Healthy lifestyles through an Adaptive Living Program: a pilot study.

Area of Science:

• Occupational Therapy
• Community Health
• Adult Education

Background:

• Low-income adults in subsidized housing often face challenges impacting quality of life.
• Adaptive Living Programs (ALPs) aim to improve life satisfaction and social functioning.
• Evaluating the efficacy of community-based interventions is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a 12-week Adaptive Living Program (ALP) on quality of life and life satisfaction.
• To examine changes in physical, social, and emotional health variables among participants.
• To explore participants' subjective experiences and perceived benefits of the program.

Main Methods:

• A 12-week Adaptive Living Program (ALP) involving 12 modules and 3 community outings.
• 19 low-income adults participated in bi-weekly 1.5-hour sessions.
• Data collected via RAND SF-36 and a non-standardized qualitative tool, including a focus group.

Main Results:

• Quantitative analysis of RAND SF-36 scores showed no significant differences in physical, social, or emotional health.
• Qualitative data from focus groups indicated participants perceived improvements in social skills, nutrition knowledge, and interpersonal skills.
• Participants reported increased quality of life and life satisfaction.

Conclusions:

• While objective health measures did not significantly change, the Adaptive Living Program (ALP) yielded perceived benefits in social and interpersonal domains.
• Methodological limitations, including small sample size and non-standardized tools, necessitate cautious interpretation of findings.
• Recommendations for future research include larger, diverse samples, standardized assessments, and extended program duration.