Third Places for Health Promotion with Older Adults: Using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to Enhance Program Implementation and Evaluation

Abstract

This study extends the concept of third places to include community sites where older adults gather, often for meals or companionship. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research guided program implementation and evaluation. Depending upon health promotion program needs, the physical infrastructure of a site is important, but a supportive director (champion) can often overcome identified deficits. Senior centers may be locally classified into four types based upon eligibility requirements of residents in affiliated housing and services offered. Participants who attend these centers differ in important ways across types by most sociodemographic as well as certain health and health care characteristics.

“Seniors only want respect”: designing an oral health program for older adults

“…The limitations of this study include that the focus group participants were recruited from third places in northern Manhattan and may not be generalizable to older adults who are institutionalized or living in other locales. Further, the participants self‐identified as African American, Dominican, or Puerto Rican, and it cannot be known with certainty whether or not the experiences of other racial/ethnic older adults are consistent with the findings presented here.…”

“…Senior centers were selected rather than places where older adults receive dental care in order to obtain a sample of individuals who did not necessarily have access to or seek dental care. Senior centers have been identified as important “third places” (as distinct from homes or “first places” and worksites or “second places”) where older adults may be targeted for health promotion activities . Third places are locations on neutral ground where people may gather, enjoy the company of others, and interact .…”

“…Senior centers have been identified as important “third places” (as distinct from homes or “first places” and worksites or “second places”) where older adults may be targeted for health promotion activities . Third places are locations on neutral ground where people may gather, enjoy the company of others, and interact . Both field recruiters were bilingual in English and Spanish and possessed several years of experience working with racial/ethnic minority older adults and senior center directors in northern Manhattan.…”

“…30 Examples include dental school clinics that are both respected by racial/ethnic minority older adults and provide respectful dental care to community members, 8 and community-based oral and general health screening programs for racial/ethnic minority adults. 27 The limitations of this study include that the focus group participants were recruited from third places 14 in northern Manhattan and may not be generalizable to older adults who are institutionalized or living in other locales. Further, the participants self-identified as African American, Dominican, or Puerto Rican, and it cannot be known with certainty whether or not the experiences of other racial/ethnic older adults are consistent with the findings presented here.…”

Estimating peer density effects on oral health for community-based older adults

“…A first priority of health practitioners is to better ensure the oral health and well-being of older adults across the socioeconomic spectrum [ 5 ]; a corollary is to target disadvantaged subpopulations with supportive public health programs and policies [ 6 ]. A second priority is to shift oral health care spending to fund preventive activities in familiar, community-based settings rather than restorative treatments [ 6 – 8 ].…”