Memories on the Move: Development and Feasibility of Social Reminiscence Walking for Older Black Adults in Seattle

Gerontologist. 2025 Sep 20:gnaf213. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnaf213. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: 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.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: 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.

RESULTS: 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.

DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: 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.

PMID:40974151 | DOI:10.1093/geront/gnaf213