Established in 2000, Capital Health's Active Anytime Anywhere program is designed to enhance active living programs for older adults with low incomes in their communities. One of the program’s goals is to support and encourage the older adults' desire to embrace an active lifestyle.
The program also aims to improve communication among organizations and leaders with an interest in active living and older adults, and to increase knowledge and confidence of existing leaders to deliver programs.
The program’s webpage provides program, resource and registration information for older adults and fitness/active living leaders.
The Alberta Centre for Active Living and Alberta Mental Health Board recently invited experts from the physical activity and mental health fields in Alberta to share expertise and discuss how best to work together.
PODCASTS AND OTHER WORKSHOP INFORMATION:
For the first time, the centre recorded the session presentations as podcasts. You can listen to the podcasts while clicking through the presenters' PowerPoint slides.
NB: Some of the podcast files are large. Download these files only if you have high-speed Internet.
The workshop proceedings also include biographies of presenters and a written summary of the workshop.
pdf file, 2 pages Published: Dec 2007 GeoOrigin: Alberta
Discusses mental fitness and its role in developing and maintaining mental health. Lists characteristics of good mental health. Mentions seasonal affective disorder and the winter blues.
pdf file, 2 pages Published: Jan 2007 GeoOrigin: Alberta
Provides advice for increasing physical activity levels. Discusses the possible financial, geographical, and psychological barriers and offers suggestions and encouragement.
PDF file, 18 pages Published: 2007 GeoOrigin: Ontario
This booklet contains information specific to men on how to stay healthy and prevent disease. It emphasizes an active lifestyle, healthy eating, healthy weight, and making health a number one priority.
The Canadian Mental Health Association is a nationwide, charitable organization that promotes the mental health of all and supports the resilience and recovery of people experiencing mental illness.
pdf file, 47 pages Published: 2003 GeoOrigin: National
This paper demonstrates real-life applications of community capacity building, community mobilization, and youth mental health promotion at the community level.
The experience of youth suicide in a rural community is being used to illustrate the importance of developing a shared vision and creating a common community language around youth mental health.
pdf file, 4 pages Published: May 2004 GeoOrigin: Alberta
Stresses the physical and emotional benefits of gardening in general. Provides clear steps on how to start and set up a community garden and outlines what their advantages are to individuals, communities, and the environment.
Annesi, J.J. (2005). Correlations of depression and total mood disturbance with physical activity and self-concept in preadolescents enrolled in an after-school exercise program. Psychological Reports, 96, 891-898.
The Dance-Movement Therapy Association of Australia is a professional organization for practitioners, researchers and people interested in dance movement.
The website includes background information about the history and philosophy of dance-movement therapy.
Professional resources, publications and training information are accessible from this website.
html file, 2 pages Published: 2004 GeoOrigin: Alberta
This Research Update article summarizes a study on the influence of depression on older adults' participation in physical activity.
The study identifies depression as a barrier to older adults' participation and provides thoughts about how to help people with depression break the cycle of physical inactivity.
The 6th edition of Dietary Guidelines for Americans places stronger emphasis on reducing calorie consumption and increasing physical activity. A key recommendation is to participate in regular physical activity and reduce sedentary activities to promote health, psychological well-being, and a healthy body weight.
Plante, T. G., Gustafson, C. Brecht, C., Imberi, J., Sanchez, J. (2011). Exercising with an iPod, friend, or neither: Which is better for psychological benefits? American Journal of Health Behavior,35, 199-208.
McGale, N., McArdle, S.,& Gaffney, P. (2011).
Exploring the effectiveness of an integrated exercise/CBT intervention for young men's mental health. British Journal of Health Psychology, 16, 457-471. doi:10.1348/135910710X522734
PDF file, 1 page Published: Sep 2008 GeoOrigin: Alberta
This Research Update article highlights the Saskatchewan Rural Youth Healthy Lifestyles and Risk Behaviours Project.
Little information is available about health issues facing rural youth in Western Canada. A team of researchers assessed the health needs of youth in rural Saskatchewan to encourage healthy lifestyles and reduce risky behaviours in this population.
This Health and Age article discusses an academic article in Health Psychology (Hansen et al. (2001). "Exercise duration and mood state: How much is enough to feel better?").
This article discusses physical activity's positive impact on physical and mental health. Exercising for 10 minutes is enough to improve energy levels that promote a positive quality of life.
