RESEARCHING AND IMPLEMENTING AGEING WELL PROGRAMMES IN EUROPE: WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES?

Summary of the Symposium: In Europe, different occupation-based programmes designed to help older adults to redesign their later life have been developed inspired by the US Well Elderly Study. Differences and similarities of... [ view full abstract ]

Summary of the Symposium:
In Europe, different occupation-based programmes designed to help older adults to redesign their later life have been developed inspired by the US Well Elderly Study. Differences and similarities of approaches will be presented and discussed with regards to the following topics: the development, cross-cultural adaptation strategies, content of the programmes, settings, implementation strategies, research strategies, research results and involvement of seniors.

Precise timetable:
Introduction (15’); German cooperation between practice and research (15’); a Dutch case study (15’); the results of a UK RCT study (15’). Facilitated discussion (30’).

Background:
Cross-cultural adaption of both the intervention and methods of delivery is required when implementing programmes such as Lifestyle Redesign. Practising community-based programmes asks for new competences of occupational therapists.

Method:
Presentations with practice and research perspectives followed by a facilitated discussion using topics to compare the different programmes.

Results:
Compared Ageing Well programmes.

Conclusion:
The European Ageing Well programmes are in different stages of development and researching these context-based programmes poses methodological challenges. Learning from differences and similarities is required to enhance the knowledge-base of these programmes.

Application to Practice:
Facilitation in developing, practising and researching cross-cultural adapted Ageing Well programmes.