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4. HEALTH PROMOTION FOR 50-60+ YEAR OLDS
While basic principles of health promotion apply to all age groups, there is also a principle that interventions
need to be targeted at and developed with the involvement of the specific groups that they aim to benefit,
in order to gain legitimacy and ensure appropriateness. The Health Development Agency in the UK, which
developed a programme specifically geared for the needs of this age group, found that those aged 50-65
perceive themselves as a distinct generation with particular preferences. 23
Box 11
Key resource
The report “Taking Action: Improving the health and wellbeing of people in mid-life and beyond”
(2004) by the Health Development Agency in the UK offers a number of evidence-based recommendations
and guidelines for implementing health promoting practices targeted at people between 50 and 65. The
recommendations are based on the lessons and outcomes of eight pilot projects, and highlight key findings
from these. The report also provides practical tools, as it contains a checklist for strategic planning or
service implementation, including points on: developing local knowledge and understanding; developing a
portfolio of services, activities and interventions and the importance and nature of evaluation.
More information is available at:
http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/documents/actionpo.pdf
The programme was based on the recognition that people in their fifties go through many life changes,
involving work, employment, illness, bereavement of parents, children becoming more independent and
grandparenthood. Such changes precipitate reflection on current and future opportunities and directions.
In turn, this awareness can make people more receptive to health messages for a more independent
healthier old age. People in this age group want to take control over their health and well-being and have a
range of opportunities allowing them to do so effectively. This group definitely does not identify themselves
as needing services for ‘older people’. They however feel ‘ignored’ by adult services, as reflected in this
comment:
“I think at my age (55 years) you’re in a group of the forgotten really – you know they do an awful lot for
younger people and children and once you get over a certain age as a pensioner, then you get a lot more
support. But I think for my age group there’s not a lot going on you know, we’re sort of forgotten really.” 22
Identifying 55-60+ year olds as ‘older people’ can be a barrier to accessing services, and any programme
directed at this age group needs to address this. In Canada, for example, despite a varied and sophisticated
programme of activities, the Quebec CJCS Centre found it difficult to attract people within this age group, as
there was a stigma that they served much older people. As a result, CJCS decided to tackle its perception
problem and specifically reach out to this age group. They did this by developing a new programme to
support those facing the transition to retirement. 24
The Health Development Agency in the UK (see Box 11) defined the principles of underlying health
improvement strategies for people in midlife as the following:
• Maximising engagement through providing a spectrum of services
• Adopting empowerment strategies
• Increasing and improving opportunities for social interaction
• Building and sustaining relevant and effective partnerships
23 Taking Action: improving the health and wellbeing of people in mid-life and beyond Health Development
Agency (HDA) 2004. http://www.nice.org.uk/niceMedia/documents/actionpo.pdf
24 International Council on Active Aging: http://www.icaa.cc/1-Organizationalmember/member-articles/age50plusnewlifeoptions30.pdf
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