Exploration of service centres for older persons in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa

South African Journal of Physiotherapy

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Exploration of service centres for older persons in the Eastern Cape province, South Africa
 
Creator Pefile, Ntsikelelo Fodo, Bomkazi Amosun, Seyi
 
Subject Health; Rehabilitation, Geriatrics; Care of Older Persons population ageing; active ageing; service centres for older persons; WHO active-ageing framework; Department of Social Development
Description Background: Service centres for older persons were set up in South Africa to implement programmes relating to the six determinants of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) active ageing framework. The framework highlights the value of being physically active to prevent functional decline.Objective: Our aim was to explore the characteristics of these centres and their members in the Eastern Cape province.Method: An exploratory, descriptive, cross-sectional design was utilised to explore the characteristics of 25 centres and the profiles of their managers and 275 members of these centres.Results: The managers had no formal training. Health and social care system requirements were important in the province, but access to healthcare services was minimal, and managers were concerned about the physical environment. Over 50% of the centres provided meals (72%), social support services (60%), dance and aerobics (56%), blood glucose testing (52%) and guardianship for members without families (52%). The members reported multiple morbidities, including hypertension (59%), diabetes (16%) and arthritis (10.5%). Few members used tobacco (n = 20) and alcohol (n = 27), but most (n = 213) were afraid of falling although they went about their daily activities with minimal difficulties. Members were satisfied with their lives (n = 231).Conclusion: The centres provided platforms to enable the fulfilment of some of the goals of the WHO’s active-ageing framework, but a comprehensive exploration of the centres and the members is needed.Clinical implications: Physiotherapy, as part of interdisciplinary intervention, will promote the physical health of the members of the centres.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor Medical Research Council (South Africa)
Date 2022-01-28
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — exploratory; descriptive; cross-sectional study
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/sajp.v78i1.1567
 
Source South African Journal of Physiotherapy; Vol 78, No 1 (2022); 9 pages 2410-8219 0379-6175
 
Language eng
 
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The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1567/2828 https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1567/2829 https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1567/2830 https://sajp.co.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1567/2831
 
Coverage — — —
Rights Copyright (c) 2022 Ntsikelelo Pefile, Bomkazi Fodo, Seyi Amosun https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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