Search

Aim: The purposes of this paper are (a) to critically analyse the social context of substance use among older adults and (b) to offer strategies for nurses and other health care providers to support the health of older adults experiencing problematic substance use., Design: Discussion paper., Methods: This analysis is informed by two theoretical lenses: an intersectional lens in examining the various factors influencing health and health care access; and a social justice lens, focusing on promoting health equity for older populations., Results: As a result of various social and sociopolitical factors, key issues are likely to arise for older adults experiencing problematic substance use including health and social inequities, stigma, and discrimination, all of which can result in serious negative health outcomes. Health care providers can help mitigate these effects by (a) promoting harm reduction principles; (b) participating in social justice actions; and (c) engaging in contextual assessments of substance use., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article., (© 2019 The Authors. Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

According to Health Canada (2016), only about 11% of older men meet recommended guidelines for physical activity, and participation decreases as men age. This places men at considerable risk of poor health, including an array of chronic diseases. A demographic shift toward a greater population of less healthy older men would substantially challenge an already beleaguered health-care system. One strategy to alter this trajectory might be gender-sensitized community-based physical activity. Therefore, a qualitative study was conducted to enhance understanding of community-dwelling older men's day-to-day experiences with physical activity. Four men over age 65 participated in a semistructured interview, three walk-along interviews, and a photovoice project. An interpretive descriptive approach to data analysis was used to identify three key themes related to men's experiences with physical activity: (a) "The things I've always done," (b) "Out and About," and (c) "You do need the group atmosphere at times." This research extends the knowledge base around intersections among older men, physical activity, and masculinities. The findings provide a glimpse of the diversity of older men and the need for physical activity programs that are unique to individual preferences and capacities. The findings are not generalized to all men but the learnings from this research may be of value to those who design programs for older men in similar contexts. Future studies might address implementation with a larger sample of older men who reside in a broad range of geographic locations and of different ethnicities.