Miami Dade Parks Gets Seniors Fit! –EnhanceFitness at Miami Dade

Submission Date: August 2015

Entry Type: Case Study

State/Territory Submitted on the Behalf of: Florida

States/Territories Involved: Florida

Funding Source: CDC, NACDD

CDC Funding:

Yes

CDC Funding (Specified):

DP11-1113-National Organizations to Support Arthritis Programs and Policy

Other Funding:

Local funding

Domain Addressed:

Community-Clinical Linkages

Public Health Issue:

•    The Arthritis Foundation reports that as the leading cause of disability in the United States, one out of every five adults has arthritis.  Following are Miami Dade County statistics for arthritis:
•    Over 500,000 adults have arthritis
•    445,693 are over age 45
•    Health council.org reports that over  one third, (35.6%) of Miami Dade County adults over the age of fifty report suffering from arthritis or rheumatism.
•    163,932 minority (Blacks and Hispanics) adults have arthritis
•    112,704 people are physically inactive due to arthritis
•    348,358 individuals with arthritis are also obese

A large percentage of Miami Dade County residents have arthritis and live in areas where transportation, financial limitations and lack of knowledge limit their abiltiy to independently pursue exercise, health and wellness programs that can relieve their symptoms and allow them to become active members of their communities again.

 

Project Objectives:

Among Minority Seniors:
•    Improve overall health
•    Decrease symptoms of arthritis
•    Increase participant knowledge of their bodies and prevention practices for aging
•    Increase fitness enthusiasm
•    Increase range of motion, flexibility, increase endurance, strength
•    Prevent falls
•    Increase socialization

 

Program Action:

In partnership with the Health Foundation of South Florida, National Association of Chronic Disease Directors, Florida International University, and Miami Dade Parks:
•    Target population: minority adults over 55
•    Recruited and certified 13 EnhanceFitness Instructors
•    Recruited and certified a EnhanceFitness Master Trainer
•    Purchased equipment for EnhanceFitness classes
•    Created promotional materials, flyers and press releases to recruit participants
•    Developed ten EnhanceFitness classes in minority areas county-wide
•    Developed a monitoring program to assure fidelity to the EnhanceFitness program requirements
•    Began the rigorous assessment and testing program related to EnhanceFitness
•    Developed a system with Florida International University to enter data into the EnhanceFitness database

Data/Other Information Collected:

In collaboration with Florida International University, this project collected the following data on each EnhanceFitness participants:

•    Demographic information
•    Health history
•    Self-assessment of their individual health
•    Quarterly basic fitness test for strength, balance and endurance
•    Attendance/active participation (3 days/week required)

Impact/Accomplishments:

•    Total participants enrolled – 603
•    Total self-assessments – 603
•    Total Fitness Checks — 476
•    Participants attending class three times per week — 594
•    Number of classes offered – 11, each three times per week
•    Baseline Fitness Checks completed –  476

 

Challenges/Lessons Learned:

•    Master Trainer resigned and another must be recruited and certified
•    One site closed due to resignation of Master Trainer – site has been re-scheduled
•    Monitoring program had to be established to maintain fidelity
•    Relationship with Veteran’s Hospital did not increased participation of veterans
•    Space at some class sites congested during summer (due to Department’s summer camps)
•    Substitute instructors (sick or vacation time off)

 

Next Steps:

•    Continue to provide classes at all sites
•    Secure ongoing funding for both data collection and instructors
•    Provide ongoing training to develop a group of available instructors county-wide

 

Program Areas:

Arthritis

State Contact Information:

FL
Lucy Binhack
Miami Dade Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department
305-755-7848
Binhack@miamidade.gov

<< Back to All Success Stories