The importance of integrated care for successful ageing can be through constructing what can be considered an equal system.This equal system,Dr Lee describes, works by integrating the public, private and community sectors to build an ecosystem of services and supports centered around ageing patients. The key to building this system is to engage with the people, skills and resources already available in the community, rather than crafting resources and programmes from scratch.

Components of this equal system are healthcare prevention, healthcare management and building Care Communities. Prevention efforts include earlier screenings and earlier interventions. Management efforts include setting up innovations like self-help kiosks for health tracking, tele-health monitors, andBluetooth enabled machines to encourage self management.These care-technologies can be set up in familiar areas integrated with daily living so that they are accessible and people will be more inclined to use them.

According to Dr Lee, Neighbours For Active Living, which is just one of such programmes that aims to create a care-network and build relationships to support older adults. It comprises of paid staff that leverages community resources to create and train volunteers to serve ageing adults. Similar to Dr Audrey Weiner, Dr Lee alludes to the role that technology can play in supporting ageing communities. He warns that technology and products themselves may never achieve their goals without an equal and supportive ecosystem system. However, simple, low cost interventions and innovations can have large impacts if we listen and include our elders and caregivers in our solution effort

BUILDING AN EQUAL SYSTEM

FIRST component – Healthcare prevention 

SECOND component – Healthcare management

These efforts include setting up innovations like self-help kiosks for health tracking, tele-health monitors, and Bluetooth enabled machines that can encourage self-management. These care-technologies can be set up in familiar areas integrated with daily living so that they are accessible and people will be more inclined to use them.

THIRD component – Develop ‘Care Communities’

One programme, Neighbours For Active Living, is made up of paid staff and supported by leveraging community resources which creates and trains volunteers to care for ageing communities. Creating volunteer networks is vital since we can no longer rely on paid healthcare staff to care for ageing communities.

Article by Ari Grigorian