Health & Wellness throughout the Life SpanPlan of Work

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Owsley County CES

Title:
Health & Wellness throughout the Life Span
MAP:
Health and Wellness
Agents Involved:
Crystal Osborne
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Nutrition and Food Systems General
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Cook Together, Eat Together
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Active Living and Health Promotions General
Situation:

With the increased trend of chronic disease and obesity in Kentucky, individuals, families, and communities need tools and environments that support healthy and active lifestyle choices.  Obese individuals are at increased risk for many chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancers.  In 2013-2015, 29.3% of adults ages 20 and over reported no leisure time physical activity (2018 County Health Rankings). According to Kentucky Health Facts 43.7% of Owsley County adults have hypertension, 43% are obese, and 15.6% have diabetes.  The estimated food insecurity rate for Owsley County is 21.7%, compared to 15.5% for the state (Map the Meal Gap).  As a result, Kentuckians are dying from heart disease and cancer at higher rates than all Americans and they have a lower life expectancy, 71 years, compared to 78.6 years for Americans.  Heavily influenced by life-long lifestyle behaviors and choices, including quality of diet, physical activity and tobacco use, the Kentuckian health span is also below national averages.  . According to the 2010 Census, Owsley County's population is 4,755 with 39.2% children living in poverty and 30.4% of seniors age 65 & over also living in poverty. In 2017, 1,935 individuals received SNAP benefits.

The recent statewide needs assessment identified substance use prevention and recovery as the most urgent priority for Cooperative Extension.  Taken together, youth KIP survey data and data from the CES needs assessment demonstrate the need to address substance use prevention, recovery, stigma, and impact on families and communities.

A foundation of nutrition knowledge, skills and competencies in topics such as food safety, handling and preparation, cooking methods and techniques, feeding practices, food science, and food systems are essential to changing dietary behaviors.  Focusing on a foundation of overall direct health education to increase health literacy, help individuals and families establish healthy lifestyle behaviors and relationships throughout the lifespan as a way to positively influence optimal aging and help reduce issues such as chronic disease, obesity, opioid and alcohol abuse, and mental illness. 

Long-Term Outcomes:

*Routinely employ healthy dietary practices that promote health and wellness (e.g. consume recommended daily fruits and vegetables and improve food management skills.)

*Reduce the rate of chronic disease and obesity.

*The prevention and/or reduction of substance use and its related consequences.

*Changed public perception of substance use via stigma reduction.

*Identify, develop, and evaluate programs and policies that promote healthy aging in Kentucky.

*Kentuckians improve health span through lifestyle choices and behaviors related to overall health and well-being.

*Reduce the rate of chronic disease and obesity.

*Community environment promotes healthy behaviors where people live, learn, work, and play.

*Routinely meeting physical activity and dietary recommendations that promote health and wellness (e.g. 150 minutes a week of moderate activity and consuming recommended daily fruits and vegetables).

Intermediate Outcomes:

*Generate positive attitudes toward changing dietary decisions to be more healthful.

*Increase intake of fruits, vegetables, and other nutrient-dense foods.

*Decrease intake of solid fats, added sugars, and sodium.

*Employ healthful cooking methods, feeding practices, and food preservation techniques.  

*Increased access to healthy food via local farmers markets, food retailers, and/or home gardens.

*Improve self-efficacy in physical activity, movement, and active routes to destinations.

*Decrease tobacco/substance use.

*Adapt healthy lifestyle choices, including diet, physical activity, no smoking/binge drinking.

*More Kentucky households prepare for caregiving.

*Kentuckians will seek health screenings and vaccines.

*Older Kentuckians will prevent falls.

*Kentuckians will address mental health.

*Increased Opioid stewardship (less rx’ing by doctors, appropriate RX disposal, drug takebacks, etc.)

*Delayed age of first use among Kentucky youth.

Initial Outcomes:

*Increase awareness about relationships between food and nutrition practices, lifestyle choices, and chronic disease.  

*Improve food and nutrition-related skills (e.g. gardening, preparation and preservation techniques, safe food handling, and food resource management).  

*Increase confidence in ability to employ healthy eating and lifestyle practices.  

*Increase motivation to be active.

*Increase motivation to access and prepare healthier foods. 

*Increase awareness of accessible safe places for activity.

*Increased knowledge of substance use prevention, addiction, and recovery.

*Improved social skills and/or self-efficacy in KY youth.

*Understand the importance of lifestyle choices and behaviors throughout their lifespan on their overall health, well-being and life quality.

*Understand the importance of caregiver preparation.

*Understand the importance of disease prevention and early detection.

