ABSTRACT
Obesity is a chronic and all too often untreated disease that contributes to diabetes, hypertension, liver and kidney disorders, and a variety of other conditions. Additionally, for older adults in particular, obesity can cause functional limitations and decreased independence. In order to support primary care teams to implement a comprehensive and contemporary approach to caring for older adults with obesity, The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) applied its KAER-Kickstart, Assess, Evaluate, Refer-Framework, initially developed as a framework to promote well-being and positive health-related outcomes for people living with dementia and for their families, to caring for older adults with obesity. Informed by an interdisciplinary expert advisory panel, GSA developed The GSA KAER Toolkit for the Management of Obesity in Older Adults. This freely available, online resource provides primary care teams with tools and resources to support older adults to recognize and care for their body size challenges and improve their overall health and well-being. Additionally, it supports primary care providers to evaluate themselves and their staff for potential biases or false beliefs so that they can provide person-centered, evidence-based care for older adults with obesity.
Subject(s)
Obesity , Aged , Humans , Obesity/therapy , GeriatricsABSTRACT
The older adult population is growing in number and diversity, and this population has unique care needs that the current healthcare system is ill prepared to meet. In order to ensure older adults receive safe, person-centered care that supports their goals, the John A. Hartford Foundation has developed and, with their partners at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, the American Hospital Association, and Catholic Health Association of the United States, is implementing across the United States the Age-Friendly Health Systems Initiative. This article provides an overview of the Age-Friendly Health Systems Initiative and how within it nurses can serve as leaders in ensuring age-friendly care for older adults.
