People Care for People: Providing a Missing Link in the Chain of Natural Support Systems

摘要

This report details the methodology and accomplishments of the People Care for People project that trained social work, medical, and nursing students at New York University to reach groups of older people in the New York City community, who were their own primary caregivers as well as caregivers to other elderly persons, and provide them with needed health information. Training given to student interns between September 1979 and May 1980 is reviewed. Early sessions created an interdisciplinary assessment tool for use with the homebound elderly, while later classes focused on specific health education issues, such as medication, senility, and patient advocacy. The report then describes the outreach program initiated between July 1979 and February 1980 to bring people into the ongoing health education support groups. Discussion topics, participants' characteristics, attendance, and innovative presentation methods developed to meet the increasing demand for health education classes are covered. Themes that emerged throughout the various group sessions included difficulty in communicating with health care professionals, aging in the health care system, and difficulty in negotiating with social service agencies. Health education materials developed by the project are described, including a local directory to community resources for the elderly, a comprehensive health guide manual, and a videotape presentation on health advocacy issues and older people. Recommendations relating to services for the elderly emphasize that project participants were very interested in their own health and preventive measures and were flexible about changing lifestyles to maintain good health. The appendices contain the project's evaluation, informational materials, and the interdisciplinary assessment instrument.