Walk With Ease is an evidence-based physical activity program developed by the Arthritis Foundation that is proven to reduce the pain associated with arthritis, increase physical activity, decrease pain and fatigue and increase physical abilities and walking endurance. While originally designed for people with arthritis and other chronic pain conditions it is available to and beneficial for anyone hoping to become more active.
The Oregon State University Extension offers all Oregonians free enrollment into the Walk With Ease program. OSU Extension provides participants with a free guidebook and weekly emails to support them through the program.
OSU Extension also partners with various organizations to increase awareness and accessibility, especially targeting rural, older adult and multilingual audiences.
These efforts demonstrated the effectiveness of community partnerships and targeted marketing strategies in increasing program reach and engagement.
A few years ago, Walk With Ease began meeting with Samaritan Health Services Health Education serving Linn, Benton and Lincoln counties. Over the past couple of years, a partnership between OSU Extension and Samaritan Health Services in Benton, Lincoln and Linn counties results in an effective referral pathway for providers to refer patients to Walk With Ease.
In October 2023, Extension facilitated a discussion with Samaritan and the Oregon Wellness Network to discuss expanding this process statewide. Oregon Wellness Network is a division of the Oregon Association of Area Agencies on Aging & Disabilities, a non-profit organization that advocates for services for older adults and people of all ages living with disabilities.
As a result of these partnerships and this collective discussion, a statewide process was established through both Samaritan Health Services Health Education and Oregon Wellness Network to conduct health care referrals to the Walk with Ease program.
In 2024, Walk With Ease in Oregon partnered with Comagine Health and Food Hero to host two live virtual wellness events, “Movement Matters” (English) and “Ponte en Movimiento” (Spanish), to increase program awareness and registration.
Each 50-minute event included an overview of the program, benefits of physical activity, access to class options, and a healthy cooking demonstration by Food Hero, a statewide initiative of the Oregon Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education (SNAP-Ed) program and was developed by OSU Extension in English and Spanish.
The marketing strategy used paid social media advertisements and opt-in text campaigns targeting individuals between ages 50 and 65 outside of the Portland metro area and Eugene. The partners collaborated with the Oregon Wellness Network for a statewide text engagement campaign and social media promotions.
The marketing efforts led to significant engagement. The results of the Movement Matters” event included:
- 183,818 unique views from social media ads.
- 672 registrations, with 148 attending the live event.
- 100 new participants registered for Walk With Ease programs.
The results of the “Ponte en Movimiento” event included:
- 109,698 unique views from social media ads.
- 153 registrations, with 38 attending the live event.
- El Programa Hispano in Gresham partnered with Walk With Ease to host three live watch parties in the Portland area, which drew a total of 40 participants.
- Eight new participants registered for Camine Con Gusto, the self-directed Walk With Ease program in Spanish.
All of these efforts demonstrated the effectiveness of community partnerships and targeted marketing strategies in increasing program reach and engagement. Walk With Ease plans to replicate these virtual wellness events in 2025 to continue expanding their impact.
OSU Extension’s Walk With Ease program helps reduce arthritis pain, increase physical activity and improve overall health for participants across Oregon. You can participate in a group Walk With Ease class with a trained instructor. Search for an in-person or virtual class. Or, you can enroll in the program at your own pace. Register online for the self-directed program.
