Live Well, Live Long : Physical Activity for Older Adults: Exercise for Life!

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Sample Evaluation Questions, Indicators and Data Sources for a Community-Based Physical Activity Program

This section provides ideas for determining evaluation questions, specific indicators and data sources to measure a community-based physical activity program's success.

Scenario: You are the program manager at the county Area Agency on Aging. You have obtained funding to start a strength-training program for older adults at senior centers and meal sites in your county. You are working with the rest of the evaluation team to develop your program and evaluation plan. In Step Three your evaluation team came up with a list of questions you want the evaluation to address. Now, in Step Four, you need to develop specific indicators that answer each evaluation question, and determine the data sources you will use to measure each indicator.

SAMPLE EVALUATION QUESTIONS, INDICATORS AND DATA SOURCES

On the Community Level
On the Individual Level

On the Community Level

EVALUATION QUESTIONS	INDICATORS	DATA SOURCES
On the Community Level Is the program adequately available in the community? Do older adults and providers in the community know about the program? What effect is the program having on the community? Is the program accessible to elders who speak Spanish, Chinese and English? Is the program accessible to elders using wheelchairs or walkers? Is the program affordable to poor and low-income elders?
How many programs for strength training are offered to older adults in the community?	Number of programs	Administrative records
How available are strength-training programs to older adults in the community?	Number of sites Number of neighborhoods Number of classes per week offered Number of days per week offered	Administrative records
How available is referral information to strength-training programs?	Number of offices and agencies that refer to strength-training programs	Survey of Information and Referral desks, senior centers, senior services agencies, etc.
How many older adults have participated in the program?	Number of participants	Administrative records
What is the average number of classes attended by an older adult?	Average number of classes	test
Is the program having an effect on the level of strength training among older adults in the community?	Percentage of participants who are meeting the recommendation of doing strength-training twice a week	Administrative records
Is the program available in the three principal languages spoken by elders in the community?	Number of classes given in Spanish, Chinese and English	Administrative records
Is the program accessible to older adults using wheelchairs and walkers?	Number of classes held in wheelchair/walker accessible locations Number of instructors trained to deliver the program to elders who are seated	Administrative records
Is the program affordable to poor and low-income elders?	Number of elders whose program fee was paid or subsidized by the program	Administrative records

On the Individual Level

EVALUATION QUESTIONS	INDICATORS	DATA SOURCES
On the Individual Level What lasting effect is the program having on older adults in the community? Is the program having an effect on physiological measures and functional ability of the participants? Is the program having an effect on the attitudes of older adults toward physical activity, their bodies or their overall health? Are participants in the program walking more or doing more physical activity? Are participants in the program experiencing an increase in social support?
Do the participants show any positive physiological changes since starting the program?	Blood pressure decrease Blood glucose decrease Total cholesterol decrease Weight lost	Health questionnaire or interview (before and after the program)
Do participants show an increase in functional ability since starting the program?	Activities of Daily Living	Health questionnaire or interview (before and after the program)
Do participants walk more since starting the program?	Minutes per day walking	Physical activity questionnaire or interview (before and after the program)
Are the participants more physically active in general since starting the program?	Minutes per day of physical activity	Physical activity questionnaire or interview (before and after the program)
How do the participants feel about their overall health since starting the program?	Participant's attitude toward their health	Health questionnaire or interview (before and after the program)
Do the participants feel their bodies are stronger since starting the program?	Participant's attitude toward their health	Health questionnaire or interview (before and after the program)
Do the participants feel they have increased self-esteem or more positive body image since starting the program?	Participant's level of self-esteem and positive body image	Health questionnaire or interview (before and after the program)
Do the participants have a more positive attitude toward physical activity since starting the program?	Participant's attitude toward physical activity	Physical activity questionnaire or interview (before and after the program)
Do the participants have more social support inside or outside of class since starting the program?	Participant's attitude toward social support	Social support survey or interview

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