Health Literacy Among Older Adults

Low health literacy is a critical issue among adults, with over one-third found to have difficulty understanding such basic information as that found on prescription bottles. This is the first graduate textbook to address key health literacy issues as they affect the health and wellbeing of the ageing population. Embracing a topic spanning numerous disciplines, it features a dynamic, multiple contextual systems approach and includes contributions from renowned scholars and practitioners in gerontology, public health, social work, nursing, and other related fields. The text emphasises increasing health literacy among older adults through the use of technological tools and features the most current research, evidence-based programs, and practices. It provides expansive coverage of the intersection of technology and health literacy, highlighting innovative approaches and discussing how to use technology with resource-limited groups, and gives special consideration to rural, impoverished, culturally diverse, and low literacy elders and presents gold standard intervention programs and models. Also covered are the policy implications of programs focusing on increasing health literacy and future directions for meeting the Healthy People 2020 initiative. Case studies, review questions, accompanying PowerPoint lectures, learning objectives, will reinforce learning. Key Features:: Provides a one-of-a-kind, multidisciplinary survey of the key health literacy issues of older adults. Focuses on increasing health literacy across the disciplines. Addresses a priority area of Healthy People 2020. Incorporates research and practice from gerontology, psychology, public health, social work, sociology, medicine, and nursing. Includes case studies, review questions, learning objectives, and PowerPoint slides for assisting instructors.