Physical Activity and Senior Center Participation Over Two Years

Promotion of physical activity is an important preventive health measure, especially for elders. This paper explores changes in reported physical activity and modes of engagement in such activity across years at senior centers (SCs) in a large urban county. Data were collected in 2006 on 798 participants, and in 2007 on 771 participants, at 21 multipurpose SCs. Measures included increased physical activity and participation in three types of SC activities: physical fitness, dance/aerobic classes, and chair exercises. Participants reported greater participation in 2007 than in 2006 in physical fitness classes and in dance/aerobic classes, and a greater percentage reported increases in overall physical activity in 2007 than in 2006. African Americans reported greater participation than whites in physical fitness classes and in chair exercises in both years; Hispanics greater participation than whites in dance/aerobic classes in both years. Participants reported no change in physician recommendations to exercise; a greater proportion of African Americans than whites reported such recommendations. Physician recommendations to exercise predicted greater increases in overall exercise in both years and in participation in physical fitness classes and in chair exercises in 2007. Physicians and senior centers need to partner with each other to encourage participation in physical activity.