WALK AND WIN: Part of a Nurse-Managed Wellness Center Demonstration Project for Older Adults

In September of 2004, the NNCC received a grant from the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) Division of Nursing to conduct a demonstration project involving six geriatric nurse-managed wellness centers (NMWCs) throughout Pennsylvania. During the program period (October 2004 to February 2006), the project accomplished three main goals. First, program staff implemented the Walk and Win program. Walk and Win is an eight-week exercise walking program designed to increase healthy behaviors for seniors over 60 years of age. Second, program staff worked to prepare undergraduate nursing students for potential employment in the NMWC model through peer-to-peer education. Third, program staff developed a profile of each center involved in the project. The profile included information on the demographic mix of the clients served at each center, the types of services provided by each center and the types of illnesses suffered by the clients utilizing the centers.

The sox NNCC-member centers that participated in the project were 1) Duquesne University Wellness Centers; 2) Older Adult Wellness Project (formerly affiliated with East Stroudsburg University); 3) Messiah College Wellness Center; 4) Millersville University Wellness Center; 5) Pennsylvania Sate University Rural Nursing Center, and; 6) the Community College of Philadelphia. All of these centers primarily serve high-rise senior housing complexes that are located in rural and urban areas across Pennsylvania. Maureen Leonardo from Duquesne University helped to design the Walk and Win program and was the Principal Investigator for the project.

A preliminary evaluation of the project found that a total of 174 seniors participated in Walk and Win. The shortest distance walked by any one participant was .2 miles. The longest was 234.8 miles. Eighty-five percent of the older adults indicated that they would likely or definitely continue their walking program. The participants also showed improvements in their physical and mental health. These improvements included increase in energy level, social functioning and their perception of their general health.

A final report containing a profile of the wellness centers and the reaction of the nursing students that were involved in the project was submitted to HRSA in December of 2005. NNCC is currently seeking funding to replicate the Walk and Win portion of the project. An article describing the project is also underway.

If you have any questions about the program, or would like more information, please contact Brian Valdez at (215) 731-7146.