Toward healthy aging in Latin America and the Caribbean: leaving no one behind?

The framework of healthy aging has created a structure for research across the United Nations Decade of Healthy Aging (2021-2030) and for action to address the mission of the Sustain-able Development Goals “to leave no one behind”. Across the decade, researchers, governments and civil society are urged to develop strategies to identify and address inequities and to foster healthy aging. This agenda requires coordinated effort from researchers in Gerontology and Geriatrics to address the broad set of social and health issues in aging including functional status, social participation, and older adults’ needs in the context of social and health care systems.

Hacia el envejecimiento saludable en América Latina y el Caribe: ¿no dejar a nadie atrás?

El marco de envejecimiento saludable ha creado una estructura para la investigación a través de la Década del Envejecimiento Saludable de las Naciones Unidas (2021-2030), así como para la acción destinada a abordar la misión de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible de “no dejar a nadie atrás”. Se insta a los investigadores, los gobiernos y la sociedad civil a que, a lo largo de la década, elaboren estrategias que permitan detectar y abordar las desigualdades y fomentar el envejecimiento saludable. Este programa requiere el esfuerzo coordinado de los investigadores en gerontología y geriatría para afrontar la amplia variedad de problemas sociales y de salud que se producen en el envejecimiento, incluidos los que afectan la capacidad funcional, la participación social y las necesidades de las personas mayores en el contexto de los sistemas de atención social y de salud.

Staying married after stroke: a constructivist grounded theory qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Marriages are one of the most powerful predictors of health and longevity, yet research in stroke has focused separately on survivors' experience of impairments and how spouses deal with caregiving. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this constructivist grounded theory study was to understand the key themes related to reconstruction or breakdown of marriages after stroke. METHODS: In semi-structured interviews, 18 couples in long-term marriages discussed how their marriages were reconstructed or broke down after one member of the couple returned home after being hospitalized for a stroke. Constant comparison methods were used to compare the experiences of 12 couples in which both partners indicated their relationship was going well with 6 couples who either separated or remained in parallel marriages. RESULTS: Analysis revealed an overarching process of reconstructing compatible role-identities and three themes related to the reconstruction or breakdown of the marital identity: feeling overwhelmed, resolving conflict, and perceiving value in the marriage. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight that marriages are contexts in which survivors and spouses can recalibrate their role-identities. Marriage relationships are not peripheral to survivors' and spouses' outcomes after stroke; rather, marriage is fundamental to the management of impairments and to the well-being of the couple.

Developing Navigation Competencies to Care for Older Rural Adults with Advanced Illness.

Navigators help rural older adults with advanced illness and their families connect to needed resources, information, and people to improve their quality of life. This article describes the process used to engage experts - in rural aging, rural palliative care, and navigation - as well as rural community stakeholders to develop a conceptual definition of navigation and delineate navigation competencies for the care of this population. A discussion paper on the important considerations for navigation in this population was developed followed by a four-phased Delphi process with 30 expert panel members. Study results culminated in five general navigation competencies for health care providers caring for older rural persons and their families at end of life: provide patient/family screening; advocate for the patient/family; facilitate community connections; coordinate access to services and resources; and promote active engagement. Specific competencies were also developed. These competencies provide the foundation for research and curriculum development in navigation.