At Grossmont Center’s Mall Walkers Program, participants have the opportunity to meet other community members, improve their health and well-being, and have an opportunity to hear quality health education lectures. The program was coordinated by the Grossmont Hospital, but the hospital is no longer able to sponsor it as a result of budget cuts. The program was so successful, however, that when the hospital stopped sponsoring it, the Grossmont Adult Education School picked up the program organization support.
The program meets each week on Saturday mornings at either 8:00 or 9:00 a.m. inside the Food Court at Grossmont Center. Participants do about 20-25 minutes of stretching, strengthening and balance exercises; one song of movement to get their heart rates up, and then people go out and walk together in groups that the Adult Education School organizes. Participants also walk with other groups throughout the week, but the focus is on Saturdays, which they call “Saturday class.” Current Mall Walker events and information, as well as mileage achievers are also announced at Saturday classes. Mileage achievers are recognized twice a year at a summer celebration and an anniversary celebration.
Upon signing up, participants receive a packet of information, including a small card called the Mall Walker Passport that grants them discounts where merchants offer them to mall walkers.
The packet also contains the mileage map of Grossmont Center, a current Mall Walker Calendar of events, as well as additional information about walking and stretching. They also get a “personal record” card to record their mileage. They are instructed only to record miles walked at the mall where they signed up. Once a month or when they achieve a certain milestone, they transfer their mileage from the card into the Mall Walker books, which are group books that contain everyone’s results. They record their mileage on the sheet at “Saturday class” and the organizers total them in the book.
Saturday classes are offered by members of the community who teach walkers about other health topics including nutrition and healthy aging. Additionally, organizers have recruited local nurses to come do blood pressure screenings once a month for participants.
Mileage Achievement Goals and Awards
The program includes mileage goals and milestones to encourage walkers to continue the program and give them goals to target. Goals and prizes include:
25 miles: Certificate
50 miles: T-shirt
100 miles: Visor
500 miles: Name on 500-mile board inside Health Hub; free meal at Fuddruckers (as long as they offer this reward)
1000 miles: Gold cloisonné pin
5000 miles: Fanny pack
10,000 miles: Tote bag
Additionally, the program hosts several celebration events throughout the year to highlight achievements and give people public recognition for reaching their goals.
Results
Strengths
Innovative Ideas
Lessons Learned
The Mall Walkers Advisory Board serves as an Ambassadors program for the Mall Walkers program. When a person joins the Mall Walkers, a member of the advisory board shepherds them around, showing them the routes, introducing them to other members, and inviting them to participate in ongoing events. Doing so makes new members feel included. This helps avoid cliques, where new people do not feel as welcome. The program’s directors have found that people were more likely to stay with the program once they were “adopted” and made to feel part of the group.
The mutually beneficial relationship between the mall and the walking program is very important. While the mall promotes the program, they benefit greatly from those walkers who purchase items at the stores. The mall may even take steps to employ some of the mall walkers to serve as greeters. The mall walkers are very familiar with the mall’s layout and may be helpful to patrons who are looking for a particular store. Mall walkers who served as greeters were paid with gift cards.
With two classes, it is important that there be some events in which both classes participate. This allows the members of each class to meet each other and to socialize. The friendships formed within and between these groups are vitally important.
Contact Information
Senior Resource Center
Sharp Grossmont Hospital
619-740-4214
