Being physically active is an important component to overall health and contributes significantly to individuals’ physical and mental wellbeing.  There is a continued need to promote physical activity among Kentucky families.  According to the CDC, 29.7% of Kentucky’s adults reported that during the past month, they had not participated in any physical activity, and only 21.4% of Kentucky children and teens were physically active for at least 60 minutes per day on each of the 7 days prior to the survey.

In an effort to promote health and wellbeing in Kentucky, the Metcalfe County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences presented the Move Your Way: Exercise for Everybody program to Kentucky Extension Homemaker members in the Mammoth Cave Area.   This program aims to increase daily physical activity among older adults, leading to overall health benefits and increased quality of life, by teaching the importance of physical activity to overall well-being, providing particpants with the opportunity to be active, and showing particpants ways to incorporate movement into their daily life.   

47 individuals participated in Homemaker leader lessons across nine counties, and took the lesson to teach to their respective Homemaker Clubs.  77 program participant evaluations were collected.   92% of participants reported an increased ability to describe the three types of physical activity,  and 82% of particpants reported an increased ability to describe the benefits of physical activity to overall health.  95% reported plans to increase the amount of time that they are physically active, and 95% plan to use tools from this program to incorporate movement into their daily routine.

After the program, one participant reported, “I like how [in this lesson] physical activity is so simplified and made to not be so intimidating and making it feasible for anybody to do.” Another said, “I feel more confident to try new exercises.”