Physical activity is an essential component in promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing/postponing chronic disease among older populations. As people age, social networks help to prevent isolation and keep people connected to their communities. The Keep Moving program is a public/private partnership promoting physical activity, fitness and socialization for older persons. The program continuously recruits and maintains a statewide network of community-based walking clubs under the auspices of local councils on aging, senior centers, housing sites, churches, recreation departments, and civic organizations. Walking clubs are organized by volunteer leaders trained in the physiology of aging, medical aspects of exercise, osteoporosis awareness, motivation techniques, stretching exercises and the logistics of managing a safe walking program. These “peer leaders” take responsibility in their communities for recruiting walkers, previewing walking routes, scheduling walks and disseminating health information. Clubs assert unique “identities,” such as Happy Soles, Morning Glories, Golden Arches, Smile-a-Milers, Happy Hoofers, and Sole Mates. Most clubs walk two to three times a week. Walkers vary their routes from city streets, to wooded trails, to rural pathways and school tracks. Membership in a walking club reinforces social connections and builds compliance, so that exercise becomes a regular part of daily routines. Regional walking events bring the clubs together to celebrate healthy lifestyles and build camaraderie among the walkers. Keep Moving walking clubs convey a key health message to seniors: “It is never too late to start an exercise program.” Survey data evaluating the health and behavior of Keep Moving walkers will be available.
Learning Objectives: By lecture, demonstration, and participation in this program, attendees will be able to: 1) create public/private partnerships to promote wellness activities for seniors; 2) train, motivate and sustain volunteers to recruit walkers and organize community walking clubs; 3) design a safe walking program; 4) apply new models for reaching targeted populations, e.g. urban dwellers, linquistic minorities, and men; and 5) incorporate data gained from Keep Moving evaluation into program planning.
Keywords: Community-Based Health Promotion, Physical Activity
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Handout (.doc format, 34.5 kb)