PARTNERS
IN WELLNESS: A PILOT PROGRAM USING AN HOLISTIC APPROACH TO IMPROVE
THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF OLDER ADULTS AT CONGREGATE NUTRITION SITES
Jacquelyn
W. McClelland, Angela M. Fraser, Luci Bearon, Susan Velazquez, Barbara
Garland, and R. David Mustian, North Carolina State University, Raleigh,
NC.
Older
adults are North Carolina's fastest growing population and one that
is limited in income and is susceptible to malnutrition. To address
these issues, the NC Cooperative Extension Service at NCSU has collaborated
with the NC Division of Aging, the NC DHHS Division of Public Health,
the Alice Aycock Poe Center for Health Education, and others to pilot
the Partners in Wellness program in 27 congregate nutrition sites across
North Carolina.
The
goal of this program is to lower congregate nutrition site (CNS) participants'
risk for malnutrition. The program curriculum has been developed,
coordinated and/or delivered by Extension faculty and County Family
and Consumer Educators. The program is an adaptation and expansion
of the educational curriculum, Staying Well-Teaching Tools for Older
Adults, and is a series of 40 sessions (30 minutes long) addressing
the ten identified risk factors for malnutrition from DETERMINE within
the older adult population. Approximately 800 program participants
attended sessions, developed personalized plans to improve their nutritional
status, and were supported by peers, the CNS managers, and the Educator
or her assistant. The format for the sessions included presentations,
demonstrations, hands-on activities, take-home challenges, and peer
group exchange. The evaluation is to be completed in the fall
of 1999. The expected outcomes include participants making changes
to lower their risk for malnutrition.
Funding
was provided through the food and Nutrition Services (FNS) branch of
USDA.
Contact
person:
Jacquelyn McClelland, PhD
North Carolina State University
Box 7605, NCSU
Raleigh, NC 27695-7605
Telephone: 919/515/9148
Fax: 919/515/2786
E-mail: jackie_mcclelland@ncsu.edu
