The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #66762

James P. LoGerfo, MD, MPH¹, Susan Snyder², Elizabeth Phelan, MD, MPH¹, Marianne LoGerfo, MSW², Jamie Hunter-Mitchell³, Barbara Williams, PhD¹, and Anne Shumway-Cook, RPT, PhD¹. (1) Health Promotion Research Center, University of Washington, Box 354804, Seattle, WA 98195, 206-543-2590, logerfo@u.washington.edu, (2) Senior Services Seattle/King County, Box 354804, Seattle, WA 98195, (3) Group Health Cooperative, Box 354804, Seattle, WI 98195

The Senior Wellness Project (SWP) is a senior center-based health promotion, disability prevention program based in senior centers. SWP has several components from which clients may select: a nurse and social work-facilitated health promotion plan called Health Enhancement Program (HEP); an evidence-based exercise program called Lifetime Fitness (LFP); and a workshop in self-management of chronic conditions. A community agency/academic partnership has disseminated the programs and developed web-based and optical scanned data systems to support continuous quality improvement, including feedback to individual sites, change in protocols and outcome monitoring.

HEP is available in 31 sites in six states and Sweden. There have been over 1,200 participants. Most recent data show that the program serves older adults (mean age 73.7) with at-risk health status (32% with fair or poor self-rated health). Six-month outcome data show improved physical activity (PACE score 4.2 to 5.1, p=.001); reduced Geriatric Depression Scores (4.3 to 3.5, p=.001); and decrease in the percentage hospitalized (29% to 22%, p=.008).

LFP has served 3,800 participants at 58 national sites. Most recent data show those with baseline scores below age adjusted norms have statistically significant improvement in all three performance measures: biceps curls, chair stand and Up and Go test (a measure of fall risk); those at or above age norms tend to maintain performance.

Conclusion: SWP has been disseminated to diverse sites, is supported by ongoing assessment of outcomes critical to health promotion in older adults, and continues to be effective.

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will develop a better understanding of how to disseminate effective programs, assure program fidelity and quality, and continuously improve programs after dissemination.

Keywords: Aging, Health Promotion

Related Web page: seniorservices.org/wellness/wellness.htm

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Senior Services of Seattle/King County
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: my wife is an employee, and our research center has/and subcontracts with Senior Services for various projects