By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    headphones can create health problems
    The Harmful Health Effects of Using Headphones
    September 24, 2021
    Headache causes
    4 Causes Of Headache You Probably Didn’t Know About
    December 28, 2021
    follow these steps to recover from your injury
    What Steps Should You Take to Recover More Quickly from an Injury?
    April 12, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Cash Transfers: Good for HIV/AIDS Too
    August 9, 2012
    unnecessary medical tests
    Eagerly Awaiting the Death of Defensive Medicine
    September 5, 2013
    Image
    Mobile Health Around the Globe – mHealth Fighting Malnutrition in India
    December 17, 2012
    Latest News
    Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
    July 6, 2025
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Quality of Life for Disabled Elderly Tied to Dignity and Autonomy
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > News > Quality of Life for Disabled Elderly Tied to Dignity and Autonomy
News

Quality of Life for Disabled Elderly Tied to Dignity and Autonomy

Anthony Cirillo
Anthony Cirillo
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE



Researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center (SFVAMC) and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), studying multi-cultural residents at San Francisco’s On Lok Lifeways program, concluded that quality of life for disabled elderly people is most closely tied to two factors: a sense of dignity and a sense of autonomy.

Said lead author Jennifer King, MD: “Because of disability, not all of them are able do to all activities on their own, but they want to feel they have some say in how those activities progress throughout the day.”
These seniors, average age of 78, rated their quality of life higher than some might assume it would be for older people with disabilities.
 
“As the number of elders from diverse backgrounds with late life disability increases, we need to learn how to assess their quality of life, and develop an assessment scale that will adequately reflect what they tell us is important,” said King.
Four areas were considered important to their quality of life: physical (e.g., pain), psychological (e.g., depression), spiritual or religious (e.g., religious coping), and social (e.g., life-space). 

Dignity and a sense of control were identified as themes that are the most closely tied to overall quality of life.


On Lok is a model community so it is not clear if seniors there enjoy a better quality of life overall. That said, isn’t this all logical? Who doesn’t want dignity and autonomy?

And that gives me an excuse to shamelessly plug an organization of which I am on the board called CCAL – the Consumer Consortium for Advancing Person-Centered Living.
Person-centered living (PCL) is a way of life centered on personal preferences and values that stress dignity, choice, self-determination and individuality. Many of our nation’s aging and disability services and support have been all too lacking in understanding the need for this humanistic dimension. The new federal health care reform law will begin to change this. More can be done.
 

We spend a lot of time talking about patient experience in hospitals and person-centered care in nursing and assisted living facilities. But there is more to the continuum of aging services than these settings. 
 
Some of the initiatives were are working on from the consumer perspective include:
  1. Helping empower and engage consumers through a national initiative for consumers to create their own PCL Bill of Rights.
  2. Partnering with leading national organizations to host Town Hall Forums to bring together aging consumers with aging professionals, providers, and government leaders to discuss needs, interests, and challenges in numerous cities every year.
  3. Launching a national ‘by consumers-for consumers’ awareness campaign so that aging service and support providers clearly know what consumers want. 

Check us out. Thanks

More Read

Patient Power: Many Miles Traveled, Many More to Go
Asthma Medical Home at Boston Children’s Hospital Wins Innovation Challenge
Obesity Treatment Moving Toward Fragmented Clinical Approaches
Psychiatry Centre Discuss What is rTMS And How Does it Work
Cybersecurity in Medical Devices: Paranoia, or a Tangible Threat?
TAGGED:geriatrics
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

9 Lifestyle Tweaks That Can Add Years to Your Life
9 Healthcare Lifestyle Tweaks That can Add Years to Your Life
lifestyle
July 11, 2025
car accident lawsuit
Let Your Lawyer Handle the Work Before You Pay Medical Costs
Policy & Law
July 6, 2025
women dental care
What Is a Smile Makeover and How Much Does It Cost?
Dental health
June 30, 2025
HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps
Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
June 25, 2025

You Might also Like

Evaluating Doctor Conduct
BusinessHealth ReformHospital AdministrationMedical EducationMedical EthicsNewsPolicy & LawPublic Health

Taking a Fresh Look at Disruptive Physician Conduct

September 17, 2014

5 Ways Healthcare Organizations Can Reduce Security Breaches

December 12, 2011

Aaron Carroll Defends Retail Clinics

December 13, 2011
venous ulcer
News

What Are Venous Ulcers and How To Treat Them?

April 26, 2022
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?