EFFECTS OF A HEALTH AND WELL-BEING PROGRAM ON THE ELDERLY

THE HYPOTHESIS TO BE TESTED IS THAT A 7-DAY, HEALTH AND WELL-BEING CAMP (ADULTS HEALTH & DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, INC.'S CAMP AHDP) FOR THE "WELL" ELDERLY WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE OBJECTIVE AND SUBJECTIVE HEALTH, SYMPTOMATOLOGY, SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING, AND ASPECTS OF PHYSICAL FITNESS. THE APPROXIMATELY 80 PARTICIPANTS WILL BE INDEPENDENTLY LIVING, RELATIVELY HEALTHY ADULTS BETWEEN AGES 50 TO 90 YEARS. THEY WILL BE RANDOMLY DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS: AN EXPERIMENTAL GROUP TO RECEIVE THE CAMP AHDP EXPERIENCE AND A CONTROL GROUP THAT WILL NOT. EACH GROUP WILL BE RANDOMLY DIVIDED INTO HALF TO RECEIVE FOLLOW-UP TELEPHONE CALLS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF A REINFORCING CALL ON HEALTH BEHAVIOR. MEASURES WILL BE OBTAINED 1 WEEK PRIOR TO THE CAMP, AND 1 DAY, 1 MONTH, AND 3 MONTHS AFTER THE CAMP ENDS. PRELIMINARY DATA SUGGEST THAT THE CAMP POSITIVELY AFFECTS THE VARIABLES OF INTEREST IN THIS PROJECT. IF DATA INDICATE THAT THE RESEARCH DESIGN IS FEASIBLE, PHASE II WILL (1) EXTEND THE RESEARCH TO A LARGER SAMPLE INCORPORATING MORE RIGOROUS CONTROL, AND (2) DEVELOP CAMP AHDP ON A NATIONAL BASIS. THE LATTER WILL INVOLVE COLLABORATION WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT SERVE THE "WELL," THE "INFIRM" ELDERLY, AND THE HISPANIC ELDERLY.