50 AND HEALTHY!Goal:

Katherine Chen / kchen12@stanford.edu

50+Healthy

That was Lydia. She’s 59, works a 9-5 office job, and has high-blood pressure and high cholesterol.

She walks the family dog about once a week...and that’s about it.

She’s also my mom.

That was Lydia. She’s 59, works a 9-5 office job, and has high-blood pressure and high cholesterol.

She walks the family dog about once a week...and that’s about it.

She’s also my mom.

She’s not the only one in that situation.

I surveyed 42 parents, ages 46 - 65.

7 had high cholesterol6 had high blood pressure5 had high cholesterol and blood pressure4 were overweight3 had body pains and aches1 had diabetes1 had depression1 had a heart attack in 2006

That’s 28 people, 67%, with a health condition who don’t feel healthy.

67%

21%

12%

Fairly healthyVery healthyExisting health issues

But instead of making lifestyle changes to fight those conditions, they are taking prescription medications and maintaining the same diet and level of exercise.

Insight #1:Medicine is an effective fix for conditions like high cholesterol. Unfortunately, it becomes a short-term replacement for changes to diet and exercise.

How might we encourage older adults to solve the problem and not the effect?

On average, those 28 people are doing 30 minutes or more of physical activity 2.2 days a week.

But they’d like to do so 5.6 days a week.

BJ Fogg once said, “Help people do what they already want to do.”

For exercise, survey participants currently...walk, jog, gym, lift weights, and garden.

But they also enjoy...yoga, zumba, hiking, tennis, swimming, golf, kickboxing, and biking.

Insight #2:“Dancing isn’t exercise, it’s fun.”

EXERCISE FUN

Key to longevity?

Hypothesis:Older adults are only exploring traditional types of exercise, like walking, stretching, and weight lifting.

If we introduce them to unconventional activities, they are more likely to exercise more often.

Test trial:I copied messaging for 6 real events on Meetup.com and asked study participants to RSVP to ones they would like to attend.

Test trial:

I copied messaging for 6 real events on Meetup.com and asked study participants to RSVP to ones they would like to attend.

Trial gives us information on:Activity preferencesInterest in social componentLevel of comfort with online group organization site like Meetup.com

Walking: Yes

Maybe

No

0 4.25 8.5 12.75 17

YES:More funExercise, enjoy the scenery and meet new peopleI will join if I have the timeIt sounds like a good opportunity to meet peopleEasy form of non-impact exercise & socialI enjoy walking with other peopleI would love to. The more moral support the better.I like to walkenjoy sceneryEnjoy walkingeasy going none performance based fun

Takeaways:Would be fun to meet new people and share moral support. Non-impact exercise. Can enjoy the scenery.

MAYBE:Depends on the group's common interests and goal to get out of the activities and atmosphere.Prefer walking or hiking with spouse or aloneA little skeptical about meeting people over the internet. Maybe if everyone met in a large group in a public place first.Depends on the people. Do they look like, fun, sucessful, healthy, attractive people....or losers.Similar interest... But I don't know these people.depends on my timetime constraintsGroup is pretty large but I guess if your goal is to meet people would be good.I am usually busy with work or family on the weekends. Depends on my schedule.I don't have enough time to participate. Should be an activity for the hole family on Sundays afternoons. (and my family should agree to do it)Depends on my schedule, if it was convenient. Also I don't like the heat so in the warm months, I prefer to go outside at 6 AM to garden. Hard to find groups of earlybird recreational walkers.

Takeaways:Depends on the people and my schedule.

NO:I walk very slowly and would be unable to keep up.I enjoy hiking to relax and not interested in interacting with others during this activity.Because of my schedule which is determined by my performance schedule, it difficult to commit to a group activity.A little skeptical about meeting people over the internet. Maybe if everyone met in a large group in a public place first.Want to do exercise on my own timeTypically workout early mornings on my own schedule which can sometimes be random.I like to walk very quickly to get aerobic exercise and I find most recreational walkers go too slowly for meI like to walk in silencestrangers can do strange thingsDon't like to exersize in a groupI live to far awayPrefer to walk alone and think.due to tight scheduleI am not comfortable meeting new peopleno timejust not interested

Takeaways:Want to walk at my own pace, prefer solo activity, can’t commit because of time schedule, not comfortable meeting new people.