Danenberg, A.L., Jackson, R.J., Frumkin, H., Schieber, R.A., Pratt, M., Kochtitzky, C., et al. (2003). The impact of community design and land-use choices on public health: A scientific research agenda. American Journal of Public Health, 93, 1500-1508.
Galper, D.I., Trivedi, M.H., Barlow, C.E., Dunn, A.L., & Kampert, J.B. (2006). Inverse association between physical inactivity and mental health in men and women. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 38, 173-178.
This resource will be useful for people looking for general information about mental health and physical activity.
The resource explains the benefits of physical activity, what counts as physical activity, how to judge your own level of activity and how to get started.
You can view a non-printable PDF version and can order hard copies of the document from the website.
pdf file, 24 pages Published: Apr 2006 GeoOrigin: Ontario
The Ontario division of the Canadian Mental Health Association dedicated the spring and summer 2006 edition of their Network magazine to the relations between the mind and body.
The topics covered in this issue include:
Heart disease and depression.
Weight gain and mental health.
The role of healthy eating and physical activity in treating addictions.
Diabetes and mental health.
The benefits of integrating exercise programs with mental health services.
This website helps you search many resources about physical activity, leisure and exercise for people with mobility barriers to physical activity
The programs and resources include the following:
Books, journals, magazines, newsletters, pamphlets and reports.
pdf file, 50 pages Published: Oct 2008 GeoOrigin: International
This document from the United Kingdom is targeted toward “primary care and other professionals who have a direct or indirect role in, and responsibility for, promoting older people's mental wellbeing. It presents recommendations for promoting the mental wellbeing of older people through occupational therapy and physical activity interventions."
PDF file, 4 pages Published: Apr 2012 GeoOrigin: Alberta
This WellSpring article aims to create a better understanding of the links between physical health and mental health. The article highlights some of the known benefits of physical activity in relation to mental health and brain health. It also offers several suggestions to health practitioners and others to help encourage a more holistic approach to the promotion of mental health and physical activity.
At this Physical Activity Forum, Dr. Guy Faulkner, an internationally known expert on mental health and physical activity, presented the case for physical activity as an antidote for depression.
You can view the presentation and panel discussion. As well, Dr. Faulkner has provided a copy of his presentation for you to use.
Strawbridge, W.J., Deleger, S., Roberts, R.E., & Kaplan, G.A. (2003). Physical activity reduces the risk of subsequent depression for older adults. American Journal of Epidemiology, 156, 328-334.
pdf file, 41 pages Published: Apr 2004 GeoOrigin: Alberta
The goal of this project was to increase the physical activity levels and improve the eating habits of people with chronic mental illness to reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. This population group is high risk due to social, economic, medical, and environmental factors. The project targeted various levels of service providers (such as health-care professionals, mental health workers, and landlords involved as caregivers) to support people with mental illness. The Alberta Centre for Active Living received approval for this one-year project from Health Canada, Health Promotions and Programs Branch.
This resource is also available in the Centre library: Centre Publications, ID #925
Brown, W.J., Ford, J.H., Burton, N.W., Marshall, A.L., & Dobson, A.J. (2005). Prospective study of physical activity and depressive symptoms in middle-aged women. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 29, 265-272.
Faulkner, G., Soundy, A.A., & Lloyd, K. (2003). Schizophrenia and weight management: A systematic review of interventions to control weight. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 108, 324-332.
pdf file, 1 page Published: 2004 GeoOrigin: Alberta
This Research Update article summarizes two studies on how social and psychological factors influence exercise tolerance.
Both studies focused on male heart patients in the Northern Alberta Cardiac Rehabilitation Program at the Glenrose Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta. Financial strain, lack of social supports, depression, and stress limited the ability to tolerate physical exertion.
Lawlor, D. A. & Hopker, S. W. (2001). The effectiveness of exercise as an intervention in the management of depression: Systematic review and meta-regression analysis of randomised controlled trials. British Medical Journal, 322, 1-8.
The World Health Organization has adopted the term "active aging." Active aging is the process of optimizing physical, social, and mental well-being throughout life to extend healthy life expectancy and improve the quality of life in older age. Active ageing reflects WHO's commitment to maintaining and enhancing independence, societal involvement, emotional well-being, and physical health.
