Using senior volunteers as peer educators: What is the evidence of effectiveness in falls prevention?

Abstract

Peer education models are well established as a means of delivering health and social welfare information. IntroductionThere is a popular view that advice is more readily accepted from contemporaries -those who are similar in age and experience to the recipients [1,2]. Based on this premise, peer education models have flourished since the 1960s and are well established as a means of delivering health and social welfare information [3]. The notion of a 'peer' is tied to identity, but it should not be assumed that age constitutes the only basis for identification between people. Identities derive from a multiplicity of sources including roles that people take on (for example being a grandparent), group categories that they feel they belong to (such as those based on culture or religion) or experiences that they have (such as having a chronic illness) [3].Common themes that can be identified in regard to peer education are that information sharing and transfer take place; attempts are made to influence knowledge, attitudes or behaviour; that it occurs between people who share common characteristics and similar experiences; and that it relies on influential members of a social group or category [4]. Although peer education is most often associated with younger age groups, its use among older age groups is becoming more common [5,6]. It has been suggested that using trained senior volunteers to inform peers about a variety of health-related topics is an important strategy for promoting healthy ageing [7].Volunteers have long played a key role in community-based health and social support services [8]. Older people are termed 'highly committed volunteers' as they donate more time than any other age group [9,10]. As well as giving time, they provide the benefits from lifelong experiences. As the baby-boomer cohort ages, they will continue to volunteer but have different needs and expectations in relation to their volunteering [11]. Many view commitment to peer education programs as a way to be active and involved, while contributing to their communities.Peer education models using trained older volunteers have included programs to provide information about medication management [12], to counsel on the mental health needs of older adults [13], for chronic disease self-management for conditions such as arthritis and osteoporosis [14], to promote wellness and quality of life [15], to encourage healthy eating [16] and increased physical activity [17], to support preventive health screening [2,18], as well as to advise about fall prevention [19]. Despite proliferation of such programs, uncertainty remains about the effectiveness of this model of service delivery. This paper reviews the literature exploring the theoretical basis for using senior volunteers as peer educators, outlining the advantages and disadvantages of this model of service delivery for health promotion of older people and, specifically, examines the evidence for effectiveness in fall prevention. To identify articles for inclusion in this review Pubmed, CIN...

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