Finding Rabbit Holes Without Falling In: Navigating Palliative Care Policy in Canadian Long-Term Care

Abstract

work while enjoying high levels of health and wellbeing. Selected findings from the national cross-sectional survey (n= 2,100) and qualitative interviews (n=100) with Australian men and women age 45 years and over will be presented. This poster will describe the main 'triggers' to initiating voluntary retirement, factors associated with retirement age (such as gender, health, assets, industry and occupation) and what conditions may have delayed the decision to withdraw permanently from paid employment. This poster will also discuss dominant characteristics of older workers (65 years and over) including the type of work they undertake, how they work, and why they continue to participate in paid work past the traditional retirement age. Wisdom is an important asset of elders and has been shown to be related to wellbeing, but it is not clear whether wisdom affects wellbeing or wellbeing affects wisdom. The relationship between wisdom and wellbeing has not be largely researched in an Asian cultural context and this study is the first of its kind. To clarify the relationships, this study utilized baseline data from a questionnaire of 142 Chinese community dwelling older adults aged 60 and above, invited in all the 18 districts in Hong Kong. The analysis controlled for the elder's mastery, social support received, and a number of background characteristics. Results show that wisdom derived from inspirational engagement -social relations can contribute to older adults' self-esteem; whilst wisdom derived from emotional management -dealing with life situations can contribute to life satisfaction. Social support continued to play an important role in Chinese older adults' wellbeing, the primary caregiver's support contributed to the elder's life satisfaction unconditionally, whilst non-caregivers' support indicated a contribution to life satisfaction contingent on the elder's instrumental dysfunction. The results thus imply that helping older adults to make social contributions and manage life situations can improve wellbeing in later life In São Paulo, Mooca is a traditional Italian immigration neighborhood where 19% of the inhabitants are 60+ years, a high percentage compared to the Brazilian population. This qualitative research was intended to mobilize workers and elderly inhabitants from Mooca, and to analyze their perceptions about the neighborhood through Agefriendly cities program method proposed by the World Heath Organization (2007). A committee composed by researchers, representatives of the public administration, and civil society followed the implementation of the project, and assisted in the organization of 8 focal groups: 2 groups of elderly aged 60-75 years, 2 groups of elderly aged 76+ years, 2 groups with professionals, and 2 groups of elderly people of varying ages, totaling 44 participants (29 women and 15 men). About living in Mooca being an older person, the participants highlight as positive aspects the identity and tradition of the neighborhood, where people still know each other. As negative point...