Milwaukee VA Medical Center, 5000 W. National Ave, Milwaukee, WI, 53295, USA.
Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, USA.
Community Ment Health J. 2024 Apr;60(3):457-469. doi: 10.1007/s10597-023-01192-0. Epub 2023 Oct 24.
The importance of community involvement for both older adults and individuals coping with mental illness is well documented. Yet, barriers to community integration for adults with mental illness such as social stigma, discrimination, and economic marginalization are often exacerbated by increased health and mobility challenges among older adults. Using photovoice, nine older adults with mental illness represented their views of community in photographs and group discussions over a six-week period. Participant themes of community life included physical spaces, valued social roles, and access to resources in the community. Themes were anchored by older adults' perceptions of historical and cultural time comparisons between 'how things used to be' and 'how things are now.' Barriers to community integration were often related to factors such as age, mobility, and resources rather than to mental health status. Program evaluation results suggest photovoice can promote self-reflection, learning, and collaboration among older adults with mental illness.
社区参与对于老年人和患有精神疾病的个体都非常重要，这一点已得到充分证明。然而，对于患有精神疾病的成年人来说，融入社区的障碍，如社会污名、歧视和经济边缘化，往往因老年人健康和行动能力挑战的增加而加剧。本研究采用摄影法，在六周的时间里，九名患有精神疾病的老年人通过照片和小组讨论来表达他们对社区的看法。社区生活的主题包括物理空间、有价值的社会角色以及社区内资源的获取。这些主题的基础是老年人对“过去的样子”和“现在的样子”之间历史和文化时间的看法。融入社区的障碍往往与年龄、行动能力和资源等因素有关，而不是与心理健康状况有关。项目评估结果表明，摄影法可以促进患有精神疾病的老年人进行自我反思、学习和合作。
