Health and wellness for disadvantaged older adults: The AFRESH pilot study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology and Public Health
• Lifestyle Interventions for Aging
• Health and Wellness Programs

Background:

• Older adults often lack awareness of biological mechanisms leading to disability and frailty.
• Despite this, older adults express a desire for lifestyle changes to mitigate these conditions.
• The AFRESH program was developed to address this gap in knowledge and desire for intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To pilot test the AFRESH health and wellness program in an older adult community.
• To assess the program's impact on physical activity, physical function, and sleep quality.
• To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention for older adults.

Main Methods:

• Pilot study involving 20 older adults (age 62+) residing in an apartment community.
• 10-week AFRESH program delivered through weekly sessions.
• Data collected at baseline, 12 weeks, and 36 weeks, including objective and self-report measures of physical activity, grip strength, 6-min walk test, and sleep quality.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements in grip strength and 6-min walk test distance observed.
• Positive changes noted in Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (RAPA) scores and Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) global scores.
• Observed effects showed some attenuation by the 36-week follow-up point.

Conclusions:

• The AFRESH program, combining education on bioenergetics, physical activity, and habit formation, shows promise.
• This multicomponent intervention may help mitigate age-related decline in physical function and improve sleep.
• Further research is warranted to confirm the long-term efficacy of the AFRESH program.