Increasing older adults’ sense of control over their chronic diseases

Situation in Brief

While most older adults report themselves to be healthy and independent, they also report high rates of chronic illnesses that threaten that health and independence.Over 80 percent of older adults (65+) have one or more chronic illness such as hypertension, arthritis, or diabetes.Preventing further health declines in the face of such conditions requires specific skills to work effectively with medical professionals, make health promoting changes in diet or lifestyle, and promote a sense of control over the illness.

The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, developed at Stanford University, is a proven approach to help people with chronic illnesses develop such a sense of control and be more effective in managing their health.It has been widely adopted around the world, including Canada, Australia, and England – where it is a part of the National Health Service and known as the Expert Patient Programme.

Purpose and Impact of the Grant:

To make the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) widely available in five American states.

Through a grant to the National Council on Aging (NCOA) the Atlantic Philanthropies will support a competitive award program for states wishing to build infrastructure for the CDSMP and offer it statewide to the large numbers of vulnerable people.This technical assistance and challenge grant effort by the NCOA will be conducted in partnership with the Administration on Aging and the broader federal department of Health and Human Services, which will support up to twelve states to adopt the CDSMP and other health promotion programming for older adults.Collectively, this initiative will include more than $20,000,000 in philanthropic, state, and federal funding to help bring this program to older adults in the United States.