News
Dye Adapts Senior Mentor Program
In her spring 2009 course, Health Promotion of the Aged, Dr. Cheryl Dye paired her 40 public health undergraduate students with Senior Mentors in the community in an adaptation of the Senior Mentor program implemented with USC medical students and MUSC pharmacy students. The students conducted two life reminiscence interviews - a general interview and a theme-based interview, and facilitated their mentor through developing a personalized behavior change program which included current behavioral analysis, goal-setting, methods to increase self-efficacy, identification of barriers and rewards for change, and relapse prevention strategies. The students also engaged with their mentors in activities that supported the mentors’ chosen behavior change goals such as grocery store tours to identify healthy foods, healthy cooking sessions, development of personalized flexibility programs and engagement in Tai Chi. Students and mentors all indicated high satisfaction with the program and it will be repeated in spring 2010. A majority of the undergraduate Health Science students in the Department of Public Health Sciences at CU have aspirations for careers in medicine, pharmacy, occupational therapy and physical therapy.
Palliative Care Workshop a Success
In spring, 2009 with the Geriatric Education Center, Drs. Julie Eggert and Janet Craig, planned and implemented a Palliative Care workshop at the University Center in Greenville which was attended by over 30 participants representing several professions. The full-day workshop included presentations by five experts in the field an d was highly rated by the participants.
Participation in the Geriatric Education Center Continues
As part of Clemson’s participation in the Geriatric Education Center activities, faculty members will implement a face-to-face workshop component of the Health Literacy certificate program at the Cottages of Brushy Creek in Greenville sometime in November or December, 2009. Clemson faculty will also develop four on-line modules which will include nutrition and cognitive health, identify preceptors for health profession students, and help publicize the web-based gerontology certificate program offered by USC.
Researchers from IEA Receive HRSA Funding
Researchers with the Institute for Engaged Aging have been funded by Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to implement two projects in which retirees are trained as Health Coaches to mentor members of their communities who have chronic disease. The first program entitiled, Helping Rural Elders Transition from Home Health to Chronic Disease Self Management Through Paraprofessional Outreach, has been extended for a fourth year and was designated by the federal Office of Performance Review as a “promising practice.” The project showed a significant impact on rates of emergent care and the cost of care for those discharged home health patients with congestive heart failure, diabetes and hypertension. There was also a significant difference in falls and cases of pneumonia among those mentored by a Health Coach as compared with those who were not paired with a Health Coach. The Health Coach model has shown to not only enhance the ability of older adults to manage chronic conditions, but also to provide an opportunity for meaningful civic engagement as evidenced by feedback from the Health Coaches indicating high satisfaction in their role. Podium presentations about the project at the Gerontological Society of America have included:
- • Helping Rural Older Adults Manage Chronic Disease with Community Health Coaches (2007)
- • Impact of Community Health Workers on Older Adult Chronic Disease Management and Healthcare Costs (2008)
- • Improving Care Transition of Older Adults with Community Health Advisors (accepted for 2009 conference in November)
HRSA recently funded another 3-year project, Health Coaches for Hypertension Control, in which Health Coaches will mentor older patients with hypertension who have been referred by a primary care practice.