Why Choose EnhanceWellness?

“I received a Certificate of Achievement for the pedometers walking program! My new goal is to walk, and watch the diet with smaller portions.”

– An EnhanceWellness Participant

Many programs claim to improve the health of older adults. Not all can demonstrate real results. Developing programs like EnhanceWellness based on sound scientific evidence is critical.

From February 1995 to June 1996, researchers conducted a study of EnhanceWellness (formerly the Health Enhancement Program), which followed 201 disabled adults, aged 70 and older, to track improvements in their performance of activities of daily life (ADL).

The results, later published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, showed that the program led to improved ADL functioning in those who were disabled and thereby offered a promising strategy for limiting or reversing functional decline in disabled older adults.

Specifically, results showed:

• 72% decrease in hospital days
• 35% decrease in use of psychoactive drugs
• 11% decrease in depression
• 18% decrease in physical inactivity

Since the original study, over 9,000 older adults with disability and/or chronic conditions have participated in EnhanceWellness. Ongoing independent study results show that participants continue to realize a significant decrease in depression and increase in physical activity.

Check out this video about a study focused on EW participants aging with physical disability—stay tuned as the published results will be available on our Citations page!