Projects

Physical activity has been shown to be one of the most important factors influencing mental and physical health, especially among elderly and high-aged people. However, the willingness to exercise declines with increasing age. At the same time, projections show that the number of elderly and high-aged people living in Germany will increase by 20 percent from 2015 to 2030.

This is one of the reasons why physical activity promotion is one of the priorities of the World Health Organization’s European Region Strategy for Physical Activity Promotion (2016-2025). This is also being addressed in Germany with the “Ich bewege mich – mir geht es gut!” (“I’m moving – I’m doing well!”) campaign.

The campaign, which is supported by the State Center for Health Promotion (LZG) in Rhineland-Palatinate e.V. in cooperation with the Rhineland-Palatinate Gymnastics Association and State Sports Association, provides information about the positive effects of physical activity in everyday life and is aimed at senior citizens. With the help of volunteer physical activity guides as multipliers, low-threshold physical activity programs close to home are to be implemented in public places and facilities and made easily accessible to the targeted group. The aim is to motivate the elderly and high-aged to engage in more physical activity and, at the same time, to prevent social isolation.

The aim of the evaluation, which will be conducted using the RE-AIM model, is to accompany the campaign in its implementation process, to provide support and to achieve a sustainability of the campaign. For this purpose, supporting and limiting factors are to be identified, which also consider the respective local conditions. Furthermore, the effect of the programs for the participating seniors will be examined.

The accompanying evaluation is funded by the SHI Alliance for Health – a joint initiative of the Statutory Health Insurance Funds for the further development of health promotion and prevention in life settings. The Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) assigned the inav with the evaluation on behalf of the SHI Alliance for Health.

Photo: freepik