Evaluation:

Outcome:  Nutrition knowledge, skills, and competencies

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: use knowledge and skills to improve food-shopping management; utilize the food label to make healthy food choices; choosing smaller portions; increased food preservation knowledge; demonstrated recommended food preservation practices

Method: Self-report surveys; specific curricula or program evaluations

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program


Outcome: Physical Activity knowledge, skills, and competencies 

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: knowledge and skills gained about the benefits of physical activity; adoption of physical activity practices; increase in physical activity levels

Method: Self-report survey

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program


Outcome:  Substance Use

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: gained knowledge of the resources that are available for substance use in the community as a result of Extension programming

Method: Self-report survey

Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program


Outcome: Chronic Disease Prevention

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported: participants who had one or more health indicator (cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index, blood glucose) improved.

Method: Self-report survey

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program


 Outcome: Adopt healthy lifestyles related to aging and longevity  

Indicator:  Number of individuals who reported knowledge and skills gained about healthy lifestyle choices related to aging/longevity, the total number of individuals who adapted their behavior

Method:  Self-report survey; specific curricula or program evaluations

Timeline: Pre-post implementing curricula or program



Learning Opportunities:

Audience:  Low Income Families

Project or Activity: Expanded Food Nutrition Education Program

Content or Curriculum: EFNEP Curriculum, Literacy, Eating & Activity for Pre-schoolers (LEAP), & Organwise

Inputs:  EFNEP Assistant

Date: 2020-2021


Audience:  Head Start, School Aged Youth & Families

Project or Activity: Supplemental Nutrition Education Program

Content or Curriculum: SNAP-ed Curriculum, Wellness in KY (WIN), Professor Popcorn, & Literacy, Eating & Activity for Pre-schoolers (LEAP)

Inputs:  SNAP-Ed Assistant

Date: FY 2020-2021


Audience:  Families and Individuals

Project or Activity:  Physical Activity

Content or Curriculum: Health Coalitions, Fit Blue, Keys to Embracing Aging

Inputs: FCS Agent, Community partners

Date: Periodically each year


Audience:  Families, Individuals, Extension Homemakers

Project or Activity:  Promoting Healthy Lifestyle Choices 

Content or Curriculum: Health Bulletins, Monthly Lunch-N-Learns, Weight the Reality Series

Inputs: FCS Agent, Community partners

Date: Periodically each year


Audience:  Youth 

Project or Activity: Super Star Chef

Content or Curriculum: Super Star Chef Curriculum

Inputs:  FCS Agent, EFNEP Assistant, SNAP-Ed Assistant, Community Partners

Date: FY 2020-2021


Audience:  Youth & Adults

Project or Activity: Substance Abuse Prevention Activities

Content or Curriculum: Truth & Consequences: The Choice is Yours, Recovering Your Finances, Other CES Substance Abuse Resources

Inputs:  FCS Agent, Community Partners

Date: Fall/Winter 2020-2021


Audience:  Families & Individuals

Project or Activity: Farmer's Market Food Sampling, Grocery Store Sampling & 4-H Taste of the Month

Content or Curriculum: Plate It up Resources

Inputs:  FCS Agent, EFNEP Assistant, SNAP-Ed Assistant

Date: FY 2020-2021


Audience:  Families & Individuals

Project or Activity: Food Preservation Workshops

Content or Curriculum: UK publications

Inputs:  FCS Agent

Date: Spring/Summer 2021


Audience: All ages

Project or Activity:  Adapting Healthy Lifestyles

Content or Curriculum: Cook Together/Eat Together, 

Inputs: FCS Agent, Community Partners

Date: 2020-2021


Audience: All ages

Project or Activity:  Disease Prevention/Early Detection

Content or Curriculum: Alzheimer’s Association 10 Warning Signs, Stand Up to Falling, Cancer Screening Awareness

Inputs: FCS Agent, Cancer Coalition, Community Partners

Date: 2020-2021



Success Stories

Extension on the Go

Author: Crystal Osborne

Major Program: Family Development General

During the COVID 19 pandemic, schools went to online learning, offices closed, and businesses shut down. With everyone being quarantined at home, the Owsley County Extension Office used this opportunity to reach clientele in a new and different way.  From this, Extension on the go bags were created.  Extension on the go bags varied each time on content that was included.  Each bag included an educational lesson/information, hands-on activity and nutrition information.  Items

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Turkey Trot Virtual 5K

Author: Crystal Osborne

Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General

According to Kentucky by the Numbers: COVID-19 at Risk report, 56.1% of adults in Owsley County struggle with obesity, 17.9% have diabetes, and 66.2% have hypertension. People with immunocompromising conditions, including the ones previously listed, are at a higher risk for COVID-19 and severe illness, particularly if the underlying conditions are not well controlled. Physical activity has been proven to be an effective strategy to control chronic disease.In an effort to address this issue, Owsl

Full Story
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