The New York State Office for the Aging today announced it will receive approximately $850,000 in funding from the federal Department of Health and Human Services over the next three years to improve health promotion program participation among older New Yorkers. In addition, the State Department of Health will provide state matching funds of $100,000 for each of the three years of the program.
"We are pleased that New York State has been selected to participate in this program. Through the Chronic Disease Self Management Program (CDSMP) and Active Choices the state intends to build the capacity of local service delivery systems to assist our elders in leading longer, healthier lives," said Neal E. Lane, Director of the New York State Office for the Aging. "This grant helps strengthen Governor Pataki's efforts to improve health care for all New Yorkers."
New York State Health Commissioner Antonia C. Novello, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.P.H. said: "Benjamin Franklin once astutely noted that 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.' Under the leadership of Governor Pataki, we are proud to partner with the State Office for the Aging and the federal Department of Health and Human Services on this important initiative that will allow seniors to play a central role in improving the quality of their own health."
The goal of the program is to empower older people, who are disproportionately affected by chronic disease, to take more control of their own health through life style and behavioral changes. Chronic disease and conditions such as arthritis, diabetes and heart disease as well as disabilities resulting from injuries such as falls, account for seven out of every 10 deaths, and more than three quarters of all health expenditures in the United States.
The state intends to use the grant funds to establish CDSMP and Active Choices programs in New York City, Broome County and the Capital District (comprised of Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady counties). It is expected that 1,800 seniors will be reached though CDSMP and 3,300 will be reached through Active Choices.
"Working with local offices for the aging, departments of health, Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs), community service providers, health agency providers, insurer resources and other community organizations, this initiative will encourage people to take control over their health," Lane said.
The Chronic Disease Self Management Program, developed at Stanford University, is a workshop given two and a half hours, once a week, for six weeks, in community settings such as senior centers, churches, libraries and hospitals. People with different chronic health problems attend together. Workshops are facilitated by two trained leaders, one or both of whom are non-health professionals with a chronic diseases themselves.
Subjects covered include: 1) techniques to deal with problems such as frustration, fatigue, pain and isolation, 2) appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength, flexibility, and endurance, 3) appropriate use of medications, 4) communicating effectively with family, friends, and health professionals, 5) nutrition, and, 6) how to evaluate new treatments.
Active Choices is a personal, telephone-support program to encourage regular physical activity that has been tested and proven to be effective in a series of randomized, controlled clinical research trials of adult populations at the Stanford Prevention Research Center.
Active Choices allows a health educator to reach out to at-risk individuals, helping them develop an individualized exercise strategy that is convenient, flexible, and appealing. Specifically, health educators directly connect to participants through face-to-face introductory sessions, followed by regular telephone contacts to monitor current activities and to offer ongoing support. The introductory meeting is structured to establish the relationship with the program participant, clarify expectations and need for a commitment, develop an initial exercise plan, and establish a telephone contact schedule. Follow-up telephone contacts focus on a brief assessment of the participant's progress toward their exercise goals, development of new strategies and goals as needed, and to confirm a time for the next scheduled contact.
In addition to serving as a Active Choices coach, health educators are also responsible for documenting the outcome of participant contacts, scheduling future contacts, keeping track of participant's progress, preparing and sending out mailings such as tip sheets to participants, and other tasks.