Hiking:

Yes

Maybe

No

0 7.5 15 22.5 30

YES:Scenic and limited time and durationExercise, view, and company could be interestingI like hiking as long as it is a trail that has varying degrees.Good experience. Attend the Golden Gate Bridge's 50 yr anniversary walk across the bridge but it was too crowded. Couldn't walk across.meet peopleSounds like funI like hiking and there is no mention of meeting new people so it takes the pressure off.Sounds interestIf my schedule allowed, it would be fun to walk on the Golden Gate Bridge.

Takeaways:Interested in the novelty of the activity itself.

MAYBE:It provides full description for the 'level' of walking. It is also a plus for the social event to be optional - flexible and not easygoing atmosphere would be a plus for me.Sounds great but the first day of the year I may be tired and also I don't know if I have the level of resistance neededSounds like a good "plan" but what is the profile of people attending? Teenagers, retirees, singles, families?Love GGB and the great scenery in that area.Seems to be interesting and fun if not taking care of the date. For me is a family date.time constraintsIf I was already part of the group but maybe not for a first outing.

Takeaways:Time constraints. Social pressure. Who else is attending? Uncertainty of level of fitness required.

NO:too strenuousToo far from my residenceDon't want to spend time with strangersLike to do stuff like this with own familySimilar to previous answer -- when hiking, like it either to be very vigorous for exercise or to a destination that I am especially interested in. When I do things for social purposes, I would rather be with small group of friendsToo far from homeSan Franfreeko is a scary, but beautiful city.too farI don't live in the cityprefer to go in smaller group or with spouseI work that dayI am workingtoo farI will be out of town.Out of town that dayToo crowdedno time

Takeaways:Too far from home, prefer to hike with family, spouse, or small group of friends.

Test trial:

Yoga:

Yes

Maybe

No

0 7.5 15 22.5 30

YES:Always wanted to try yoga but didn't know best way to startLove Yoga.....and Yoga is kind of an individual type thing so it doesn't matter who is there.Enjoyed yoga the few times I participated.Heard yoga was good forn of non-impact exercise and want to learn moreThis would assist with my back problem.Sounds interestinglove yogaI've never taken a Vinyasa yoga class and I would it to try it epecially since it's free

Takeaways:Would be fun to meet new people and share moral support. Non-impact exercise. Can enjoy the scenery.

MAYBE:Not too enticing as it sounds more commercial and promotional than a community building low-key exercise opportunity. One would see that sort of posting in Daily Candy or Groupon.time constraintswilling to do yoga in a group with an instructorMy wife would enjoy it. Have not tried yoga myself.

Takeaways:Possible female bias.

NO:too far from homeI would like to have a flexible scheduleNot interested in yogaI do a specific type of yoga: Trul Khor (tibetan) and I'm not interested in another typeDon't like yogaNot into this exerciseI do not like to do yoga at storesYoga sucksI don't like yoga.don't like yogaNot a yoga practitionertoo far. If it were in my neighborhood, yes.no timewhere is this?A little odd

Takeaways:Some people have 0 interest in yoga. If they were to try, it’d have to be nearby.

Dancing:

Yes

Maybe

No

0 4 8 12 16

YES:I love to dance but I don't have a partner so because this class doesn't require to have one is just perfect for me except I live in FloridaInterested in ball room dancingWould love to learn to Salsa dance with my wife.Same reason: great opportunity to have fun and meet people

I can still "cut the rug" or at least think I can.Love dancing & socialI enjoy dancing and would allow to be with other people.Invite gave out more info of what to expect.Love to dancelearn to dance

a chance to exercise while learning to dance.sounds very funit sounds funSounds fun

Takeaways:Love to dance, fun, meet new people.

