Key Takeaways

  • Help older adults through an exercise and falls prevention program developed specifically to promote physical activity, as well as social stimulation.

  • Each class session focuses on four key areas: low impact cardiovascular exercise; dynamic/static balance work; strength training with weights; and stretching.

Enhance®Fitness (EF) is a low-cost, arthritis friendly evidence-based group exercise and falls prevention program that is proven to support older adults at all levels of fitness in becoming more active, energized, and empowered. Each class session focuses on four key areas important to the well-being and function of participants: low impact cardiovascular exercise; dynamic/static balance work; strength training with weights; and stretching. Classes meet three times a week, an hour each session, providing social stimulation as well as physical benefits. EF is also designated as an arthritis appropriate evidence based intervention (AAEBI) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

  • Target audience: Older Adults and People Aging with Disability
  • Health outcomes:
    • Maintains or improves physical function
    • Protects against falls and fall injury
    • Decreases depression
    • Provides a social benefit
    • Promotes a physically active lifestyle
    • Reduces medical-care utilization costs - $945/participant annually
    • Saves healthcare costs for managed care plans
    • Decreases skilled nursing costs
    • Decreases unplanned hospitalizations
  • Delivered by: 1 Instructor trained to implement EF, who can include Fitness Instructors, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Nurses, or Certified Fitness Instructors, among others
  • Program type: Group
  • Format: In-person in community or remote

Note: It is permissible to use a combination of remote (i.e. videoconference) and in-person implementation in the same session or during a class series. For example: 10 participants join by Zoom and 10 participants attend in a senior center and receive instruction at the same time.

  • Length: Fitness assessments are performed at baseline and 16 weeks, and regular intervals thereafter, providing units of measurement for this ongoing program. Options for implementation:
    • 1 hour, two - three times per week, for 16-weeks
    • Ongoing classes
  • Training: In-person and remote
  • Professional required: No
  • Accessibility adaptations available: Yes, NCHPAD EnhanceFitness Inclusion Guide (v2022) supports inclusion of all populations in class sessions
  • Cultural adaptations available: Yes, Cultural adaptations requested have been greenlighted to date. Contact projectenhance@soundgenerations.org for specific questions.
  • Available in languages other than English:
    • Classes have been led in American Sign Language, Belarusian, Bhutanese, Chinese, English, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Lao, Mien, Norwegian, Russian, Samoan, Somali, Spanish, Tongan, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
    • Current forms are available in Chinese, English and Spanish
    • Administrator is supportive of translation
  • Topic(s):
    • Behavioral Health
    • Chronic Conditions
    • Cancer
    • Physical Activity
    • Fall Prevention
  • Additional Resources:
  • Contact: projectenhance@soundgenerations.org

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