Walk On! community walking program for older adults with mobility limits
Walk On! National Council on Aging Innovation Lab
This program tests whether a 12-week, twice-weekly group walking program can help prevent falls and reduce loneliness in older adults who have trouble moving around or feel isolated.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 192 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Wake Forest University Health Sciences Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) |
| Trial ID | NCT07368907 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This is a multi-site, one-arm type-2 hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial delivering a facilitator-led, group-based walking program twice weekly for 12 weeks (24 sessions). Older adult participants complete simple functional tests and questionnaires before and after the program to measure changes in walking endurance, strength, balance, fall-related confidence, and loneliness. The trial also collects implementation data to identify best practices for starting, running, and sustaining Walk On! programs in community settings, including rural or resource-limited locations. Program facilitators receive comprehensive training and implementation support to help organizations adopt the program.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal candidates are English-speaking adults aged 60 or older who can ambulate independently (with or without a cane or walker), can provide their own transportation, and can attend twice-weekly 60-minute sessions for 12 weeks without planned extended absences.
Not a fit: People with serious or unstable medical or psychiatric conditions, those unable to ambulate independently, those who recently completed an evidence-based falls prevention program within the past year, or those unable to attend in-person sessions are unlikely to benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, Walk On! could reduce falls and improve walking endurance, strength, balance, and social connectedness for older adults with mobility limitations.
How similar studies have performed: While balance and exercise programs like tai chi have shown fall-reduction benefits, structured, supervised progressive walking programs for older adults with mobility limitations are less well tested, making this approach partly novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Program Older Adult Participants: Inclusion Criteria: * Age greater than or equal to 60 years * Able to provide own transportation to the program each week * No planned extended travel or time away during the 12 week program period * English speaking with intact verbal and written communication skills * Free of current fracture * Able to ambulate independently, with or without an assistive device (i.e., cane or walker) Program Participants: Exclusion Criteria: * Serious or unstable medical or psychiatric condition that would prevent participation in research study * Lack of decision-making capacity * Participated in an evidence-based falls prevention program within the past 12 months Community-Based Organizations (CBOs): Inclusion Criteria: * Age greater than or equal to 18 years * English speaking Community-Based Organizations (CBOs): Exclusion Criteria: * Not interested in offering a Walk On! program * Unwilling and/or unable to participate in implementation activities
Where this trial is running
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Wake Forest University School of Medicine — Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Jaime M Hughes, MSW, MPH, PhD — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Jaime M Hughes, MSW, MPH, PhD
- Email: jaime.hughes@wfusm.edu
- Phone: 336-716-0835
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.