May 2017 - Parks & Recreation - 41

territories have successfully engaged almost 6,000 older adults
in physical activity programs.
" Our participants bond together as a group to support and
encourage each other, " says Cheryl Fischer, a Walk With
Ease instructor at Arizona's City of Mesa Parks, Recreation
and Community facilities. " I've seen the success of the Walk
With Ease program by taking a person with arthritis, or an
inactive person, from an entry level of exercise to a more
functional level of exercise through walking. The participant
book was well written and provided a lot of information and
guidance, " she adds.
Cindy Allen, a Walk With Ease instructor at Shelbyville
Parks in Shelbyville, Tennessee, noted one of their Walk With
Ease program participants could only walk two laps with her
walker on the first day, but by the end of the six-week session
was able to walk over a mile in 30 minutes.
Many resources are available to offer these programs to older
adults in your community. Below is some information about a
few resources to help get you started:
* Select a program that best fits the goals of your organization and the needs of your community (https://www.ncoa.
org/resources/ebpchart/): This chart of evidence-based,
health-promotion programs provides information about program goals, training requirements, costs and more.
* Develop a step-by-step plan to successfully implement a
program (https://www.ncoa.org/center-for-healthy-aging/
basics-of-evidence-based-programs/): These resources offer a
step-by-step approach to help with each part of the process,
from planning to outreach and sustainability.
* Partner with state and local organizations: The Administration for Community Living has funded state agencies and community organizations to implement evidence-based CDSME
and falls prevention programs. Connect with a CDSME
(https://www.ncoa.org/center-for-healthy-aging/cdsme-resource-center/meet-the-cdsme-grantees/) or falls prevention
(https://www.ncoa.org/center-for-healthy-aging/falls-resource-center/falls-prevention-grantee-profiles/) grantee in
your state to attend a local program leader training, learn best
program practices, and recruit older adult participants.
* Partner with state and local falls prevention coalitions
(https://www.ncoa.org/resources/list-of-state-falls-prevention-coalitions/): Falls prevention coalition members have a
common goal of reducing older adult falls, fall-related injuries and deaths in their communities or states. Members educate older adults about strategies to prevent falls and connect
them with community falls prevention programs.
* View and share resources from the National CDSME Resource Center (https://www.ncoa.org/center-for-healthy-

aging/cdsme-resource-center/) and the National Falls
Prevention Resource Center (https://www.ncoa.org/center-for-healthy-aging/falls-resource-center/) to educate older
adults about how they can manage chronic conditions, like
arthritis, and prevent falls.
Join us in celebrating Older Americans Month, and make the
commitment to empower older adults through evidence-based
programing for improved health and quality of life.
Detailed references for this article are available at www.parksandrecreation.org/2017/May/Empowering-Older-Adults-to-Age-Out-Loud.
Chelsea Gilchrist
.(4
is a Program 4QFDJBMJTU at the National $PVODJM
PO " HJOH (chelsea.gilchrist@ncoa.org). Lesha Spencer-Brown is NRPA's
Health & Wellness Program Manager (lspencer@nrpa.org).

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