MAYBE:Always wanted to learn how to ballroom danceit might be fun to learn something newI will go if my husband goes too.i like dancing, but not familiar with the venutime constraintsIf my husband would go with me I would attend

Takeaways:Would go if significant other went as well.

NO:I dont danceNot coordinated or interested in this activityNot a dancer...I have no interest in learning.spouse would not be interesteddistance to eventcan't danceI am not a dancer.Don't like dance

Takeaways:0 interest or 0 ability.

Zumba:

Yes

Maybe

No

0 5 10 15 20

YES:I can use the exerciseCurious to learn moreWho doesn't like free.As long as it's free, I will attend. Have tried it before.good exercisefunwant to try it

Takeaways:Would be fun to try it as long as it’s free.

MAYBE:Again, it might be fun to try something new -- would probably go if it fit with scheduletime constraintsmight be fun?I've taken zumba classes before and I don't like them (too choreographed - I spend too much time trying to learn the dance and don't feel like I am getting a good workout) but I would try this one becasue it's free

Takeaways:Might go because it’s free.

NO:too strenuousI dont dance in a groupNo dancing....sorry.Don't like zumbaUncoordinatedNot a Zumba fanaticToo many Zumba show offs!I'm not ready for Zumba yet. Need to start with something calmer and easier.Curious to learn moreTo hard on the lower backI am not a dancer.Not my cup of teaHave tried Zumba and didn't care for it, but if I hadn't tried it before, the event seems like a no cost way to try it.

Takeaways:0 interest or 0 ability. Too strenuous.

Meditation / Tai Chi:

Yes

Maybe

No

0 4 8 12 16

YES:It's probably a good pace for me.Enjoy meditation and slower pace and calmer exercise. But if it were too much of an incent burning meditation, that would turn my interest off.Interested in Tai Chi.always wanted to try tai chiI've tried it before and enjoyed the activityHave done some tai chi before and again good form of non-impact exercise for body & mindThe type of activity deals with the flow of energy in the bodyGood especially if you are just beginning.I wish it would be in my area.Learning Tai chi now.always wanted to learn Tai Chi.I've never taken a tai chi class and would like to try it.I like Tai Chi.

Takeaways:Would enjoy slower pace. Have always wanted to try. Good for body and mind.

MAYBE:Curious about but not certain I would want to do it.Sound interesting.Maybe interested.I should learn more about these activities, but I like when I see usually Asian people practicing it in the public parks. It seems to be something very rhythmic, interesting, free, and democratic.

sometimes oktime constraintswould need instruction but interested in learning tai chi

Takeaways:Interesting. Interested in learning.

NO:Tried matial arts before and not too crazy about it. Like kick boxing exercise classes though.Too slow of an exerciseNot into thisdistance to the eventnot intestedToo busy with others

Takeaways:0 interest. Too slow of a pace.

Insight #3:Traditional activities are done not for lack of creativity, but because of low cost, convenience, and a low barrier to entry in terms of ability.

3 LOWs:

LOW COSTLOW HASSLELOW PRESSURE TO PERFORM

EXERCISE FUN

Key to longevity!

LOW COST, LOW HASSLE, LOW PRESSURE.

Conclusion:Walking may not sound exotic or exciting but it is free, flexible to schedule, can be social, and is not high pressure to perform.

Conclusion:Dancing = pure fun. It seems to be more of a social skill than an exercise skill, one that older adults are eager to learn in a low-pressure environment. The existing infrastructure of free community dance nights makes this activity more cost-effective in the long run.

Conclusion:Activities like meditation require instruction for beginners but even a one-touch training session can have lasting impact, on the mind and body.

Next steps:Piloting walking groups in workplaces and neighborhoods

Raising awareness of free dance community lessons and dance nights, get buy-in from spouse or close friend

Introducing people to the meetup.com platform, empowering people to find activities they enjoy

Thank you!I’d love to hear your thoughts:

kchen12@stanford.edu

Katherine Chen / @kchen247