Journal article
Memories on the Move: Development and Feasibility of Social Reminiscence Walking for Older Black Adults in Seattle
The Gerontologist, Vol.65(11), gnaf213
11/2025
DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnaf213
PMID: 40974151
Abstract
For long-term older Black residents, gentrification-related cultural changes to a neighborhood can decrease the person-environment fit and increase risk of sedentism and disconnectedness. Community and academic partners piloted the Sharing History through Active Reminiscence and Photo-imagery (SHARP) approach to promote physical and social activity among older Black adults in Seattle's gentrifying Central District.
A focus group with 10 older Black adults provided historically and culturally significant places, events, people, and themes for developing 12 localized reminiscence routes. Twelve triads walked 1-mile routes with history-based conversation prompts, three times per week for four weeks, and completed a post-study focus group.
Thirty-one participants completed the pilot. Mean age was 71.8 years. Participants reported better self-rated health and fewer depressive symptoms, and felt the program was good for their mood, cognitive health, and social connectedness. Participants prioritized social engagement but found physical activity motivating and walk dose and duration appropriate. Image prompts generated good discussion and community-based memories and facilitated social engagement outside the program. Sharing and recording place-based history was deemed an important program aspect and expanded a sense of community pride and urgency to preserve its history amidst forced displacement of the Black community. Scheduling, sidewalk conditions, construction, technology malfunctions, and incongruously placed or confusing prompts were frustrating.
Where gentrification can disengage long-term older Black residents from neighborhood-based walking and socializing, SHARP leverages the changing cityscape to engage them in these healthy behaviors, honoring their health and history.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Memories on the Move: Development and Feasibility of Social Reminiscence Walking for Older Black Adults in Seattle
- Creators
- Raina Croff - Oregon Health & Science UniversityLia Kaluna - University of WashingtonBoeun Kim - University of IowaMarigrace Becker - University of WashingtonBasia Belza - University of WashingtonNajma Abdi - Johns Hopkins UniversityMeshack Otewa - University of WashingtonHarison Lagat - University of WashingtonAnthony Cryer - Central Area Senior Center, Seattle, Washington, USAKaren Winston - Public Health – Seattle & King CountyStephanie Johnson-Toliver - Seattle Indian Health BoardDian Ferguson - Central Area Senior Center, Seattle, Washington, USATamara Keefe - Seattle Parks and Recreation, Seattle, Washington, USABeverly Kimmons - Alzheimer's AssociationJonathan Lee - Oregon Health & Science UniversityJuell Towns - University of Washington
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Gerontologist, Vol.65(11), gnaf213
- DOI
- 10.1093/geront/gnaf213
- PMID
- 40974151
- NLM abbreviation
- Gerontologist
- ISSN
- 1758-5341
- eISSN
- 1758-5341
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Grant note
- Seattle Neighborhood Matching Fund
This work was supported by a Seattle Neighborhood Matching Fund, Seattle Department of Neighborhoods, City of Seattle. The University of Washington School of Nursing de Tornyay Center for Healthy Aging provided financial support to R.C. Prior support for the development of SHARP was provided by the Alzheimer's Association Research Grant to Promote Diversity (AARGD-17-44365); the Oregon Roybal Center for Aging & Technology (ORCATECH; P30AG024978); the Oregon Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (P30AG066518, P30AG008017); Cooperative Agreement Number U48DP005006 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, through Grant KL2TR002370. Support was also provided by Steven Goldberg. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 09/20/2025
- Date published
- 11/2025
- Academic Unit
- Nursing
- Record Identifier
- 9984963631702771
Metrics
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