Journal

Objective / Description

Information about exercise promotion and fall prevention are spread with the help of a distinct medium which addresses elderly people directly. This is connected with specific advertising for local physical activity classes / groups / events.

• Creating a journal which is mainly distributed by pharmacies and doctor’s offices
• Contents: information on exercise promotion and fall prevention; proactive, encouraging approach.
• Topics: exercises for strength and mobility / benefits of exercising / physical activity with specific underlying conditions (e.g. Parkinson’s disease) / osteoporosis / vitamin D / trip hazards at home / home environment counseling / incontinence / sedatives / healthy feet / riding the bus / general introduction to various exercises / specific exercises for strength and balance / introducing exemplary local exercise classes
• Structure: 8 pages, DIN A5 format
  3 pages of general topics with info boxes
  1 page of an interview with an (local) expert on various topics
  2 pages of exercises for strength and balance
  1 page with a local exercise class

Procedure

• The opportunity to distribute the journal by pharmacies was discussed with an interested pharmacist. The format of DIN A5 was chosen to make it possible to display the journal in the pharmacy and to make it fit inside a pharmacy's carrier bag.
• It was considered useful to make it a bimonthly periodical (customer loyalty).
• When the first edition was publicized, all pharmacies and GP's offices where visited and asked if there was any interest in distributing the journal. The aim was to discuss the willingness for cooperation individually, and to ask how many pieces could be displayed. With this information, a distribution list was created, which was expanded by interested medical supply stores and a few specialist’s offices (e.g. orthopedic surgeons). The following distribution partners were won over time: church communities, meeting centers for seniors, sporting facilities, municipal facilities and nursing services.
• Postal dispatch plus personal distribution to big project partners, who the project employees were regularly in personal in contact with.

Stakeholders and their tasks

• Project employees function as editors
• Graphic artist for arrangement and print
• Local interview partner
• Distribution by pharmacies, doctor's offices, medical supply stores and other partners

Expenses / Time per edition

• Editing: approx. 20-30 hours
• Arrangement: approx. 4 hours
• Expenses for image rights (2-3 images per edition, 10-40 € each)
• Printing expenses for a print run of 3000 copies: ca 600 € per edition
• Postal charges

Results

• Print run of 3000 copies per edition
• Distribution to 130 doctors / pharmacies / organizations and institutions
• 9 editions were published while the project was running

Link mit allen Ausgaben des Journals

Experiences / Advice

• The existing personal contact and the possibility to adjust the distribution number of pieces proved to be useful.
• The journal was the medium which made the project known by relevant parties (doctors, pharmacies etc) and the target group of older citizens.
• Further material was distributed using the distribution list (posters, invitation to day of action, exercise brochure).
• It was beneficial that no commercial advertising was placed in the journal.
• The small range of topics proved to be problematic for a permanent periodical publication of a journal as this one.
• The distribution partners should have been taken more into consideration in the process of selecting the topics and design. Thus, their commitment to the journal might have been stronger.
• Through the oversupply of print media at doctor's offices and pharmacies, the risk arises that the journal is barely noticed. Only few pharmacies handed the journal to particular clients for whom it seemed to be suitable (subjective judgment).