Church-based Intervention to Improve Physical Function

Individual participants in churches randomized to the intervention arm will participate in the Keep it Movin' multi-component PA education program, as well as be encouraged by their church and study interventionist to participate in the church-wide walking program. Individuals enrolled in Keep It Movin' will attend weekly 90-minute sessions for 24 weeks. All sessions will include the structured physical activity component from the LIFE study intervention, with the following components, which were added to address needs of the target community: functional education, social support and problem-solving. To increase the functional gains seen in the LIFE pilot study and add content addressing self-management and PA with multiple chronic conditions (MCCs), the number of sessions in the proposed trial has been increased from 16 to 24 weeks.

Individual participants in churches randomized to the comparator arm will receive the church-wide walking program and the Go4Life Your Everyday Guide to Exercise and Physical Activity which was developed by the National Institutes of Health National Institute on Aging to promote physical activity in older adults. This includes an evidence-based exercise guide and motivational tips to help older adults start and sustain an exercise program. The Go4Life guide will add individual level education and encouragement to the interpersonal and community levels of intervention provided by the church-wide walking program.