Evidence-Based Health Promotion & Senior Games
Evidence-based programs (EBPs) offer proven ways to promote health and prevent disease. They are tested interventions proven effective based on scientific research and provide documented health benefits for positive health results.
Evidence-Based Health Programs:
- A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls
- Living Healthy: Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP)
- Living Healthy: Chronic Pain Self-Management Program (CPSMP)
- Living Healthy: Diabetes Self-Management Program (DSMP)
- Powerful Tools for Caregivers
- Walk With Ease
The Living Healthy suite of programs were developed at Stanford University. These programs are for people who are experiencing chronic disease and/or chronic pain, would like to build confidence in their ability to manage symptoms of chronic conditions, and want to improve overall health. These are highly participatory workshops that take place once a week for 6 weeks. Each session is 2 ½ hours long, and all workshops are facilitated by two certified leaders who follow a scripted manual, so that each workshop is highly consistent.
Participants Will Learn:
- Techniques to deal with problems such as frustration, fatigue, pain and isolation
- Appropriate management of medications
- Skills for effectively communicating with friends, family, and health care providers
- Healthy eating guidelines and exercise tips
- How to make informed treatment decisions
- and MUCH MORE!
A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls is a program designed to reduce the fear of falling and increase activity levels among older adults.
A Matter of Balance includes eight two-hour sessions for a small group led by a trained facilitator. This nationally recognized program was developed at the Roybal Center at Boston University.
During the class, participants learn to:
- View falls as controllable
- Set goals for increasing activity
- Make changes to reduce fall risk at home
- Exercise to increase strength and balance
Who should attend A Matter of Balance?
The program was designed to benefit community-dwelling older adults who:
- Are concerned about falls
- Have sustained falls in the past
- Restrict activities because of concerns about falling
- Are interested in improving flexibility, balance and strength
- Are age 60 or older, ambulatory and able to problem solve
This program features gentle, joint-safe exercises developed specifically for people with arthritis to help relieve stiffness, decrease arthritis pain and improve balance. The course incorporates the optional use of resistance bands and weights for an added workout as well as interactive health education lessons and stress-reducing relaxation techniques to help participants better manage their arthritis. The low-impact exercises can be done while sitting, standing or on the floor. Led by Arthritis Foundation-certified instructors.
Walk With Ease. The Walk With Ease (WWE) program is designed for people with arthritis and other chronic conditions who want to increase their physical activity levels and are able to be on their feet for at least 10 minutes without increased pain. The program offers support, information, and tools to help you succeed.
Based on research and tested programs in exercise science, behavior change and arthritis management, Walk With Ease is shown to:
- Reduce the pain and discomfort of arthritis
- Increase balance, strength and walking pace
- Build confidence in your ability to be physically active
- Improve overall health
During the 6-week program, sessions begin with a health education lecturette on an arthritis- or exercise-related topic, followed by stretching activities and a 10–35 minute walk. There are various formats for WWE. Contact us for more information.
We team with our local providers in each county we serve to make these programs available to the aging population. If you are interested in participating in your county or hosting a training, contact Brandie Garner, Aging Services Coordinator, by email at bgarner@mideastcom.org or by phone at 252-974-1854.
Senior Games
Greenville/Pitt County Senior Games serves all of our Mid-East Commission counties. The overall objective of the Senior Games Program is to encourage people 55 years of age and older to develop a healthier lifestyle by becoming more involved in physical fitness and social programs. The Greenville-Pitt County Senior Games offer athletic competition in over 20 different sports, SilverStriders Walking Program, and all categories of the SilverArts component. Participants are encouraged to attend exercise classes, swimming classes, art classes, clinics and/or develop their own training program in preparation for the games. The most important components of the program have been the fun and fellowship enjoyed by both the participants and the staff.
The development of the Senior Games Program has marked the beginning of a new commitment to better physical fitness and good health on the part of participants, governmental officials, professionals, and interested friends. While we have experienced great success over the past years, we have just begun to reach the potential that we have to serve hundreds of people. In 1984 45 seniors from the Pitt County area participated in the first local games. Since then, participation in the games has risen to over 400 senior adults from Pitt, Beaufort, Bertie, Hertford and Martin Counties. Greenville/Pitt County Senior Games has grown to offer year round programming with weekly training sessions, 3-on-3 basketball sessions, team softball in the summer months and the SportsFest Program, which is an opportunity for seniors to get involved for the first time or learn new skills. The Greenville/Pitt County Senior Games Program has weekly contacts with over 100 participants year round.
The lead agency for the Greenville/Pitt County Senior Games is Pitt County Community Schools and Recreation. Nineteen years of Senior Games programming have proven the true value of the program to seniors, fitness, fun, fellowship, family, and friends. This program is enhancing the quality of life by keeping seniors healthier, happier, more independent, and doing the things they enjoy throughout their life. This impacts not only seniors, but their families and the community at large.
The Community Schools Program is located at 4561 County Home Road, Greenville, NC 27858. You can contact them at 252-902-1975.