AmeriCorps position, Chester Housing Wellness Program

Posted by on September 09, 2013

Building Partnerships to Address Root Causes of Poverty

Older adult residents and adults with disabilities who reside at the housing authority TBD are at increased risk of premature displacement from their homes due to limited access to resources that support overall health and wellness. Public housing populations consistently demonstrate higher incidence of chronic disease as well as poorer health outcomes relating to those conditions, due in part to limited knowledge and application of self-care strategies, especially related to diet, exercise, behavioral health and disease management. In response to this need, the housing authority must provide residents with access to individual health assessments, group screenings, non-emergent basic care, and coordination of mainstream resources. Due to existing funding limitations, housing authorities lack the resources to build sufficient programs internally to meet this need. Thus they must partner with external entities with capacity to deliver health education, health promotion, and disease prevention programs, particularly for the elderly and for children and adults living with or at-risk for chronic health conditions such as asthma, obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. The proposed project will increase Wellness Program participants’ knowledge and application of self-care strategies by expanding a program that emphasizes diet and nutrition; exercise for individuals of all levels of fitness and ability; and emotional well-being, self-esteem and a sense of connectedness to the larger community. The project will be replicated for additional developments in order to serve low-income adults and children.

https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?id=51925&fromSearch=true