Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Oral Health Assessment by Lay Personnel for Older Adults
Published on: February 2, 2020
Community health education: reaching ethnically diverse elders
Rebecca A States1, William M Susman, Luis F Riquelme
1Division of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions, Long Island University, 1 University Plaza, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA.
Community health education workshops improved learning experiences for older adults, though intent to act on health issues was less clear. A website offers resources for diverse populations.
Area of Science:
- Community Health
- Health Disparities
- Geriatric Education
Background:
- Disparities in healthcare information access affect diverse older urban adults.
- Healthy People 2010 identified key health concerns for this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a model community-based health education program.
- To address the health information needs of diverse older adults.
- To provide accessible resources in English and Spanish.
Main Methods:
- Interdisciplinary collaboration among seven healthcare professions.
- Development of workshops on dementia, depression, stress reduction, and physical activity.
- Delivery to 1110 older adults at five senior centers with student involvement.
- Program evaluation through client interviews, surveys, and student essays.
- Creation of the Geriatric Educational Resources for Instructors and Elders (GERIE.org) website.
Main Results:
- Most clients reported positive learning experiences.
- Evidence of intent to change health behaviors was less definitive.
- Students demonstrated increased understanding of older adults and community services.
- The GERIE.org website provides accessible educational materials.
Conclusions:
- The model program shows potential for addressing health education needs in diverse older adult populations.
- Interdisciplinary collaboration and accessible resources are key components.
- Further research may be needed to enhance behavioral change.
Related Concept Videos
Community Based Intervention
Foundations of Community Mental Health Programs
Central to the success of community-based interventions is the...
Documentation in Long-Term and Home Healthcare Setting
Long-Term Care Facilities
Levels of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention
In primary prevention, actions taken before disease onset prevent the disease from...
Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention I
The health belief model (HBM) attempts to predict health-related behavior in specific belief patterns. According to the HBM, a person's...
Models of Health Promotion and Illness Prevention II
The agent-host-environment model states that disease results from...