THE ENJOY SENIors Exercise Park Imp-act project (2022 - 2026)

The ENJOY IMP-ACT (IMProving older people’s health through physical ACTivity) project aimed to increase older people’s physical activity participation, health, and wellbeing through a structured, community-based implementation framework, delivered across six parks in five local government areas in Victoria, Australia.

The project was designed to understand what works when establishing and supporting Seniors Exercise Parks in community settings. It included an evaluation of the impact of project activities on Seniors Exercise Park usage and older people’s physical activity and wellbeing, as well as the social return on investment (project details can be found here).

The community-based implementation framework was shown to provide a practical, scalable model to support sustainable improvements in older adults’ physical activity, group participation, and health.

Project Activities 

The project included:

Training of community volunteers and allied health professionals to support the safe and effective use of Seniors Exercise Parks. The volunteer training provided participants with the skills and knowledge to engage and guide others in physical activity using the Seniors Exercise Park equipment.

Community engagement through local events, community “Come and Try” sessions, and communication/collaboration with local governments, organisations, and community groups. 

Development of Resources to facilitate safe usage of the Seniors Exercise Parks (for example, the My ENJOY Health® mobile application).

Local promotion and marketing, delivered across multiple platforms, to support community participation.

KEY PROJECT FINDINGS 

• A significant increase in the number of older people using the Seniors Exercise Parks and their participation in physical activity (see journal publication).
• A significant increase in older people’s participation in group activities at the Seniors Exercise Parks.
• A social return on investment of $2.50 for every $1.00 spent (see journal publication).

PROJECT INSIGHTS - SeNIORS EXERCISE PARK IMPLEMENTATION and USAGE

The collaborative approach, which actively included local councils and community members in program development and delivery, was found to be important to success.

Factors influencing Seniors Exercise Park installation and uptake included:

• Funding provided to areas of community need
• Location close to transport and facilities/amenities
• Design that supports accessibility (e.g., appropriate surfaces, shade)
• Distinct spaces for Seniors Exercise Parks (separate from children’s playground areas)

Barriers and facilitators for accessing and using Seniors Exercise Parks included:

• Barriers – poor health, fear of injury, low awareness, environmental constraints (e.g., poor community visibility, inadequate amenities), logistical factors (e.g., travel distance), and lack of motivation.
• Facilitators – social connection, instructor and peer support, proximity to amenities/facilities, structured group sessions, professional recommendation, and active promotion. (See journal publication for further details).

PUBLICATIONS/RESOURCES 

Further details about the implementation and findings of the ENJOY IMP-ACT project can be found in the IMProving older people’s health through physical ACTivity, Summary Report 

Research publications on the ENJOY IMP-ACT project, and other ENJOY projects, can be found here.

PROJECT Partners

Local Governments: Wyndham City Council, City of Whittlesea, Mitchell Shire Council, Hobsons Bay City Council, and Nillumbik Shire Council

Other partners: Monash University, Curtin University, Sydney University, Park and Leisure Australia, Lark Industries.

Funding body

Commonwealth of Australia Medical Research Future Fund

Trial registration

ACTRN12622001256763