Examining Life Goals of Community-Dwelling, Low-Income Older Adults.
Elizabeth P Howard, Kara E Louvar
PMID 28926668WHAT IT FOUND
Low-income older adults in a wellness coaching program most often chose goals of maintaining health, increasing physical activity, and increasing socialization.
The study describes their goals; it does not show that the coaching program improved health or goal attainment.
Key findings
01Among 161 older adults, the most frequently selected life goals were maintaining health, increasing physical activity, and increasing socialization.
02In participants in their 90s, increased physical activity was the most commonly selected goal, followed by socialization and independence.
03No significant differences were found between men and women in selected goals, although women more often chose maintaining independence and improved nutrition, and men more often chose increased socialization and intellectual pursuits.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The sample was all white, mostly female, mostly highly educated, and limited to residents who could read English and did not have moderate cognitive impairment, so the goals may not represent broader older adults. The study was a secondary analysis of existing Vitality Plan data collected to run the wellness coaching program, not a trial designed to test health outcomes. The analysis did not examine actual or perceived goal attainment. The exact number of goals in each category is not reported in the supplied text, so the finding is about most frequent categories rather than precise counts. All participants lived independently and reported some physical activity, so the results say little about frailer or less active older adults.
Declared interests
No conflicts-of-interest statement is provided in the supplied text; the article is tagged as supported by NIH extramural and non-U.S. government research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read the goal frequencies as evidence that Vitalize 360 or the wellness coaching program improves outcomes. The study did not test the program, did not measure goal attainment, and used a secondary analysis of existing plans.