Recreation programming recognized for encouraging healthier seniors - Tip-Off

Parks & Recreation, Nov, 2003

After completing a national competition to identify best practices in physical activity programming for older adults, The National Council on the Aging (NCOA) has selected 10 programs to receive a cash award and recognition out of the more than 1,100 organizations that applied.

Each of the following will receive a $1,000 award and certificate of achievement from NCOA. Three programs will also be invited to participate in a year-long University of Illinois in Chicago impact study to measure their health benefit.

* Chicago Department on Aging, Chicago, Ill.

* City of Aurora Senior Services, Aurora, Colo.

* Holy Cross Hospital, Community Health, Silver Spring, Md.

* Hospital of Saint Raphael, New Haven, Conn.

* Johnson City Seniors Center, Johnson City, Tenn.

* Madison School & Community Recreation, Madison, Wisc.

* MU School of Health Professions Columbia, Mo.

* Resources for Seniors, Inc., Raleigh, N.C.

* Senior Services of Seattle/ King County, Seattle, Wash.

* The Capital Senior Center, Columbia, S.C.

Lack of physical activity and poor diets contribute to chronic diseases and are the major causes of the obesity epidemic in this country. Despite overwhelming evidence demonstrating the now well-known benefits of physical activity, older adults have the lowest rates of activity among all adults. Nearly 75 percent of older Americans don't participate in any routine physical activities. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, few older Americans achieve the minimum recommended 30 or more minutes of physical activity on five or more days a week.

Through October, researchers conducted on-site assessments at the winning organizations to learn what makes their programs successful. Time was spent looking at their physical activity programs, the program's ability to attract and retain hundreds of participants, and the way in which an agency provides resources and long-term supports. What they found will be used to help other agencies increase quality and capacity of their physical activity programs, and to garner support for state and national policies greatly needed for program expansion. Also, much of what is learned will be published in future issue briefs that NCOA will disseminate.

NCOA has also launched a three-year, multi-pronged effort to assist community service organizations in offering higher quality, accessible programs that will reduce the rates of physical inactivity among seniors in communities across the nation. The NCOA project, which began last fall, addresses a number of strategies identified by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's National Blueprint: Inreasing Physical Activity Among Adults Age 50 and Older. The project is funded by the foundation.

For more information on NCOA's project, go to www.ncoa.org.