Tanzania - Intergenerational Healthy Ageing

HelpAge International in partnership with three local partners: the Good Samaritan Social Services Trust, Pwani Development Promotion Agency, and JB geriatric and HIV centre, have been working in Kibaha district in Tanzania from July 2016 to August 2017 to respond to the growing threat of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among older people living in multi-generation households through a project: “Intergenerational Healthy Ageing through a Life Course Approach in Kibaha, Tanzania: Healthy Kibaha 2025”.

The project sought to provide a model intervention that integrates a community based approach to reduce modifiable risk factors for non-communicable diseases and underlying social determinants through creation of health-promoting environments.

The need to identify program approaches and partnerships that have generated significant impact and disseminate best practices through policy debate forums among others was of paramount importance. The implementation, observed a number of impressive results and outcomes on the health of older people, children and adolescents living in multi-generational households worth sharing.The changes in health seeking behavior included increased attendance to health facilities for checkups and early diagnosis of NCDs and for treatment services reported to be as a result of better services at health facilities and improved reception by the health workers. Health facilities in the project areas now generate data on the number of people diagnosed with NCDs.

Throughout the project implementation a number of best practices have been collected including from the following areas:

The project approaches included: Strengths and community-based, intergenerational and family-centred approaches and applying SALT in enhancing intergenerational support for better health outcomes in multigenerational households through a life course approach.

Intergeneration active ageing clubs: enhancing intergenerational collaboration in doing physical exercises such as indoor and out-door games, opportunities to socialise and promotion of health information sharing to prevent, delay and improve management of NCDs.

Positive health messaging in multigenerational households: bringing about changing attitudes, behaviours and practices leading to better health outcomes;

During the market place we presented different products to share with other participants.We had different kinds of brochures that explained how CLCP and SALT had been applied in ten different communities in Kibaha (coastal region). We also has a story book that was displayed on the table showing different testimonials on how people from the ten communities had benefited from the SALT visits that were done by Family health mentors.

We also presented documents on intergenerational Healthy Aging through a Life Course Approach, a project funded by PFIZER which was designed to educate communities and raise awareness on health issues of Non communicable diseases through Community Based intervention. HelpAge International is implementing the project in partnership with Good Samaritan Social Service Trust Fund (GSSST- Elisha Sibale Mwamkinga ) Pwani Development Promotion Agency (PDPA- Mathew Chungu) and Jb Geriatric HIV Cente-Judith Bagachwa.

Finally we displayed hand made products of older persons. These were knitted handbags, earrings, bangles, necklaces, jewels etc. through active aging groups older persons are encouraged to do income generating activities that will help support their families and cater for their basic needs.