trained public service employees, caregivers, and family members.”
GOAL 1: Increase the capacity of community organizations to promote health
resource information.
GOAL 2: Residents of Age-Friendly Louisville will have access to training to
feel prepared to support their family and neighbors to “age in place.”
GOAL 3: Healthcare providers and residents will have greater awareness
of the risk taking opioid medications for pain and the value of
alternative pain management strategies
Low health literacy is a problem throughout our country where only 12% have proficient health literacy scores. This problem results in medical errors, higher mortality rates and an annual cost of $100 to 200 Billion. By removing barriers to local quality health resources residents of Louisville, KY are given more choices to attend a class at their convenience. More health education is the foundation of better health outcomes. This is a grassroots movement where patients are empowered and engaged with their healthcare choices through education.
Learn how www.MyHealthE.net is easy to use go to: https://youtu.be/eD4z3DMZO3U
https://www.agefriendlylou.com
Key facts
Both younger and older people (i.e. intergenerational)
none
Education, Health, Information and communication
Health literacy
Learn, grow and make decisions
- Ageism
- Accessibility
- Ageing in place
- Dementia
- Elder abuse
- Healthy behaviours (e.g. physical activity)
- Inclusion
- Other
Health Literacy
Age-friendly practice in detail (click to expand):
Engaging the wider community
Local authorities
- Local authorities
- Civil Society Organisation
- Older People’s Association
- Social or health care provider
- Volunteers
- Private sector
- Research institution
First let me say that Age-Friendly Louisville was an initiative brought forth by Age-Friendly Louisville with community partners and stakeholders across all eight age-friendly domains to ensure that age-friendly practices are effectively and efficiently integrated across our community.
Age-Friendly Louisville is led in partnership by Louisville Metro Government, AARP Kentucky, KIPDA, and the UofL Institute for Sustainable Health and Optimal Aging now (The Trager Center). For comprehensive information please go to: https://www.agefriendlylou.com
Collaboration is the key to successful projects. We were fortunate to have may in our group many who had previous leadership experience and experience in working in Community Services and Health Services (CSHS). In the our CSHS Domain, we have key people who lead the project and they assigned facilitators (like me) to provide support and serve in leadership roles when needed.
The initial number of participants in CSHS was between 30-40 people from various small to large healthcare organizations. The Action Plan, the Vision, the Goals and objective were made clear. Providing clarity was crucial throughout the collaborative process as it provided a clear focused and kept us on task.
There is no funding available. With the exception of the employees of the Leadership organizations the rest of the assistance is volunteer based. In terms of monetary funding there are no funds available to create websites, flyers, etc.
Older people were involved in the age-friendly practice at multiple or all stages
Older people as defined by those over the age of 50 have been part of the implementation process. We formed a sub-committee for GOAL 1 and the majority of them are over the age of 50.
One of them is a nurse who provides at home care. She is vigilant that the solution encompass those who do not have internet access and have limited access to resources. As such, we have tailored out solutions to include this demographic which is about 25% of the Louisville, KY area.
Moving forward
No
Yes
We have over 40 health organization in our Community Support and Health Services Domain and the feed back has been positive.
Yes, I would like to share the best practice of sharing health education resources with other Age Friendly cities throughout the USA.
Looking back
Groups can be challenging and rewarding to work with on projects. It is helpful if all are treated with respect and we work in an environment where all feel comfortable to share their ideas.
I was able to present how to utilize the www.MyHealthEnet website and gain momentum for its utilization as a solution to our goals.
At time our team lost focus, but we were able to quickly get back into focus.
There were times during discussion where solutions were bring brought forth and these solutions did not align with the goal. For example, there was a discussion about communication and why communication was not part of the our goal or the goal of AFL. Then the topic of discussion turned into way to communicate. Then someone in the group voiced, “I think we are throwing out solutions without understanding the goals.”
This prompted the goals to be read and we again defined the VISION and the GOALS and what is needed to accomplish both. It has been my experience that these types of group dynamics occur and as long as we stay true to our VISION and GOALS we can get back on track.
