New DASH-Plus Program Helps Older Adults Fight High Blood Pressure

A new eight-week program aims to help older adults manage high blood pressure. Called DASH-Plus, it combines diet, exercise and self-care to tackle hypertension. The initiative is being developed with support from UMD students and UME educators. High blood pressure affects 63% of adults aged 60 and over in the U.S. By 2030, one in five Americans will belong to this age group. Heart disease remains the country’s leading cause of death, with hypertension as a major risk factor.

The DASH-Plus program teaches participants to follow the DASH diet, a proven method for lowering blood pressure. It also includes chair exercises, educational sessions and recipe videos tailored to the diet. Participants will track their blood pressure regularly throughout the course.

Testing will begin virtually this summer. The program will later be adapted for in-person delivery next year. Efforts are also underway to improve access to fresh produce for older adults, with Song collaborating with Imperfect Foods on this issue. The program offers a structured approach to managing hypertension in older adults. It will be trialled online before expanding to face-to-face sessions. Organisers hope to make healthy eating and blood pressure control more accessible for the ageing population.