• Decreased falls
• decreased rate of decline in memory
• increased, preserved or slowed decline in strength, balance, walking speed, frailty, timed "get up and go", cortical plasticity and executive function and speed and accuracy in objective IADL task performance

• Decreased falls
• decreased rate of decline in memory
• increased, preserved or slowed decline in strength, balance, walking speed, frailty, timed “get up and go”, cortical plasticity and executive function and speed and accuracy in objective IADL task performance

The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of the Experience Corps program in preventing or delaying physical disability in older adults, by studying the effects of volunteerism on physical, social and cognitive well-being.

The Baltimore Experience Corps Study is a randomized, controlled, community-based trial of the effectiveness of Experience Corps (EC) to determine if participation for adults 60 years and older, over two years of follow-up, results in better outcomes in the EC versus control arm in terms of mobility, strength, balance, and cognitive functioning.

The Experience Corps is a community-based model for health promotion for older adults embedded within a social engagement program. The program places older adult volunteers in meaningful roles in public elementary schools, bringing the time, experience, and wisdom of older adults to bear in improving academic and behavioral outcomes of children. The Experience Corps incorporates health promotion preventing disability and dependency associated with aging, into new, generative roles for older adults.

This program was initially designed by the Principal Investigator of this application, along with Marc Freedman of Civic Ventures, Inc. It has gone through two national demonstrations, neither of which evaluated the impact on older adults.

• Aging
• Generativity

• Fried LP, Carlson MC, Freedman M, Frick KD, Glass TA, Hill J, McGill S, Rebok GW, Seeman T, Tielsch J, Wasik BA, Zeger S. A social model for health promotion for an aging population: initial evidence on the Experience Corps model. J Urban Health. 2004 Mar;81(1):64-78.
• Frick KD, Carlson MC, Glass TA, McGill S, Rebok GW, Simpson C, Fried LP. Modeled cost-effectiveness of the Experience Corps Baltimore based on a pilot randomized trial. J Urban Health. 2004 Mar;81(1):106-17.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 60 years or older
• Agree to commit to at least 1 year of participation in the EC and to participate at least 15 hours per week for the full school year, if randomized to the intervention group
• Meet minimum criteria for cognitive functioning necessary to function successfully in a school setting
• Functionally literate, using a nationally recognized and standardized evaluation which provides grade level equivalency in reading and spelling
• Ability to travel to the schools, if randomized to the intervention group
• Agree to accept randomization and to participate in evaluations
• Clearance on the Baltimore city public school's criminal background check, if randomized to intervention group
• Complete training, if randomized to intervention group

Exclusion Criteria:

• Under 60 years of age

• Retirement Research Foundation
• Abell Foundation
• Experience Corps National Office
• France-Merrick Foundation
• Goldseeker Foundation
• The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc.
• Maryland Governor's Office of Service and Volunteerism