Increasing the Availability of Physical Activity Programs for Older Adults: Lessons Learned From Texercise Stakeholders

Abstract

Many initiatives have been developed to facilitate older adults' engagement in physical activity (PA) and document its benefits. One example is Texercise, a 12-week program with a focus on increasing participants' self-efficacy. The goal of this paper is to augment the knowledgebase of PA program implementation and dissemination by elucidating the experience of Texercise implementation as perceived by multiple stakeholders. We conducted 28 semistructured stakeholder interviews and categorized the responses into four preset themes: (1) program delivery and advocacy; (2) value/merit of the program; (3) successes/challenges of offering and sustaining the program; and (4) recommendations for enhancing implementation and delivery. We identified emergent subthemes through further analysis. Many perceptions that are broadly applicable to community organizations emerged. Our findings highlight the importance of stakeholder support when embedding PA programs in communities. Furthermore, the findings are crucial to understanding underlying processes that support widespread program dissemination and sustainability.

Barriers and Promoters for Enrollment to a Community-Based Tai Chi Program for Older, Low-Income, and Ethnically Diverse Adults

“…Not only is this process important for gathering valuable data, it is also important to hear directly from the population that these PA programs are intended to serve (Ory & Smith, 2015). Once again as we move into a future that has limited research funding, it is important that the voice of the stakeholders be a part of the research landscape (Stevens et al, 2015).…”

Prevent the Loss of Muscle Strength in Community-Dwelling Elders: Interventions and Evidence

“…Of the 7 articles that integrate the sample, six were published in 2015 [2,[12][13][14][15][16] and one in 2016 [17]. About the country of origins, four are from the Unites Stated of America [2,12,13,15], one from the United Kingdom [17], one from Australia [16] and one from Italy [14].…”

“…Study 2 [12] The stakeholders primarily represented Texercise Classic, a relatively unstructured 12-week program designed to encourage individuals to adopt healthy lifestyle habits, such as physical activity and good nutrition. Texercise Classic has a set of resource materials including a handbook that provides: (1) motivational information about why exercise is important; Greater participation in the programs.…”

The Conversion of a Practice-Based Lifestyle Enhancement Program into a Formalized, Testable Program: From Texercise Classic to Texercise Select

“…Texercise Classic has demonstrated its widespread appeal and sustainability by continual delivery for more than ten years by volunteer facilitators who do so without external financial support. As indicated in interviews with stakeholders ( 47 ), it is a program that has name recognition, is easy to implement, and is well-liked by program facilitators and participants alike. However, its greatest strength – flexibility in the content and type of delivery – is also its greatest potential weakness as an EBP.…”