Whole Health(y) Aging With Gerofit: The Development of a Pilot Wellness Program for Older Veterans

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) serves > 9 million veterans, half of whom are aged ≥ 65 years. Veterans are at higher risk for comorbidities, including obesity and related chronic diseases, which contribute to increased health care costs, mobility disability, poor quality of life, and mortality. Gerofit is a whole health clinical exercise program for older veterans that has positively impacted physical functioning, mental health, medication burden, and 10-year mortality. However, a more comprehensive wellness and health promotion program is essential for a rapidly aging veteran population.

Whole Health(y) Aging with Gerofit expands upon the Gerofit exercise program by integrating additional wellness components from the VHA Whole Health Circle of Health framework. The program supplemented the Gerofit in-person and virtual exercise options with activities such as health education seminars, mindfulness yoga, nutrition classes, a produce pickup service, and companion dog fostering and adoption. The pilot program demonstrated that veterans actively participated in and benefited from a broader range of whole health activities beyond traditional exercise. Participant data, self-reported improvements in wellness, and positive feedback indicated engagement with multiple aspects of health, including physical, mental, and social well-being.

Programs that target whole health are needed to ensure healthy aging. This pilot program provides an example of a comprehensive, patient-centered wellness model that empowers veterans to define and pursue their own wellness goals, supporting healthy aging across multiple domains.