THE THRIVING WHILE AGING PILOT PROGRAM
The Challenge
Life is change. From birth through adolescence, and throughout our adult lives, we must adapt to change. The magnitude and character of changes confronting us in our senior years can present new and sometimes daunting challenges. But we now know that our brains continue to be capable of growth and change throughout our adult lives.
After witnessing the results of The Good Wolf Project's work with other populations, the leadership of the Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services (WC-DSPS) asked: "Can the The Good Wolf Project approach help senior citizens become empowered to more successfully confront and manage major challenges facing them as they age?"
The Opportunity
Westchester County, through its Department of Senior Programs and Services under the leadership of Commissioner Mae Carpenter, is a nationally recognized leader in innovative programs and services for senior citizens. In the fall of 2023, Commissioner Carpenter and her staff engaged The Good Wolf Project in a several-month feasibility process. This process led to The Good Wolf Project's proposal for a Thriving While Aging (TWA) pilot program.
Good Wolf’s Answer: THE THRIVING WHILE AGING PILOT PROGRAM
In January 2024, The Good Wolf Project was awarded a grant by the Westchester Public Private Partnership for Aging Services (WPPP) to support the TWA pilot program. The TWA program would apply The Good Wolf Project's methodology to older persons. Goals included fostering improved decision-making and well-being in groups of senior citizens in Westchester County.
The Good Wolf Project developed and has implemented the TWA Program at three Westchester County senior centers: The Hugh Doyle Center in New Rochelle, NY, the Peter Chema Center in Yonkers, NY, and the Reverend Shelton Doles Community Center in Mt. Vernon, NY.
We gratefully acknowledge financial support from WPPP, and the collaborative support of the WC-DSPS, which made the Thriving While Aging Pilot Program possible.
WORKSHOP CURRICULUM
Week 1: Your Brain is Your Marvelous Control System
Learn about how your brain keeps you alive, influences your perceptions and decisions, and grows and changes all the time.
Week 2: Using Your Prefrontal Cortex to Be In Control
Explore your ability to control impulses, make value-based decisions, and pursue your own personal goals. Learn the Good Wolf Three Steps!
Week 3: Crafting Your Personal Mind Map
Discover how your brain helps you understand the world, how we constantly change our brain to adapt, and why we experience grieving when there’s a loss.
Week 4: Stress and What We Can Do About It
Understand stress, emotions, how they impact your thoughts and behaviors, how to love yourself, and how to manage your emotions more effectively.
Week 5: Assumptions and Ten Steps to Healthy Aging
Learn to make healthy decisions, build good habits, and reduce stress for optimal aging. Unlock your brain’s power for logical thought and planning.
Week 6: Our Brain’s Shortcuts and Protecting Against Scams
Uncover secrets of how scams exploit your brain’s shortcuts. Tap into the power of your executive functions to recognize and avoid deceptive tactics.
Week 7: Social Insights and Housing
Explore how tribal tendencies affect social relationships. Make more informed, beneficial, and confident choices about your housing.
Week 8: A-Team Living and Financial Planning
Prevent destructive behaviors, and foster compassion and altruism. Practice smart, effective, values-driven money management after retirement.
Week 9: Goal Setting and Taking Action!
Apply what we know about our brain to have more control and live better lives. Take practical steps toward achieving success with an important personal goal.
Outcomes:
Outcomes were assessed using attendance records, audio recordings of workshops, post- program surveys, and post-program video interviews.
Findings include:
- An average of 18.5 seniors, almost all women, participated in 9 weekly workshops.
- The one male enrollee attended workshops 1 and 2, then dropped out of the program.
- 12 participants attended either 8 or all 9 of the 90-minute workshops.
- 19 participants attended 5 or more sessions and received certificates of completion.
- 14 participants rated the program on a 1 to 5 Likert scale on end-of-program surveys.
- Participants expressed high degrees of satisfaction across 10 items with responses averaging 4.83 out of 5, indicating the program was valuable, relevant, and impactful.
- Frequently reported outcomes included enhanced decision-making and emotional well- being, decreased stress and anxiety, improved relationships and engagement with personal goals, and increased hope related to understanding brain plasticity.
- 100% of respondents strongly recommended the TWA program to others.
- 86% of respondents strongly agreed that the program led to positive life changes.