Elderly Health Promotion Intervention Plan Essay

Introduction

Reduced physical activity in elderly is a crucial risk factor that influences a variety of chronic diseases and contributes to the mortality rates within the population. It is not a surprise that older adults are prone to have a sedentary lifestyle. On the other hand, only a minority of the elderly population aged 65 and older can meet the set levels of recommended physical activity due to the fact that they have health benefits as well as higher levels of life satisfaction.

The Importance of the Health Intervention

Extensive research conducted over four decades haS underlined the role of regular physical activity in the elderly as the most important aspect that contributes to the well-being of the population that ages. However, the importance of promoting regular physical activity in elderly remains on the stage of infancy. Despite the fact that the studies targeted at promoting physical activity are conducted all the time, the elderly are rarely included in the study sample (King, 2001, p. 39).

The interventions that facilitate the increased physical activity in elderly can be differentiated by their levels of impact that ranges from interpersonal to individual approaches, and from societal to environmental. One of the most effective approaches to health promotion intervention is the use of both behavioral and cognitive-behavioural approaches. Apart from the health education or prescriptions, these approaches include the setting of particular goals, feedback, and self-monitoring. For example, a study conducted among the elderly patients with a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has shown that the most effective approach to adhering greater physical activity involves the cognitive approach that includes positive self-reflection and the behavioral approach that includes setting particular goals and techniques of relaxation. Thus, when planning an effective health promotion intervention, these two approaches are to be incorporated.

Intervention Plan Aspects

An intervention targeted at increased physical activity in adults is used to promote the healthy lifestyle and attempt to influence the behavior of the elderly population groups (Westmas, Gil-Rivas & Silver, n.d., p. 53). According to President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition (n.d.), such an intervention should be based on the factual evidence (only 30% of the elderly aged 65 and older are physically active) (para. 3) and should involve the following elements:

1. Reach – the number and the representativeness of the elderly population that will participate in the intervention program.
2. Effectiveness – the impact of the program. The impact includes the increased quality of health and improved physical activity.
3. Adoption – the representativeness of the setting in which the program will be offered. The best settings for initiating physical activity are hospitals or retirement facilities.
4. Implementation – the degree to which the staff members are involved. Documenting the implementation is key to measuring the success of the intervention.
5. Maintenance – the extent to which a program becomes a routine. It also involves the monitoring of long-term effects of the program on the well-being and active lifestyle of the elderly population (Belza, 2007, p. 5).

Conclusion

To conclude, the health intervention aimed at increasing physical activity should not be forced and also should include the behavioral and cognitive-behavioural approaches. Since reduced physical activity in elderly greatly contributes to the decline of health and increase in mortality rates, promotion of the health lifestyle has never been as important as it is today. An intervention plan created should include such aspects as the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. All of these aspects contribute to the intervention’s success and create a strong system that can be implemented over and over again.

References

King, A. (2001). Interventions to Promote Physical Activity by Older Adults. Journal of Gerontology, 56(2). 36-46.

Westmas, L., Gil-Rivas, V., & Silver, R. (n.d.). Designing and Implementing Interventions to Promote Health and Prevent Illness.Web.

Belza, B. (2007). Moving Ahead: Strategies and Tools to Plan, Conduct, and Maintain Effective Community-Based Physical Activity Programs for Older Adults. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition. (n.d.) Facts and Statistics. Web.