PEPPI exercise program in Clay County

As the amount of aging baby-boomers continues to grow, prevalence of inactivity has also ballooned. The Centers for Disease Control reported in their 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance report that only 38.1% of Missouri seniors (aged sixty-five and older) performed thirty minutes of moderate physical activity five or more days per week. Additionally, only 12.8% of Missouri seniors reported twenty minutes or more of vigorous physical activity three or more days a week (Behavioral, 2007). This low percentage is perhaps due to the perception that exercise is too strenuous or demanding. This does not have to be the case.

The Clay County Public Health Center offers the PEPPI exercise program to older adults interested in increasing strength and flexibility in a group setting. PEPPI is an acronym for Peer Exercise Program Promotes Independence and has proven effective in other states. Peer exercise groups primarily meet at nursing homes, but the program is open to any group of individuals wanting a fun way to exercise with their friends.

The program utilizes exercise bands for low-impact strength training. All participants are given the resistance band and a book depicting the exercises. At the initial meeting, participants are measured for flexibility, balance, and endurance. These measurements are recorded again after six months have passed to track progress and evaluate the program. Sustainability is the goal, but many participants exhibit improved range of motion and endurance. Other benefits include increased social contact and independence and reduced injury.
In addition to the PEPPI program, the Clay County Public Health Center offers Arthritis Self-Help Management courses. This six week course teaches individuals afflicted with arthritis to cope through discussion. Physical activity is integral in arthritis management and stressed in this program.

Through these programs the health center hopes to reduce the especially high rate of falls and their subsequent injuries in Clay County, as they have been linked to decreased physical activity. Other goals include increasing independent sustainability in seniors and promoting overall health.

For more information on these programs, contact the Senior Wellness Coordinator, Carolyn DeLaMare, at (816) 781-1142 or cdelamare@clayhealth.com.

References:
Behavioral risk factor surveillance system [Data file]. (2007). Retrieved August 27, 2008, from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site: http://apps.nccd.cdc.gov/brfss/age.asp?cat=PA&yr=2007&qkey=4419&state=MO.