Through a partnership with the British Columbia Ministry of Health, we are scaling-up Choose to Move (CTM), an evidence and choice-based health-promoting program for older adults. This provides a key opportunity for us to evaluate how CTM affects aspects of health while investigating factors that affect implementation and broad scale-up of CTM.
ABOUT CHOOSE TO MOVE
Choose to Move is not a “one-size-fits-all,” prescriptive program. Instead, it combines a person-centred approach with opportunities for older adults to connect. Participants develop a personalized action plan with an ‘activity coach’. Participants choose activities based on physical capacity and their personal preferences. Activities range from fitness classes offered in local communities (e.g., Tai Chi, chair yoga) to individual or group activities (e.g., gardening, walking). Participants learn to monitor and adjust their goals and activities–a lifelong skill–with support from their activity coach. We counter social isolation through facilitated group meetings. These sessions provide a space for participants to share experiences, ideas, and information (e.g., self-care) and to actively engage with their community.
Choose to Move has reached over 6000 seniors enrolled in more than
600 Choose to Move programs - see impact.
THE CHOOSE TO MOVE MODEL — PHASES 1-4
At every phase of delivery, we have evaluated Choose to Move across levels of our delivery partners and participants (delivery partner leads, provincial coordinators, recreation coordinators, activity coaches, and older adult participants) to develop, adapt, and improve the fit of Choose to Move for different contexts.
The figure below represents the evolution of Choose to Move and its delivery across British Columbia since 2015.
The arrows at the top of the figure represent the different adaptation processes we underwent over the course of Choose to Move’s phased delivery.
- The dark blue arrow between Phases 1 & 2 and Phase 3 indicates the formal and systematic adaptation process—conducted in collaboration with our community delivery partners—to enhance fit.
- The orange arrow between Phase 3 and Phase 4 indicates another formal, systematic adaptation process, with the goal to increase reach and reduce the delivery cost of the model.
- Before we could roll out Phase 4 programs (March 2020), strict public health orders due to COVID-19 were enacted across BC. In response to public health restrictions, we rapidly adapted Choose to Move to accommodate virtual delivery (Choose to Move at Home), represented by the light blue arrow.
Choose to Move Works
Choose to Move effectively enhances the health, mobility, and social connectedness of older adults.
"When I started the program I was unhappy with myself physically and mentally to some extent as well. Meeting others like me was invaluable and reassuring. Because of the advice I received from my activity coach, I joined a fitness group over the summer that was beneficial on many levels - physically and socially especially. I have now joined another, more vigorous class and am enjoying it. More importantly, I can do it! I plan to go to the gym more often and take walks as well as I get stronger. Choose to Move has improved my life so much! I chose to move!!"
— Choose to Move Participant
Choose to Move has supported British Columbian older adults to become active and socially connected since 2015.
