Blueprint Partners Progress Newsletter: September 2007

In This Issue

Eight Communities Selected for Hispanic Health Initiative
Physical Inactivity Cost Calculator is Back Online
Report States Statistics on Health Status and Health Care of Older Women
New Website Promotes Options for Senior Transportation
Researchers Find Healthy Messages Printed Near Stairs Encourage Stair Usage
Motivational Phone Calls to Seniors Increase Physical Activity
Balance Exercises are Available Online
National Blueprint Meeting is Nov. 28, 2007
Upcoming Conferences and Events

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Eight Communities Selected for Hispanic Health Initiative
Last month, the Department of Health and Human Services announced the eight communities that will take part in the pilot project to improve health among Hispanic elders. The metropolitan areas include Chicago, IL; Houston, TX; Los Angeles, CA; McAllen, TX; Miami, FL; New York, NY; San Antonio, TX; and San Diego, CA. The project is designed to help communities build partnerships to develop coordinated strategies for improving Hispanic elders’ access to Medicare and prevention programs.
www.aoa.gov

Physical Inactivity Cost Calculator is Back Online
The calculator is a free, user-friendly tool that provides an estimate of the financial cost of physical inactivity for a particular community, city, state, or business. Support information and materials are also provided. The calculator is available at
www.ecu.edu

Report States Statistics on Health Status and Health Care of Older Women
Older women face different challenges to maintaining their health compared with older men. A trend report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention features various trends in health care, including life expectancy, causes of death, chronic illness, and health risk factors and behaviors.
www.cdc.gov

New Website Promotes Options for Senior Transportation
A lack of reliable transportation can be a critical barrier that often keeps older adults from becoming physically active. The National Center on Senior Transportation has launched a new website, offering extensive resources toward the advancement of transportation options for seniors. The site features news, special events, publications, and technical assistance for the aging and human service community, transit providers, and older adults. www.seniortransportation.net

Researchers Find Healthy Messages Printed Near Stairs Encourage Stair Usage
British researchers from Kingston University and the University of Birmingham observed a total of 82,000 pedestrians at a shopping mall in England. They affixed motivational messages, including, “Take the Stairs” and “7 Minutes of Stair Climbing Daily Protects Your Heart” to the staircase to learn if shoppers take heed. They found that the messages boosted staircase usage by 190 percent and increased stair climbing at a nearby, unmarked staircase by 52 percent. They even noted a 25 percent increase in shoppers traveling down the targeted staircase. The results of this study were published in the American Journal of Health Promotion.
www.hbns.org
(Source: Center for the Advancement of Health)

Motivational Phone Calls to Seniors Increase Physical Activity
A total of 186 sedentary adults ages 65 and older were assigned to receive no counseling sessions or eight telephone counseling sessions for a 12-week period. Counselors used motivational interviewing methods to encourage activity and focused on the health benefits of a physically active lifestyle. At the end of the study, the counseled group increased their activity levels by almost 1.5 hours per week, compared with the control group. The study was published in the July 2007 Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. (Source: Medline Plus)

Balance Exercises are Available Online
Exercises that improve balance and reduce the fear of falling are available online from several sources. Older adults can learn new exercises and practice with guided tutorials.
MayoClinic.com Slide Show:
www.mayoclinic.com
NIH Senior Health site exercises:
nihseniorhealth.gov

National Blueprint Meeting is Nov. 28, 2007
Blueprint partners are invited to participate in the 2007 Blueprint Meeting, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Nov. 28, in conjunction with the ICAA Active Aging Conference in Orlando, FL. At the Blueprint conference, participants will share ideas, use their expertise to participate in the strategy planning for the coming year, and hear from the lead organizations how the landscape is changing from themes of active aging to overall wellness for our older adult population. Save the date!

Upcoming Conferences and Events

American Public Health Association’s 135th Annual Meeting
Nov. 3-7, 2007; Washington, D.C.

American Heart Association Scientific Sessions
Nov. 4-7, 2007; Orlando, FL

9th International Congress of IDS and Research Symposium of ADA
Nov. 14-18, 2007; Miami Beach, FL

Gerontological Society of America’s 59th Annual Scientific Meeting
Nov. 16-20, 2007; San Francisco, CA

National Prevention and Health Promotion Summit (CDC)
Nov. 27-29, 2007; Washington, D.C.

National Blueprint Conference
Nov. 28, 2007; Orlando, FL

International Council on Active Aging 2007 Conference
Nov. 29-Dec. 1, 2007; Orlando, FL

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The Blueprint Partners Project is an initiative of the Active Aging Partnership. For more information, contact the Blueprint Partnership Office at the University of Illinois Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, 119 Freer Hall, 906 S. Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL 61801.
E-Mail: blueprint@kines.uiuc.edu
Phone: (217) 244-7122
Website: www.agingblueprint.org