1. Dr. Karla Henderson Brad Allen Lynn Harrell

2. * Components of the North Carolina Senior Games * The Legacy of the Program * Measuring Success – Now and in the Future * How Senior Games can Benefit your Citizens

4. Year-round Health promotion and wellness for adults 50 years of age and better through: Fun Fitness Fellowship Family Friends

5. Local Games-53 across the state serving all 100 counties. Over 60,000 persons participate in year-round programs over 5000 volunteers locally. State Finals-annually in the fall for qualifiers. 3000 participants, 900 volunteers

6. Athletic Events Archery Badminton Accuracy Events i.e. Football Throw Billiards Bocce Bowling Croquet Cycling Track and Field Golf Horseshoes and shuffleboard Racquetball Team sports Swimming Table Tennis and Tennis Visual, Heritage, Literary, Performing, Cheerleaders

7. * North Carolina Senior Games is the largest health promotion program of its’ type in the United States and has received national recognition for programming and service for older adults; * Diverse support statewide and locally through: * Corporate Sponsors * 6 Major Coordinating Agencies * 22 Endorsing Agencies * In-kind support by a Vast Network of Volunteers

8. * Inter-generational activities that have shaped and changed perspectives on aging and of older persons; * Providing new opportunities for life enrichment and wellness for older persons, i.e., women raised in the pre-Title IX era;

9. * Transformation of facilities in many communities across the state – shuffleboard courts, bocce courts, shared space between active youths and older persons; * Inclusion of experienced individuals on planning boards, steering committees, etc.;

10. * Nurturing of the “Fun, Friends, Family, Fitness and Fellowship” that Senior Games participants enjoy across lines of cultural, gender, geographic, economic and social diversity;

11. * Empowerment of participants to new levels of civic and political involvement through the Senior Games Ambassadors’ Program; * Better health, greater social involvement and life enrichment for hundreds of thousands of older persons in every part of the state!

12. * There is considerable emphasis from funding entities to PROVE the IMPACT of recreation and health promotion programs - - - How can we measure success?

13. Research about NCSG 2006-2013

14. 1. 2007, 2010, 2013* Evaluations 2. Analysis of NCSG Volunteers 3. NCSG Grandparents 4. 2012 Selected Sites (for use of sites) 5. Photo Elicitation of State Games Finals *Preliminary data

15. Purpose: Examine the role and influence of North Carolina Senior Games (NCSG) in addressing factors leading to healthy living and successful aging Develop a profile of NCSG participants

16. 2007 Systematic sample of 1000 local games participants 2010 Systematic sample of 1127 local games participants 2013 All participants in 2013 State Finals* *Preliminary data

17. * Almost equal number of women and men responded * Average age was 70-71 years with a range of 55-96 years * About 70% were married * About 80% percent White, African American (10%), Native American (6%). Hispanic/Latino (<1%), and Asian American (<1%) * Over ¾ rated present health Excellent or Very Good

18. Reasons200720102013* Fun95%98%97% Keep Active91%97%96% Friendship90% 88% Fitness83%91% Improves Health 78%87%89%

19. Activity200720102013* NCSG Regular Part of Weekly Schedule 75%79%84% Motivates to be more Physically Active 60%67%68% Motivates to be more Socially Active 66% 63%

20. Outcome20102013* Meet more People 86%87% Good feelings about life 78%77% Self-Esteem71%73% Energy Level64%53% My Health62% Physical Strength57%59% Heart and Lung Functioning 55%56%

21. Women Individuals living alone Participants with HS education or less Lower income individuals

22. To assess needs and interests of STATE FINALS volunteers to provide better program quality

24. Help others through SG Genuinely concerned about older adults Just plain fun Doing something for the SG cause that is important to me

25. Thesis by Liana Dern (2011) Explore perceptions of aging and older adults held by children who had grandparents that were participants in NCSG

26. Children: a) Described a range of perceptions of older adults b) Built relationships with grandparents through leisure activities like NCSG c) Saw grandparents as role models for aging

27. * Purpose: To examine the meanings associated with physical activity participation by older adults in NCSG State Finals through the use of photo elicitation.

28. 1. Distinguishing Oneself Through Competition 2. Transforming Identity 3. Being Part of a Collective Experience 4. Redefining Aging

29. * Theme 1: Distinguishing oneself through competition “…they posted the results after the events occur and so everybody goes and looks at the board to see what they got…although everybody likes to participate, the awards are really nice, too, so everybody’s curious to see how they do to judge their performance” – female, age 56 Taking home a medal was one way participants separated themselves from others. One male participant said, “I just want a medal – it could be bronze, I don’t care what it is…as long as I got something to bring back as a memory.”

30. * Theme 4: Redefining Aging “She’s not very fast, she just keeps on going…For somebody her age, it would be a whole lot easier to sit home and not do anything” “This is the oldest runner in the Senior Games history… He’s 101…When you see someone doing that at his age, it really makes you look at yourself and what you do and what you are able to do in a different light.” “It’s just so encouraging to someone at that age still being very, very active”

31. * Serving a GROWING population * Facilitating Public/Private Partnerships Surry County Commissioners recognize Senior Games participants