Characteristics of Physical Activity Programs for Older Adults: Results of a Multisite Survey (original) (raw)
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Impact of physical activity programs and services for older adults: a rapid review
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
Background Knowledge of which physical activity programs are most effective for older adults in different sub-populations and contexts is limited. The objectives of this rapid review were to: 1) Overview evidence evaluating physical activity programs/services for older adults; and 2) Describe impact on physical activity, falls, intrinsic capacity (physical domain), functional ability (physical, social, and cognitive/emotional domains), and quality of life. Methods We conducted a rapid review of primary studies from 350 systematic reviews identified in a previous scoping review (March 2021: PEDro, MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Database). For Objective 1, we included intervention studies investigating physical activity programs/services in adults ≥ 60 years. Of these, we included good quality (≥ 6/10 PEDro scale) randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with ≥ 50 participants per group in Objective 2. Results Objective 1: Of the 1421 intervention studies identified from 8267 records, 79% were ...
Barriers to and Facilitators of Physical Activity Program Use Among Older Adults
Clinical Medicine & Research, 2014
OBJECTIVE: Regular physical activity (PA) is important for maintaining long-term physical, cognitive, and emotional health. However, few older adults engage in routine PA, and even fewer take advantage of programs designed to enhance PA participation. Though most managed Medicare members have free access to the Silver Sneakers and EnhanceFitness PA programs, the vast majority of eligible seniors do not utilize these programs. The goal of this qualitative study was to better understand the barriers to and facilitators of PA and participation in PA programs among older adults.DESIGN: This was a qualitative study using focus group interviews.SETTING: Focus groups took place at three Group Health clinics in King County, Washington.PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-two randomly selected Group Health Medicare members between the ages of 66 to 78 participated.METHODS: We conducted four focus groups with 13 participants each. Focus group discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using an inductive thematic approach and a social-ecological framework.RESULTS: Men and women were nearly equally represented among the participants, and the sample was largely white (77%), well-educated (69% college graduates), and relatively physically active. Prominent barriers to PA and PA program participation were physical limitations due to health conditions or aging, lack of professional guidance, and inadequate distribution of information on available and appropriate PA options and programs. Facilitators included the motivation to maintain physical and mental health and access to affordable, convenient, and stimulating PA options.CONCLUSION: Older adult populations may benefit from greater support and information from their providers and health care systems on how to safely and successfully improve or maintain PA levels through later adulthood. Efforts among health care systems to boost PA among older adults may need to consider patient-centered adjustments to current PA programs, as well as alternative methods for promoting overall active lifestyle choices.© 2014 Marshfield Clinic.
Evaluation of a Physical Activity Promotion Program for Seniors
SOCIETY, INTEGRATION, EDUCATION. Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference, 2015
The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of the developed programme of physical activities for 60-75 years old seniors. The study sample includes 24 seniors in experimental and 25 persons in control group. The examinations of health related variables, questionnaire about physical activity and factors influencing it, and testing of physical fitness were done. After a one-year period the results of International Physical Activity Questionnaire of the experimental group remained significantly higher than results of the control group (5103.4±1447.05 vs 3796.6±1052.12 MET-min/week;…
Journal of Primary Care & Community Health
Background: This research study illustrates the perceptions, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes of older adults residing in an urban community as major factors to understanding barriers and motivators in older African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians adults within Washington, DC. Methods: Eight focus group sessions conducted with 58 older adults to determine their understanding of physical activity and exercise, as well as of barriers to, motivators for, and benefits of physical activity and exercise. Results: The results showed that dance was the preferred physical activity and exercise, fixed or limited income were the main barriers, and prolonged life, more energy, and a stronger body were the main benefits. Conclusion: The results will assist in recommendations to policy makers on programs for older adults that will increase physical activity and exercise for local citizens. These interventions are more likely to increase older adults’ ability to remain in their communities and im...
Best practices for physical activity programs and behavior counseling in older adult populations
European Review of Aging and Physical Activity, 2006
Physical activity offers one of the greatest opportunities for people to extend years of active independent life and reduce functional limitations. The purpose of this paper is to identify key practices for promoting physical activity in older adults, with a focus on older adults with chronic disease or low fitness and those with low levels of physical activity. Key practices identified in promotion activity in older adults include: (1) a multidimensional activity program that includes endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility training is optimal for health and functional benefits; (2) principles of behavior change, including social support, self-efficacy, active choices, health contracts, assurances of safety, and positive reinforcement, enhance adherence; (3) management of risk by beginning at low intensity but gradually increasing to moderate physical activity which has a better risk/benefit ratio should be the goal for older adults; (4) an emergency procedure plan is prudent...
Health Promotion Practice, 2008
A variety of intervention strategies to promote PA among older adults have been systematically tested. These have included individual-level home-based, group-based, or educational interventions (see King [2001]; King, Rejeski, & Buchner [1998]; van der Bij, Laurant, & Wensing [2002] for reviews) as well as lifestyle modification (Dunn, Andersen, & Jakicic, 1998) and environmental and policy change (Sallis, Bauman, & Pratt, 1998). Significant gaps exist in our knowledge and ability to promote PA among older adults, including (a) finding ways of motivating people who are not already active; (b) creating effective, culturally relevant programs for lowincome, minority, underserved populations; and (c) sustaining research-tested programs in community settings. Challenges of motivating sedentary people to become active are particularly great among older adults, where habits have become ingrained over a longer period of time (Brawley, Rejeski, & King, 2003). The lack of culturally appropriate PA programs has been noted as well as the lack of systematic evaluation of those programs (Banks-Wallace & Conn, 2002; Taylor, Baranowski, & Young, 1998). Finally, programs of all types that are tested in a research mode often fail to be sustained in community settings (Glasgow, Lichtenstein, & Marcus, 2003). This article describes a community organizing approach to promoting physical activity among underserved older adults in southeast Seattle: the Southeast Senior Physical Activity Network (SESPAN). The organizing strategy involves networking with a variety of community-based organizations, with two broad objectives: (a) program objective-to make connections between two (or more) community-based organizations to create senior physical activity programs where none existed before; and (b) coalition objective-to build a broader network or coalition of groups and organizations to assist in making larger scale environmental and policy changes. Networking among organizations led to the creation of a number of potentially sustainable walking and exercise programs that are reaching previously underserved communities within Southeast Seattle. In addition, a major community event led to the establishment of a health coalition that has the potential to continue to generate new broad-based programs and larger scale environmental changes.
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 1998
Background: Although many of the chronic conditions plaguing older populations are preventable through appropriate lifestyle interventions such as regular physical activity, persons in this age group represent the most sedentary segment of the adult population. The purpose of the current paper was to provide a critical selected review of the scientific literature focusing on interventions to promote physical activity among older adults. Methods: Comprehensive computerized searches of the recent English language literature aimed at physical activity intervention in adults aged 50 years and older, supplemented with visual scans of several journal on aging, were undertaken. Articles were considered to be relevant for the current review if they were community-based, employed a randomized design or a quasi-experimental design with an appropriate comparison group, and included information on intervention participation rates, pre-and post-intervention physical activity levels, and/or pre/post changes in relevant physical performance measures. Results: Twenty-nine studies were identified that fit the stated criteria. Among the strengths of the studies reviewed were reasonable physical activity participation rates and relatively long study durations. Among the weaknesses of the literature reviewed were the relative lack of specific behavioral or program-based strategies aimed at promoting physical activity participation, as well as the dearth of studies aimed at replication, generalizability of interventions to important subgroups, implementation, and cost-effectiveness evaluation. Conclusions: Recommendations for future scientific endeavors targeting older adults are discussed.