The Role of Community Partners in Active for Life™ A pilot community wide campaign to encourage adults 50+ to be more p

1. The Role of Community Partners in Active for Life™ A pilot community wide campaign to encourage adults 50+ to be more physically active

2. Active for Lifewas created by AARP and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to help Americans age 50 and older to live more active lives.

3. An Aging Society By 2030 the number over 65 will double (20% of the US pop) • Healthier, wealthier and better educated • Want to remain active physically and in the community • Their preferences for where they live and lifestyles will shape communities • Active living will become a significant political priority and necessity for quality of life.

4. Active for Life CampaignMay 2002 – July 2004AARP pilots: Madison, WI & Richmond, VA Overall Goals: • Increase physical activity among 50+ population in Madison & Richmond • Identify methods and messages that support behavior change.

5. Individual-Level Focus • Marketing Communications • Handbook/Resource Guide • Events • Earned & bought media • Direct mail Impact Knowledge Attitudes Skills Efficacy Behavior Change Decision Behavior Change Health Outcomes • Partnership Building • 50+ focus/PA focus • Forums for collaboration • Program support materials • Identify and fill gaps Impact Sustain AFL mission/goals beyond pilot Environmental-Level Focus • Environmental Change • Raise awareness of walk/bike issues • Volunteers audit neighborhood potential for physical activity • Opportunities for activism to improve neighborhood • Unique activities Impact Improved opportunities for physical activity Active for LifeTM Program Model

6. Engaging Partners • all partner meetings - interactive input • early formation of workgroups: • environment, program, resources • distribution e-mails • one on one presentations • resources

7. Marketing Communications • To increase awareness and knowledge of recommended physical activity levels • To increase awareness and knowledge of community-level physical activity options • To influence attitudes that are supportive of behavior change • To change physical activity behaviors

8. Marketing Communications • Paid media • Earned media • Direct mail to AARP members • Interpersonal communications • Active for Life Publications • Partner newsletters • Events

9. Marketing Communications Advertising: • Wave One: to build awareness • Two advertising approaches • Motivational ads, to generate requests for AFL handbook • “Retail” ads, to promote specific activities and programs • Wave Two: to focus on walking

13. Marketing Communications Media Relations • Garnered more than 22 million media impressions • Topics • Classes, events, environmental change events, assessments, etc. • Outcomes • Extensively used AFL spokespeople • Was consistently positive and on-message • Helped drive increasing awareness and behavior change • Provided value-add for partnership development • Did heavy lifting when advertising was low • Supported and enhanced advertising blitzes • Allowed more in-depth explanation of AFL program than ads

14. Marketing Communications Direct Mail • Flyer promoting Handbook • 10K a day: Over 4% registration response to one • mailing • YMCA walking program in Madison: Increased • participation • Walking programs at 3 senior centers in Madison: • participation quadrupled

15. Marketing Communications Active for Life Publications • Active for Life Handbook • Community Resource Guides • Pedestrian Safety Brochure • Rules of the Road • Active for Life step counter and booklet • Distribution channels: • Web, call center, community partner events, partner classes

21. Environmental Change • To increase public awareness of the relationship between the built environment, physical activity, and health • To increase awareness among policymakers and community leaders • To increase activism on topic • To improve environments and policies to support sustainedbehavior change

22. Environmental Change • Trained volunteers to audit their communities • Built capacity among volunteers to advocate for change • Sponsored tours for public officials on public health and safety issues • Influenced decision-makers to repair sidewalks and crosswalks • Unique activities to promote need to improve built environment • Richmond – Walk to School and Photojourney • Madison – Pedestrian Flag Project

23. Using the Audit Form Photos by Jim Emery, UNC Chapel Hill

24. East End audit results • Assessed from March – October 2002 • 303 road segments • Walkability Results • 14% Very Good (42 segments) • 46% Good (140 segments) • 22% Fair (68 segments) • 6% Poor (18 segments) • 12% No sidewalk (35 segments) 40% need improving

26. Results of Project so far… • Increased public awareness • Gaining support in the City • Targeted areas for improvement • Walkable Schools • High quality data

27. Lessons Learned: Environmental and Policy Change • Start early by increasing awareness of the need for supportive built environments. • Community involvement requires “ownership” of the program, goals, and strategies. • Dedicate staff time to focus solely on policy/environmental change component. • Strategically capitalize on political/social opportunities.

28. More Lessons Learned:Environmental and Policy Change • Facilitate and promote citizen-professional collaboration. • Swiftly frame and reframe issues in local media. • Build in sustainability from the beginning by influencing organizational policies. • Establish a formally-sanctioned committee to champion and steward environmental change.

29. Summary of Key Points for BikeWalk Advocates 50+ adults • natural allies • growing numbers and needs for active living • political influence Tips for working with 50+ • Create opportunities to engage in bike/walk • Acknowledge difficulty / encourage effort • Explain the connection to community design • Provide tools to advocate for change

30. Partnership Building • To offer more physical activity choices in the community for people 50+ • To raise awareness of physical activity program choices for people 50+ • To gain partner commitment to sustain physical activity outreach

31. Partner Report - baseline Key Findings:

32. Partnership Building • New classes and programs • More health club attendees • Increased participation in community-level events • Active distribution of Community Resource Guides • Intergenerational participation • Partner events • Partner newsletters

33. PartnershipsWave 2 Findings • The value of the program to partners – their perceptions: • Walking transformed the AFL program • AFL program transformed walking • Tools had a strong and positive impact • Advertizing was the biggest driver of awareness and participation levels • Partners saw value in the partnerships • Association with AARP increased clout, publicity and capabilities • AFL played significant role in changing behavior • The value of the partners to the program: • Enabled national organization to have community impact • Enhanced the perception of AARP in the community • Mission alignment increased likelihood of success

34. Changes in Richmond: PSRA • There were notable changes from the baseline survey to the one-year point, but then at two years the percentages fell back to those seen six months into the campaign: • Percentage of respondents who know the 30 minute Rx increased from 37 to 45% • Percentage who said they got moderate or vigorous exercise for 30 minutes 5 times a week increased from 28 to 38%

35. Changes in Richmond: PSRA • Again, we see the same pattern, increases from baseline to one-year, but then decline: • Attendance at physical activity-related community events increased from 13 to 19% • Knowledge of “some” community programs increased from 35 to 41% • Percentage of those who said they learned more about home-based programs increased from 43 to 49%

36. Changes in Madison: PSRA • Only one statistically significant change was noted in Madison: percentage of respondents who know the 30 minute Rx increased from 41 to 47% from baseline to one-year • Other measures are trending in the right direction but are not yet significant…

37. Tips for Partnership Building • Build on what’s already there • Connect unlikely partners – health and livable communities • Identify gaps • Involve them from the get go • Utilize their expertise • Line up common goals • Provide resources • Establish a quick media response system