(gentle upbeat music) - When I first came here, I was walking slow and I was always out of breath.

And I didn't know why, until I joined AFRESH Program, and started exercising.

I didn't wanna do it at first.

I said, this is too hard.

I'd rather sit on the couch and look at TV.

- [Narrator] Many older adults are unaware of the biological mechanisms that contribute to the development of disabilities, chronic conditions and frailty.

The AFRESH Health and Wellness Program, created for individuals aged 50 and older, educates participants in the science behind increased frailty as we age, and the simple lifestyle changes we can make to mitigate it.

- Frailty is really a term that gets at biological aging.

So a lot of people think that as you get older, then it's just inevitable that you gonna develop a lot of the conditions that we see cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and that's not true because when you have a better understanding of what's happening to the body, as it ages, there are things simple things that we can do to implement in our lives on a day-to-day basis to prevent those things from happening.

- Our bodies will slowly and gradually lose the ability to make energy.

- [Narrator] Distance walked and grip strength were measured at the onset of the program and nine months out.

And while we can see a noteworthy improvement in these metrics, perhaps the most impressive results, can be found in individual participants stories.

- I started off with a walker, and then I graduated to a cane then graduated to nothing.

So I'm proud of myself and my doctors are proud of me also.

I'll be showing them what I do they say, "Stick with it."

- [Narrator] AFRESH Program Participants were empowered with knowledge from suggested exercise plans, to goals for daily fruit and vegetable intake.

But according to participants, there was something else about the program that really changed their lives.

- My professor brought light back to me through exercise, motivate me, telling me I can do it, which I didn't think I had any more life in me.

Never say never, 'cause never dead and I'm very much alive.

(gentle upbeat music)