Garrard County CES

Title:

Healthy Lifestyle and Life Skill Education

MAP:

Healthy Living and Life Skill Development

Agents Involved:

Hixson, Hettmansperger, Comley

MAJOR PROGRAM 1:

Health 4-H Core Curriculum

MAJOR PROGRAM 2:

Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices (general)

MAJOR PROGRAM 3:

Food Preparation

MAJOR PROGRAM 4:

Embracing Life as We Age (general)

Situation:

All of the issues facing today's individuals and families require that they have basic life skills to make the best, most informed decisions which will effect their future, the future of their families, and the future of their community.
The County Health Rankings and Road-maps program ranks Garrard County 51st of 120 counties. This ranking helps to understand overall health of Garrard County residents. According to 2013 County Health Rankings of adults, 12.1% have diabetes, 33.4% are obese, 36.1% are inactive, and 46% report having high blood pressure. Garrard County also has a high rate of deaths by all types of cancers. As the data suggests, increasing opportunities for physical activity, promotion of healthier lifestyle choices, selecting healthy food choices and preparing healthy foods are important to the adult and youth of Garrard County.
Garrard County Extension Council(CEC), other program councils and a local survey of community issues and needs supports the need for healthy lifestyle choices programming. The CEC and the survey also recognized the needs in areas such as financial planning, addressing drug abuse issues among teens and adults, and teaching basic life skills in areas such as, cooking, sewing, financial education, food preservation, needlearts and home environment.

Long-Term Outcomes:

Participants will reduce their risk for weight related or preventable diseases through healthier lifestyle choices resulting in decreased medical and mental health costs. Families will increase physical stamina, increase participation in physical activities and change the local culture to accept and promote active lifestyles among residents in Garrard County. There will be a reduction in 30 day use of substances among youth. Reduced rate of chronic disease and obesity through intake of nutritious foods, use of healthy cooking methods and home food preservation. Persons will become more proficient in basic life skills such as, increasing their emergency savings funds and be more financially secure, perform basic food preparation skills in preparing healthy meals, and be able to make healthy lifestyle decisions.

Intermediate Outcomes:

Participants will decrease use of salt, fat and sugar in diet. Participants will increase consumption of fruits and vegetables from locally produced foods . Data will indicate a decrease in number of youth involved in substance abuse practices. Persons will engage in more daily physical activity, create more physical activity opportunities in Garrard County, and participate in healthy lifestyle choices as it relates to mental health and stress reducing activities.

Initial Outcomes:

Increase knowledge of basic food preparation skills, food preservation skills, and safe food handling procedures. Increased fruit and vegetable consumption. Youth and adults will increase their knowledge of the legal, emotional, health and financial consequences of substance abuse. Gain knowledge about the relationship between disease and weight. Gain knowledge, attitudes, skills,and aspirations to increase physical activity. Gain knowledge about financial security and methods for financial planning.

Evaluation:

Initial Outcome: Increase knowledge of basic food preparation skills
Indicator: persons reporting food preparation at home using healthy choices
Method: survey of participants
Timeline: year-long as programs are conducted
Intermediate Outcome: More persons will use locally produced foods in preparing healthy meals whether from local farmers or personal gardens.
Indicator: number of persons engaged in growing or buying local foods
Method: surveys, use of Farmers Market, personal interviews
Timeline: year long

Long-term Outcome: Decrease in chronic diseases related to lack of physical activity and poor food choices.
Indicator: decrease in number of reported cases of diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity as these relate to increased chronic disease. Mortality rates as related to chronic diseases.
Method: Health rankings surveys, health screening results, Extension program evaluations and personal interviews
Timeline: year long

Learning Opportunities:

Audience: adults
Project or Activity: eight-ten week program w/ small groups
Content or Curriculum: Weight the Reality Series
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: spring 2017

Audience: adults
Project or Activity: financial education integrated into other Extension programs
Content or Curriculum: Managing in tough times "Bits and Tips"
Inputs: FCS agent
Date: starting fall 2016

Audience: adults
Project or Activity: eight session program/small groups
Content or Curriculum: Matter of Balance
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: Winter 2016-17

Audience: adults
Project or Activity: Extension Food/Cooking programs
Content or Curriculum: Recipes/SNAP-Ed Calendar/USDA recipes/Plate It Up recipes and curriculum
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: Year long

Audience: adults & youth
Project or Activity: Nutrition Education Program (NEP)
Content or Curriculum: NEP curriculum
Inputs: FCS Agent & NEP Program assistant
Date: year round

Audience: adults/youth
Project or Activity: life skills programming
Content or Curriculum: FCS curriculums/Sewing/quilting/needlearts
Inputs: FCS Agent
Date: year round

Audience: Local Youth
Project or Activity: Drug and Alcohol prevention through scenario-based learning
Content or Curriculum: Truth and Consequences
Inputs: community involvement (law enforcement, court system, school counselor, 4-H Youth Development Agent, health department)
Date: spring

Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: hiking, canoeing, kayaking to establish baseline appreciation for the outdoors and healthy alternatives to a more commonplace sedentary lifestyle
Content or Curriculum: Hiking Trails Curriculum
Inputs: Local Resource Funding, Grant Funding, 4-H Agent, volunteers, bus / vehicle rental
Date: spring, summer, fall

Audience: adult
Project or Activity: hiking at local parks and nature preserves to start a healthy initiative in our adult population
Content or Curriculum: Hiking Trails, First Aid in Action, Choosing Health
Inputs: 4-H Agent, Volunteers, Preserves and Parks, grant funding, transportation
Date: spring, summer, and fall

Audience: Youth
Project or Activity: Teaching youth to prepare food properly and look at the ingredients of each food item to determine health and taste. Also, prepare items for entry in county and state fair
Content or Curriculum: 4-H Cooking 101, What's on Your Plate?
Inputs: 4-H Agent, NEP Assistant, FCS Agent, kitchen supplies, local funding
Date: year round

Audience:
Project or Activity:
Content or Curriculum:
Inputs:
Date:

Success Stories