STEPPING STRONG

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STEPPING STRONG

• Ambassador Training

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Introductions

• Patricia OBrien
• Executive Director of Lifelong Fitness Alliance
• Part of the team that has developed Stepping
  Strong
• Ambassador
• Don Gladstone
• Board Member of Lifelong Fitness Alliance
• Webmaster
• Ambassador
• Who are you?

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Who is Lifelong Fitness Alliance?

• Formerly Fifty-Plus Lifelong Fitness
• Started by Stanford researchers 30 years ago who
  studied runners and found that running/physical
  activity increases well-being as we age
• Have been promoting physical activity for 30
  years
• Three years ago, in an effort to embrace a wider
  community, 50 Plus evolved into Lifelong Fitness
  Alliance and added other elements, such as
  nutrition and brain fitness and optimism/humor
  into programs
• We have a research and medically-based advisory
  board available to provide information and answer
  questions

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Overview of the Program

• Pedometer-Based
• Ambassador-Led
• Weekly Walking and Wellness Meetings
• Wellness Topics
• Ways to step it up
• Nutrition
• Learned Optimism/Humor
• Brain Fitness

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How the Program Started

• June 2007, LFA conducted a pilot program with 100
  local participants.
• Participants walked on their own, but received
  emails from their Ambassadors with health
  information from LFA
• Pilot produced some beneficial results, including
  weight loss, lower blood pressure, medicine
  reduction, increased well-being
• In summer of 2008, piloted weekly meeting with
  wellness topics
• Many additional positive results occurred,
  including additional walking, buddying up,
  increased feelings of well being and
  self-confidence

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The Program Today

• Initial pilots were mostly local
• Joined forces with AARP to recruit Ambassadors
  and make changes in communities on a national
  level
• As the first wave of Stepping Strong Ambassadors,
  you are our Ambassador Pilot Program
• Communication about what works/what could be
  better is welcome and encouraged
• We will be there for you to support your
  endeavors

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What is the purpose of the program?

• To make participants more aware of their physical
  activity
• To increase their physical activity
• To include fruits and vegetables in their diet
• To learn how to build a healthier lifestyle
• To get to know others in their community and to
  share stories
• To live longer and die shorter
• To make permanent positive changes in their
  lifestyle
• To feel better

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Participants have reported

• Ability to reduce blood pressure medicines
• Ability to reduce insulin
• Desired weight loss
• Increased feeling of camaraderie/social
  networking
• Increased self-confidence
• Increased feelings of well-being
• Increased motivation to move
• 100 of program participants would recommend this
  to their friends

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Ambassador Qualities

• Friendly, reliable and enthusiastic
• Safe, observant, knowledgeable
• Patient with a good sense of humor
• Aware that, for the most part, they are not
  medical professionals and that they should NEVER
  give medical advice, but direct the participant
  to his/her medical professional

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Joys of Being an Ambassador

• Making positive changes in your community
• Gaining knowledge of health and fitness
• Becoming more fit and healthy
• Group bonding/shared stories
• Motivating others to be more healthy
• Realizing that fitness is fun
• Learning about yourself and about others

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Reasons for Being an Ambassador

• To assist others to be healthier
• To improve my own health and fitness
• To promote physical activity in my community
• To be an inspiration to others
• To help diabetics to move more
• Because exercise is good for the mind and body
• To meet people and to organize our Seniors
• To reach out and show people that exercise is
  fun

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What Lifelong Fitness Alliance Expects from You

• Your enthusiastic leadership of the Stepping
  Strong Program
• Adherence to the program guidelines (weekly
  meetings, walks, step tracking)
• Distribution and collection of materials provided
  by Lifelong Fitness Alliance
• Collection and reporting of weekly step counts
• Continued communication with LFA
• Reports of your challenges and successes

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What Lifelong Fitness Alliance Provides For You

• Web-based Training
• Printed Training Manual with Coaching Tips
• Bi-weekly Teleconferences
• Interactive Ambassador Forum on LFA Website
• Phone Support
• All participant materials
• Membership in Lifelong Fitness Alliance

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Physical Activity Guidelines

• All adults should avoid inactivity (some
  activity is better than none)
• For health benefits, adults should do at least
  30 minutes per day of
  moderate-intensity activity at
  least 5 days per week
• For additional and more extensive health
  benefits, adults should increase their
  aerobic physical activity to 60
  minutes per day of moderate
  intensity at least 5 days per week

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Guidelines for Older Adults

• When older adults cannot do 30 minutes of
  moderate-intensity aerobic activity per day
  because of chronic conditions, they should be as
  physically active as their abilities and
  conditions allow
• Older adults should do exercises that maintain or
  improve balance
• Older adults should determine their level of
  effort for physical activity relative to their
  level of fitness
• Older adults with chronic conditions should
  understand whether and how their conditions
  affect their ability to do regular physical
  activity safely
• Older adults should always check with their
  medical professional prior to embarking on a
  physical activity program.

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Guidelines for Safe Physical Activity

• Understand the risks and yet be confident that
  physical activity is safe for almost everyone
• Protect themselves by wearing appropriate shoes
  and clothing, looking for safe environments,
  following rules and policies, and making sensible
  choices about when, where, and how to be active
• Be under the care of a health-care provider if
  they have chronic conditions or symptoms. People
  with chronic conditions and symptoms should
  consult their health-care provider about the
  types and amounts of activity appropriate for them

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Why Walk?

• Physical activity is a key to good health
  walking is the most popular form
• Walking is free, easy, accessible safe
• Health benefits
• Social benefits
• Psychological benefits
• Environmental benefits

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Question/Answer

• Before we go into program details, any
  questions on the concept, philosophy or role of
  the Ambassador?

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WEBSITE

• www.lifelongfitnessalliance.org
• Brief introduction/overview
• Ambassador Materials
• Ambassador Forum
• Request for id
• Log on
• Categories Discussions

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Getting a Group Started

• Marketing Program
• Flyers in Senior, Community Centers, Churches,
  Libraries
• Presentations to groups at Centers/Adult
  Education classes, YMCAs, gyms
• Parks and Recreation can help
• Arranging a weekly meeting place
• Check with local community centers
• Sometimes schools have a free room
• If weather permits, check outdoor meeting
  locations

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Initial Meeting

• Choose meeting location
• Choose Day and Time
• Initial Presentation
• Introduction of yourself and the organization
• Discuss outline of program
• Benefits of Walking
• Answer Questions
• Choose day/time/meeting place for weekly meetings
• Hand out Waivers and Commitment Forms, Program
  Curriculum and ask participants to return at
  designated time with forms filled out
• Invoice will be included in packet. Collect fees
  or scholarship form

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FAQ Initial Meeting

• How many steps do I have to take?
• What if I go on vacation?
• What if my pedometer doesnt work?
• Is there a charge for this program?
• What if I cant make it for a few days?
• What if everyone walks faster than me?

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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

• You will receive an email from Lifelong Fitness
  Alliance, with a training evaluation and a
  questionnaire regarding continued interest, start
  date of program, anticipated number of
  participants
• We will then send you a memorandum of
  understanding (MOU) of our responsibilities and
  commitments to one another
• Once MOU is received, and you have established
  your program start date, we will send you packets
  of materials for your participants

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Questions?

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Thank You

• Thank you for participating in our webinar
  training for Lifelong Fitness Alliance
  Ambassadors.
• If you have any questions, please feel free to
  email step_at_lifelongfitnessalliance.org, or to
  call us at 650 361-8282.