Age Self Care, a program to improve aging in place through group learning and incremental behavior change:...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Limited programs exist to support older adults in aging in place.
• Age Self Care is a novel program utilizing group sessions within a community-based organization (CBO) to provide evidence-based information.
• This preliminary study was a collaboration between UCSF Division of Geriatrics, At Home With Growing Older (AHWGO), and San Francisco Village (SF Village).

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the preliminary effectiveness of the Age Self Care program in facilitating behavior change for aging in place.
• To identify facilitators and barriers to behavior change within the program.

Main Methods:

• Recruited community-dwelling adults aged 65+ from university outpatient clinics.
• Participants attended eight 90-minute video-based group sessions and enrolled in SF Village.
• Data collected via direct observations and focus groups, analyzed using the COM-B model for behavior change.

Main Results:

• 14 participants completed the 8-week study, with 14 making concrete changes to support remaining at home.
• Participants engaged in falls risk reduction activities like decluttering and improving lighting.
• Facilitators included self-management promotion, peer support, and an online platform fostering community and social opportunities. Financial barriers were noted.

Conclusions:

• The Age Self Care program successfully facilitated behavior change in older adults.
• Key outcomes included minor home modifications, reduced fall risk, and increased social network engagement.
• These changes collectively support the goal of aging in place for older adults.