# INCREASING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF ELDERS IN THE COMMUNITY

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 1992 · $271,954

## Abstract

Increasing evidence suggests that physical inactivity is a prime
contributor to poor health, poor functioning, and diminished well-being
in older adults.  This in turn leads to increased likelihood of use of
health care services and institutionalization.  Strategies to preserve
and enhance the physical capabilities of older people may thus provide
major health and cost-saving benefits.  We propose a 3-year project to
implement and evaluate a program to increase the physical activity levels
of noninstitutionalized older adults.  The program makes use of the many
existing physical activity classes in the community (Palo Alto,
California).  This feature minimizes program costs, enables people to
continue their new activities beyond the grant period, and facilitates
the program's transferability to other communities.  The program will be
targeted to all residents in two similar community senior housing
facilities in Palo Alto.  The program, which is based on social learning
and related approaches to intervention, focuses on encouraging
participants to initiate and maintain higher levels of physical activity
through increased utilization of already available community programs.
The intervention will include group sessions, individual counseling, peer
advocates, partnering participants with others interested in the same
activities, and environmental strategies to enhance participation.  It
also includes community-level strategies such as the use of media and
physician recommendations to become more active.  In phase L the 6-month
program will be implemented in one facility (N= 120) with the second
facility serving as a comparison group (N=80).  Evaluation of the program
will be based on a comparison of these two groups using a
quasi-experimental  design. Primary outcomes of the evaluation are
participation in physical activity classes and more general levels Of
physical activity.  Secondary outcomes focus on a comprehensive profile
of functioning and well-being.  In Phase II, the ability of participants
in the experimental group to maintain physical activity levels after the
program ends will be evaluated for a second 6-month period, and the
replicability of the program will be tested in the second facility.  Our
goal is to develop a model for community-based and community-sustained
programs to help older adults utilize existing fitness resources and
maintain interest and participation in those programs at a level
sufficient to obtain desirable health benefits.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 3121863
- **Project number:** 5R01AG009931-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **SAM.gov UEI:** KMH5K9V7S518
- **Principal Investigator:** Anita L. Stewart
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 1992
- **Award amount:** $271,954
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 1991-06-01 → 1994-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/3121863

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 3121863, INCREASING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF ELDERS IN THE COMMUNITY (5R01AG009931-02). Retrieved via MORVS 2026-10-25 from https://api.morvs.ai/grant/nih/3121863. Licensed CC0.

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