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New SWEAH research shows several health-promoting effects of preventive home visits

a woman giving a lecture
The preventive home visit can contribute to preparedness by equipping both the older person and society for the future, Anna Nivestam´s research shows.

Anna Nivestam's research is about health-promoting aspects of preventive home visits to older people, from an individual and a societal perspective. With the help of register data from a project for preventive home visits, she has, among other things, identified factors that may be associated with good health and which physical aspects can prevent older people from participating in social contexts.

She has also explored older people's experiences of advice and support given in connection with the preventive home visit.

- I have conducted focus group discussions with leading people from the municipality regarding how information from the preventive home visits can be used at a societal level to promote the health of older people.

Inclusion, assets and preparedness

From both an individual and a societal perspective, three health-promoting aspects of the preventive home visit have emerged - inclusion, assets and preparedness. For example, older people feel included in society through the advice and support they receive during the visit. From a societal perspective, the inclusion of older people could be made possible by using the information from the visits at a societal level. Furthermore, both individual assets could be identified during the visit and societal assets with the help of data from the preventive home visits. Finally, the preventive home visit can contribute to preparedness by equipping both the older person and society for the future.

She was amazed at how positive everyone was about the preventive home visit - both the older persons and politicians and heads of administration.

- I was also surprised at how many good ideas emerged about how information from the visits can be used at a societal level to promote the health of older people - that the preventive home visit can make more older people able to speak for themselves.

Now Anna will continue with research in aging and health. But she will also start working as a coordinator for the specialist nursing program, focusing on care for the older people. A program carried out in collaboration between the University of Gothenburg, Jönköping University, Kristianstad University, University West and Linnaeus University.

How do you see your time in SWEAH?

- My time in SWEAH has been fun and educational, especially the course Theories of aging. But also to have the opportunity to meet and make contacts with other PhD students who are researching in aging and health. 

To the thesis