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Social Health
Education with Older Women
BY GRACE HODGINS
This article is about an innovative, educational programme
designed for, and in collaboration with, older women. The Social Health
Outreach Programme (SHOP) has helped middle-aged and older women increase their
sense of self through a strengthening of their personal and social resources.
SHOP provides an educational model which can inform program planning
initiatives geared toward increasing the independence and self-esteem of older
women.
SHOP originated as a program of the First Mature Women's Network
Society in Vancouver, Canada. Dr. Beverly Burnside, one of the society's
founding members, initiated SHOP as a means of addressing the depression
evident in many women seeking membership. She developed and tested SHOP as a
social 'treatment' for depression. Burnside (1990) has authored two
comprehensive SHOP manuals which are geared to both leaders and participants.
One is a background resource manual and the other is a leader's 'how to' guide.
These manuals provide a wealth of useful information relevant for those
planning educational programs for older women.
Although SHOP originated as a social therapy for depressed
women, it can be readily adapted to a wide range of groups. I had the
opportunity to modify the basic SHOP format and conduct two 20 session programs
with a total of 15 women aged 58 to 76. This article outlines the aims and
content of my version of SHOP. In addition, I will highlight program features
which, in my view, contribute most to its effectiveness as an educational
program for older women.
The Rationale for SHOP
SHOP is based on two
main premises. The first is that all people have a basic need to identify
themselves as valued members of society. Value or status is conferred through
achieved, rather than ascribed, roles. Those who lack opportunities to
participate in achievement roles have a vulnerable social identity (Sarbin,
1970). Helping participants achieve a healthy social identity is the aim of
SHOP.
The second premise buttressing SHOP is that a large personal
social network, with ties to the wider community, will contribute to a healthy
social identity.
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Un programme
éducatif destiné aux femmes d'un certain âge
Cet article met en relief le bien-fondé, les
objectifs et le contenu d'un programme éducatif destiné aux
femmes d'un certain âge. Le Social Health Outreach Program (Programme
d'extension sur la santé sociale), qu'a élaboré Beverley
Burnside, vise a aider les femmes à prendre conscience de leur valeur
personnelle et à exercer un contrôle plus grand sur leur vie. Ce
programme repose sur une idée clé : chaque personne a
fondamentalement besoin de croire qu'elle est précieuse à la
société. Le but du programme est d'aider les femmes d'un certain
âge à se doter d'une identité sociale nette en consolidant
leurs réseaux de soutien personnels.
Grace Hodgins a dirigé un atelier de vingt
séances s'inspirant de ce programme. Parmi les sujets abordés,
citons :Qu'est-ce que la santé sociale?; Optiques divergentes sur les
causes de démoralisation et dépression; insomnies; les
médicaments, les précautions à prendre et les
problèmes de sécurité. Les participantes se sont
"réoutillees" en acquerant ou en affûtant certaines
compétences (résolution de problèmes et savoir communiquer
dans une situation difficile, par exemple).
Grace Hodgins estime que le programme est un outil
éducatif précieux car il aide les femmes d'un certain âge
à tirer parti de leurs propres expériences pour se doter de
nouvelles compétences, lier des amitiés et créer les
réseaux sociaux dont elles ont besoin pour se sentir bien et exercer un
contrôle plus grand sur leur vie. |
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