Networking and research enrichment on applying community-based participatory research for healthy ageing in older people (CPR4Health): Bridging gaps across disciplines and communities

Our Malaysian research in older people and exercise stemmed from studies in sarcopenia, an age-related muscle mass and strength loss disease. We realized that a plethora of beneficial evidence on exercise and nutrition are in journals, but rarely used by older people that would benefit from it the most. Currently, we are testing a system called ENHance-M – Evidence-, Needs-based Healthy ageing Services for older Malaysian adults. ENHance-M uses an older-adult, user-friendly smartphone application that functions like an Uber/Grab app. Instead of calling for rides/food delivery, it calls for trained health service providers (HSPs) for personalized home-based consultations. These HSPs are health science graduates, up-skilled via our ENHance-M online micro-credential courses to ensure standardized quality care. ENHance-M’s potential is multifold – from providing older people with accessible and reliable health services at home, to job opportunities for health graduates in their hometown using the gig work model. Yet, we lack insight if ENHance-M is something that Malaysian older adults would embrace. Thus, we intend to learn, apply and network around community-based participatory research (CPR) to establish older adults and HSPs thoughts/feelings about and consequences of ENHance-M. We would also like to extend CPR practices to other researchers in older people in Malaysia and consequently, create a Malay language training module from the experience. Our network will bring experienced CPR academics from University of Dundee together with HSPs, policy makers and related non-governmental organizations to ensure ENHance-M and other community-related research works for older people to bring positive impact and change.