Community Gerontology Model for Healthy Aging Developed in Mexico Framed in Resilience and Generativity.

BACKGROUND: The aims of this paper are to present the evolutionary development of the Community Model of Healthy Aging (CMHA) and to show the main results of the community gerontology studies framed in each of the stages of the CMHA. METHOD: The study employs a qualitative community-based participatory research approach. We also measured several biochemical parameters, social support networks, and indicators of physical and cognitive functioning. RESULTS: We identified three stages in the development of the CMHA. The first stage was informative (CMHA-I, 1994-2000) with more than 70% of the older adults participating in self-care programs for health. The second stage was formative (CMHA-F, 2001-2015) with more than 80% of older adults participating in self-care, mutual aid, and self-management programs. The third stage was emancipatory (CMHA-E, 2016-2018). In this last stage, we added resilience and generativity as basic elements to strengthen and enhance human capacities during aging, and more than 90% of older adults made optimal use of social support networks as a key strategy. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the addition of resilience and generativity in the CMHA contributed to the active participation of older adults in the maintenance of functioning and the prevention and control of diseases linked to aging.

Community model of healthy aging framed in resilience and generativity / Modelo comunitario de envejecimiento saludable enmarcado en la resiliencia y la generatividad

The Research Unit in Gerontology at the Facultad de Estudios Superiores (FES) Zaragoza, from the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), has developed a comprehensive model aimed at the promotion of healthy aging within the context of community development. The model is centered on the implementation of intensive educational programs addressed towards groups of older persons in what is known as "Gerontological Nuclei". Although it is true that there are satisfactory results, one limitation of the model is the difficulty of its implementation without supervision and university support. For this reason, two components have been included: resilience and generativity, which together could positively impact the model by strengthening contextual and personal components that are linked to healthy behavior. The approach of generativity and resilience are basic elements for the strengthening of human capacities during aging, since they can favor the autonomy, independence and decision-making capacity of people in the personal and community spheres. The article presents a model of healthy aging with possibilities of application at community level.

La Unidad de Investigación en Gerontología de la Facultad de Estudios Superiores (FES) Zaragoza, de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), ha desarrollado un modelo integral dirigido a la promoción del envejecimiento saludable en el contexto del desarrollo comunitario. El modelo se centra en la implementación de programas educativos intensivos que están dirigidos a grupos de personas mayores, en lo que se conoce como "núcleos gerontológicos". Si bien es cierto que existen resultados satisfactorios, una limitante del modelo es la dificultad para su implementación sin la supervisión y el apoyo universitario. Por tal motivo, se han incluido dos componentes: la resiliencia y la generatividad, los cuales en conjunto podrían impactar positivamente al modelo al fortalecer componentes contextuales y personales que se encuentran vinculados a un comportamiento saludable. El enfoque de la generatividad y la resiliencia constituyen elementos básicos para el fortalecimiento de las capacidades humanas durante el envejecimiento, ya que pueden favorecer la autonomía, la independencia y la capacidad de toma de decisiones de las personas en los ámbitos personal y comunitario. El artículo presenta un modelo de envejecimiento saludable con posibilidades de aplicación a nivel comunitario.