Arts & Social Sciences
Te Kura Kete Aronui

Abstract

Blewden, M. (1993). Healthy Aging: A retrospective evaluation of a health education programme. Unpublished Master of Social Science Thesis. Hamilton: University of Waikato.

A restrospective evaluation was conducted for The Order of St John to help identify why their attempts to implement a health education programme for older adults throughout New Zealand wa largely unsuccessful. Process and content evaluation examined the implementation of the programme and it's structure and content in order to identify influencing factors in the programme's difficulties. A needs assessment was carried out to examine the viability of re-establihing the programme in the Waikato area. Attention was also focused on the cultural appropriateness of the programme and how it could be best utilised by Māori. Research data were collected from in-depth interviews with St John staff members, course facilitators, community agency representatives and Māori health workers. A self administered questionaire was also used to get course feedback from a sample of course participants.

Findings suggest that the problems experienced by the programme resulted largely from it's administration and implementation rather than the course itself. A failure to develop the program from a community development framework and a failure to adequately prepare programme staff were identified as major barriers to successful implementation of the program. Other barriers identified related to course factors such as it's name, length, cost and to factors relating to the structure and approach of The Order of St Johns itself.

Health education fo older adults was seen as a positive and useful initiative by most of the research informants. However, there was less confidence in the future possible demand for the program in an increasingly "active" market catering to the health needs of older adults. A programme with a retirement rather than an aged focus was identified as a future possibility although the need for further community consultation was identified in order to more fully access where possible need may exist.

Recommendations were made which could be considered, in any future development of the programme.