Stay Independent: Enhancing Healthy Aging in Iowa and Louisiana

This evaluation study assessed the impact of Stay Independent participation on topic familiarity and the likelihood of making a recommended behavior change among community-residing older adults. Stay Independent focuses on the nutritional needs of older adults, emphasizing Whole Person Wellness and the Health Belief Model. It was initially created in Iowa for community-residing adults aged 60 and older and has been adapted for cultural appropriateness in Louisiana. Stay Independent is a healthy aging program consisting of six standalone food and health modules. It is offered both virtually and face-to-face (F2F) in Iowa and Louisiana. Participants who attended Stay Independent between January 2022 and July 2024 (n = 896) completed a retrospective survey post-session. Descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA were used to assess sociodemographic attributes and familiarity. Crosstabs and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to evaluate differences in age, race, program delivery modality, and likelihood of action. The participant group was predominantly White, female, aged 70+ years, and from Iowa. Louisiana was more diverse (p < 0.001). Familiarity with module topics increased (p < 0.001), and at least three-quarters of the participants were likely to make a change. Stay Independent effectively improves familiarity with health-promoting behaviors and boosts the likelihood of behavior change, whether delivered virtually or F2F in Iowa or Louisiana.