The LTSS Center will gauge the success of the LivWell program and determine its impact on the health and wellness of affordable housing residents.
The LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston is partnering with two New Jersey aging services organizations—Parker Health Group and Springpoint—to evaluate the impact of the LivWell Wellness Program on residents in affordable housing. LivWell is an active lifestyle program based on the whole-person wellness model.
Springpoint, one of the Mid-Atlantic’s largest nonprofit senior living providers, is implementing LivWell in six of its 19 affordable housing communities. A four-year matching grant from Parker Health Group supports the implementation and evaluation of the LivWell program.
Physical activity and whole-person wellness are the foundation of Springpoint’s LivWell program, which uses a hybrid model of in-person and virtual programming to promote an active, healthy lifestyle among older adults living in affordable housing communities. The program’s primary goal is to increase the time older adults spend engaging in physical activities. Other program goals include reducing fall risk, improving overall functional fitness, and enhancing social interaction, quality of life, and brain health. LivWell attempts to accomplish those goals by offering residents the opportunity to participate in exercise programs, brain health classes, health education, and guided meditation.
LivWell participants complete a health history questionnaire and fitness assessment at the beginning of the program and repeat them every six months. These assessments help Springpoint evaluate residents’ progress and track program outcomes.
THE NEED FOR ACTIVITY AMONG OLDER ADULTS
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, adults aged 65 and older need to engage in:
- Moderate-intensity activity, such as brisk walking, for at least 150 minutes a week, or vigorous-intensity activity, such as hiking, jogging, or running, for 75 minutes a week.
- Activities that strengthen muscles at least two days a week.
- Exercises to improve balance, such as standing on one foot.
Multiple studies highlight the importance and value of exercise in helping older adults prevent or delay aging-related health problems. According to these studies, regular physical activity among older adults is associated with:
- Protection from noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and some types of cancer.
- Improvements in emotional, psychological, and social well-being and cognitive function.
- A delay in the onset of dementia.
- Improved quality of life and well-being.
Unfortunately, across the United States, not enough older adults participate in the recommended level of physical activities and, therefore, do not reap the positive health outcomes associated with regular physical activity.
To counteract this trend among older adults, Springpoint launched the LivWell Program for residents in affordable housing with support from Parker Health Group. Through funding and collaboration, Parker’s strategic initiatives promote services and support models that focus on enhancing health and wellness, reducing social isolation, and providing engagement opportunities that enable older adults to age in place.
PROGRAM EVALUATION
The LeadingAge LTSS Center @UMass Boston is partnering with Parker Health Group and Springpoint to evaluate the LivWell program. The evaluation effort aims to:
- Explore the validity and usefulness of the program’s assessment tools and key performance indicators.
- Gauge the success of program components and identify components that require adaptations to improve program operations and outcomes.
- Determine the program’s impact on residents’ health and wellness outcomes.
To collect evaluation data, researchers will conduct focus groups with residents and interviews with program staff. They will also analyze resident and program outcomes data collected during program assessments.