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An Effective Evaluation of a Small Scale Seniors Health Promotion Centre: A Case Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Eleanor D. Glor
Eleanor D. Glor
Affiliation:
Community Health Services Branch, Saskatchewan Health
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Abstract

Small scale evaluations are discussed and a case is presented where the impact of a neighbourhood senior citizens' health promotion centre on its clients and community cannot be assessed through large scale, rigorous, evaluation approaches. In addition to the inherent difficulties of finding measurable substitutes for health, the small scale of the program was unlikely to produce a measurable impact on them and the high cost entailed relative to the resources invested in the program was unwarranted. Emphasizing the quantity and quality of services provided, the evaluation found that the centre, which was planned, organized and controlled by a community association, provided a wide range of quality, accessible disease prevention and health promotion services to seniors in a neighbourhood setting. Two high risk groups were emphasized, the frail elderly and Native Indian elderly.

Résumé

L'évaluation rigoureuse et de grande envergure est souvent impossible. Les micro-programmes requièrent cependant des évaluations à leur mesure. A l'aide de l'exemple d'un centre communautaire pour personnes âgées, les difficultés de l'évaluation d'un petit programme sont discutées; soit celles relatives à mesure de la santé, la mesure de l'impact, qui ne sera pas significative en terme statistique, et le coût de l'évaluation en rapport avec les sommes investies dans le programme. L'évaluation de ce centre, qui a mis l'emphase sur la qualité et la quantité des services, a conclu que ce centre, associé à une association communautaire, offrait un ensemble de services de prévention et de promotion de la santé accessibles aux personnes âgées du quartier. Deux groupes avaient été ciblés par le centre: les personnes âgées vulnérables et les autochtones âgées.

Keywords

Évaluationaînéspromotionpréventioncentre de santéautochtone.EvaluationSeniorsPromotionPreventionHealth CentreNative
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 10 , Issue 1 , Spring/printemps 1991 , pp. 64 - 73
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1991

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