Increasing Reach of Enhance Fitness at YMCAs by Increasing Provider Recommendations to Older Adults

Description

The nation’s most common cause of disability, arthritis, interferes with work, daily activities such as walking, and complicates the management of other chronic diseases. Arthritis affects people of all ages but is more common in older adults, and its disabling effects are disproportionately prevalent in racial and ethnic minorities. Physical activity programs, such as EnhanceFitness, can help decrease pain and increase mobility for persons with arthritis. EnhanceFitness, developed by the University of Washington Health Promotion Research Center (HPRC), Group Health Cooperative, and Sound Generations (previously known as Senior Services), is an accessible and effective group physical activity program that has been shown to improve health among participants. The program has reached more than 60,000 older adults in 39 states, and is offered by many community organizations such as senior and community centers, YMCAs, and residential facilities.

Because of the personal connection and high levels of trust between physical therapists and their clients, the goal of this project is to design and evaluate a new system to increase recommendations by physical therapists to EnhanceFitness classes offered at the YMCA.

Research Approach

Phase 1: Gather Information (2014-2015)

Learn how physical therapists exchange information with their patients about ongoing physical activity and community resources through clinical observation and interviews with physical therapists.

Learn how YMCAs engage with healthcare providers in their community, including physical therapists, through interviews with YMCA staff.

Phase 2: Design the System (2015)

We will work with the YMCA and physical therapy clinics to create a system for engaging physical therapists to recommend EnhanceFitness at the YMCA to their older adult patients when appropriate.

Phase 3: Test the System (2016-2018)

In the final step, a randomized controlled trial will be conducted where one group of YMCAs use the system to engage PTs, and another group of YMCAs conduct business as usual. A comparison of the results between groups to determine if the system is effective, feasible, and acceptable to older adults, PTs, and YMCA staff.

Current Partners

• HPRC
• Y-USA
• Sound Generations
• Project Advisory Group--assists the research team with strategic planning, study design, and troubleshooting when issues arise. Project Advisory Group members represent many important categories of stakeholders, including: local, state, and national YMCA operations; EnhanceFitness operations; physical therapy research and practice; and evidence-based programs.

Researchers aim to build an approach to obtaining provider recommendations for EnhanceFitness and other physical activity programs that is effective, affordable, and can be adopted by YMCA Associations and other community organizations across the country.

Project Identifier PT-REFER (Physical Therapists Recommending EnhanceFitness to Expand Reach)

Funding Source PRC Program

Project Status Active

Host Institution University of Washington, Seattle

Health Topics Arthritis | Aging & elderly health | Physical activity

Research setting Medical or clinical site | Community

Race or ethnicity No specific focus

Gender No specific focus

Age group Older adults (50 years and older)

Contact Information Center
Health Promotion Research Center
1107 NE 45^th Street, Suite 200
Seattle, WA 98105

Principal Investigator
Miruna Petrescu-Prahova
mirunapp@uw.edu        

PRC Deputy Director
Kitty Christensen 
Phone: (206) 685-7258
kchriste@uw.edu