RESEARCH QUESTION: Does Online "Working Out Work" as a Treatment and Prevention for Depression in Older Adults? An Analysis of a Prescribed and Monitored Exercise Program Administered via the Internet for Senior Adults with Depression.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate and access the effectiveness of an online prescribed and monitored exercise program for the treatment of depression in Older Adults. The Dependent Variable for the study is Depression. The Independent Variable for the study is the Effects of Exercise administered via the Internet and the population is geriatric adults defined as senior adults aged 50 and older. Depression is defined by Princeton University Scholars (Wordnet, 2006) as a mental state characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activity.
METHODS: The presence and severity of depression will be assessed by using The Merck Manual of Geriatrics (GDS-15) Geriatric Depression Scale. Assessments will be performed at baseline, before and after the treatment is concluded. The subjects will complete the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q) prior to participating in an exercise program three times per week.
LIMITATIONS OF RESEARCH: The limitations of this study are: 1) There is a small sample size limited to Senior Adults aged 50 - 80, and 2) there is no control group with structured activity or placebo, therefore researcher is unable to evaluate if the marked improvement was due to a non-specific therapeutic effect associated with taking part in a social activity (group online exercise program). Further research could compare and analyze the positive effects of a muscular strength training exercise program verses a cardiovascular training exercise program.

Interview with Mr. Arnott Duncan, owner of Duncan Family Farms, Inc.

Arnott Duncan is the owner of Duncan Family Farms. Farming runs in Arnott’s veins. He is a third generation farmer who has developed a deep connect to his local economy. However, interacting with Arizona food systems is not his only goal. Arnott also is actively engaged with educating the community about local produce. His farm provided U-Pick opportunities to the local community to provide people with in engaging experience toward food. The many years Arnott spent in the food industry has taught him that food, family, and community change the way we think but what we choose to do with that makes the difference in how we shape the world.

Joan McGregor is a professor of philosophy in the School of Historical, Philosophical, and Religious Studies at ASU as well as an adjunct professor in the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Approaching the issue of food sustainability through ethics, Joan offers a unique perspective on the idea of food systems. She believes by looking at the ethics of food systems people move beyond seeing sustainability as a scientific problem and address the problem as a manageable part of their everyday lives. In the development of Dinner 2040 with her team Joan sought to make the food systems about the people directly affected by the food crisis. Though she believes there is no overnight solution, she does believe that the forum that Dinner 2040 provides begins the process of thinking about local solutions.

Cindy Gentry is the Food Systems coordinator at the Maricopa County Department of Public Health. Growing up in a working class family, Cindy became aware of the food access crisis in the U.S. at a young age. Since then she has been involved in several social justice organizations to combat this issue including the Food Bank Association and the Community Food Security Coalition. She was also one of the first activists working to bring farmers’ markets to Maricopa County. Cindy’s work has focused on bringing an accessible local food economy to those in need. She continues to focus on the education of the public and programs to help the less fortunate have access to fresh local food.

Interview with J.D. Hill, co-founder of Recycled City

J.D. Hill is the co-founder of Recycled City LLC a business devoted to building a revolving relationship within the local food economy by limiting food waste. His business provides materials to create compost out of waste materials for residential customers and business. J.D.’s goals with his business are to inspire the community to participate in their local food economy, promote activism, focus on building farm land, and encourage a green economy in the Valley area. He is an ASU grad with degrees from the School of Sustainability and the W.P. Carey School of Business. This knowledge has shaped his view toward the ability of green businesses to flourish in the Phoenix area.