Ageing and Society
- Ageing and Society / Volume 14 / Issue 01 / March 1994, pp 75-95
- Copyright Cambridge University Press 1994
- DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X00000064 (About DOI), Published online: 14 November 2008
Research Article
Empowering the Elderly: Gerontological Health Promotion in Latin America
Barry Checkowaya1
a1 School of Social Work, The University of Michigan, 1065 Frieze Building, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1285, U.S.A.
Abstract
Older people are increasing in number and proportion of the population in Latin America and, as they do their health needs and social resources are becoming more apparent. In response, gerontologiacal health promotion is emerging as a new field emphasizing the community as a unit of health and the participation of older people in the process. Recognizing the need for more empirical research on the topic, this paper identifies initiatives that promote the health of perople in Costa Rica, Chile, and Argentina, by enabling them to plan programmes, develop services, and advocate change at the community level. It analyzes some of their common themes, and discusses general prospects for the future.
