www.agingblueprint.org

Background

On May 1, 2001, a coalition of 46 national organizations released a major planning document designed to develop a national strategy to promote physically active lifestyles among the midlife and older population. The National Blueprint: Increasing Physical Activity Among Adults Age 50 and Older identifies principle barriers to physical activity participation in older adults and outlines strategies to overcome these barriers in the areas of research, home and community programs, medical systems, and public policy issues.

Blueprint partners recognize the importance of addressing the problem of inactivity at the local level where people live, work, and receive health care, and at the state and national levels where public policy and societal norms influence health behaviors. Effective efforts to increase physical activity require an integrated approach that involves community health professionals, health associations and agencies, health care providers, employers, senior living facilities, transportation experts, community planners, volunteers, and other diverse groups and organizations.

The Blueprint is the first national coalition to take into account the comprehensive issues involved in helping older Americans become physically active. The key to its success lies in developing and channeling resources and working collaboratively to promote the health benefits of physically active lifestyles within our sedentary society.

A Plan of Action

Blueprint partners identified 18 high-priority strategies to reduce the barriers to physical activity and promote active lifestyles. National organizations have been selected for each of the 18 strategies to take the lead in initiating the outlined tactics within the next 12 to 24 months. The strategic priorities are available on the National Blueprint website at http://www.agingblueprint.org/StrategicPriorities.cfm.

National Blueprint Office

The National Blueprint Office at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign provides technical assistance and helps promote collaboration among the national organizations. In early 2003, the National Blueprint Office produced two publications: the "National Blueprint Consensus Conference Summary Report" and "Setting the Public Policy Agenda: Briefing Book," a legislation guide that highlights key legislative issues that need to be addressed to increase physical activity levels.

The National Blueprint office also awarded $473,000 to 20 community organizations/coalitions that provide physical activity interventions for adults age 50+. Information about these programs is available at http://www.agingblueprint.org/grant.cfm

Contact Information

Lisa Sheppard
Project Coordinator, National Blueprint
126 Freer Hall
906 S. Goodwin Ave.
Urbana, IL 61801
(217) 244-7122
blueprint@kines.uiuc.edu