title: Community-based nurse health coaching and its effect on fitness participation.
abstract: This article reports on the characteristics of the individuals participating in Health Matters, a community-based health promotion and fitness program for the elderly. A total of 255 persons were recruited into the program. Eligibility criteria included having one or more qualifying chronic health conditions, being 65 or older, having membership in a participating health plan, and ownership of a CalPERS long-term care insurance policy. The intervention included nurse health coaching, training in self-management of chronic illness, referrals to community resources, and a fitness program. More than 90% of participants were in exercise programs at 12 months, and 30% had participated in one or more condition management classes. Health Matters' senior-oriented fitness program was more successful in attracting higher disability risk members than were either community-based or self-exercise programs. Health Matters demonstrated that it is possible to proactively recruit and retain individuals in a health-promotion program. The nurse coaches/case managers communicated with primary care physicians about the enrollees and their health action plans, but recruitment did not rely on physician referrals.
authors.affiliation: Eskaton, California, USA.
authors.forename: Lynette
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tidwell
authors.forename: Stephen K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: Joelyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Malone
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mullan
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Newcomer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002140:California; D019090:Case Management; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration; D006299:Health Services for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D009739:Nursing Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D015397:Program Evaluation; D014481:United States