Zeitschrift für Gerontologie und Geriatrie
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
[Geriatric health promotion and prevention for independently living senior citizens: programmes and target groups].
Nearly all diseases in old age that are epidemiologically important can be reduced or prevented successfully through consequent changes in individual lifestyle, a systematic provision of measures in primary prevention (i.e. vaccination programmes) and the creation of health promoting settings. However, at the moment the amount of potential for preventative interventions is neither systematically nor sufficiently utilised in Germany. ⋯ The strongest reason to refuse participation in health promoting programmes was the personal attitude related to one's own personal health. Taking account of needs and wants of the seniors who refused to participate more people expressed the reason "no interest" in the preventive home visit than in the small group session at the geriatric centre. To strengthen the integration of the GP as a trustworthy person would seem to be more successful to motivate senior citizens to participate in health promoting and preventative programmes in the future. This could succeed in a cooperation with geriatric centres to establish community centres for generally healthy senior citizens.