Healthy Lifestyles for Bracken County ResidentsPlan of Work

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Bracken County CES

Title:
Healthy Lifestyles for Bracken County Residents
MAP:
Improve Health and Well Being
Agents Involved:
FCS, 4-H, Ag
MAJOR PROGRAM 1:
Substance Use Prevention and Recovery General
MAJOR PROGRAM 2:
Food Preparation and Preservation
MAJOR PROGRAM 3:
Active Living and Health Promotions General
MAJOR PROGRAM 4:
Cook Together, Eat Together
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. CES agents are encouraged to reach diverse audiences to help combat chronic disease and obesity in Kentucky communities. Focusing on a foundation of overall direct health education to increase health literacy and ability to make healthy lifestyle choices. Including, creating spaces or opportunities for active living and health behaviors.


People are living longer. Kentucky’s current population of seniors (65+) is 16.4% (2019 Census Data). By 2040 it is projected that every district will see an increase in the percent of the population that is age 65 and older (Zimmerman/KY by the Numbers). As the largest and fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population, older adults influence everything from consumer behavior to health-care costs (U.S. Census). While we may be adding years to life, there is concern about life quality. This is because a person’s life expectancy, the total number of years a person is expected to live, does not always match a person’s “health span”—time spent in good health (Institute of Medicine). The life expectancy of Kentuckians, 75.1 years, fluctuates as much as 9 years between counties and ranks among the bottom five states. 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. Kentucky FCS can help individuals and families establish healthy lifestyle behaviors and relationships throughout the lifespan as way to positively influence optimal aging and help reduce issues such as chronic disease, obesity, opioid and alcohol abuse, and mental illness.

Today’s youth spend less time outdoors than previous generations (Clemonts, 2004; Karsten, 2005; Carver et al., 2008) and are likely able to identify a Pokémon character more easily than a native plant or animal (Balmford et al., 2002). Every five years (since 1999) the Kentucky Environmental Education Council (KEEC) conducts a survey to assess Kentuckian’s environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. According to KEEC’s 2015-2020 Environmental Education Master Plan (2015), “…the average Kentuckian is able to answer correctly slightly more than half of the environmental knowledge questions included on the survey. This result leaves ample room for improvement” (p 27). The Kentucky 4-H Youth Development Program strives to increase environmental literacy among youth in Kentucky. The KEEC (2018) defines environmental literacy as “…the ability to recognize the components of healthy natural and man-made systems and the actions necessary to maintain, restore, or improve them” (p. 4) and states that environmental education is a pathway to environmental literacy (KEEC, 2018).

Long-Term Outcomes:
Intermediate Outcomes:


Initial Outcomes:
Evaluation:

Outcome:  Nutrition knowledge and dietary intake

Indicator:   Number of individuals who reported: eating 4-6 servings of fruits and/or vegetables daily; utilize the food label to make healthy food choices; choosing smaller portions

Method: Self-report surveys

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:  Availability / Access to healthy lifestyle choices 

Indicator:   Number of communities, health coalitions, or organizations who reported: implemented policy, system, and/or environmental changes to promote healthy eating and active living

Method: Self-report survey

Timeline:  Pre-post implementing curricula or program


Outcome:  Learn about prevention and how to adapt healthy lifestyles

Indicator:  Total number of individuals/families reached with information to improve healthy lifestyle choices specifically related to aging/longevity

Method:  Lesson Evaluations: Keys to Embracing Aging, Stand up to Falling, Bedrooms, Bathrooms and Beyond (Home Accessibility), AARP Prepare to Care, 10 Warning Signs/UAD  

Timeline:  Ongoing


Long Term Outcome:  Families will utilize skills and practices gained to create safe homes within environments that promote and support the physical and mental well-being of families throughout the life cycle. Ultimately, they will improve the built and natural environment to increase active and healthy lifestyles.

Indicator: Participants create safer homes.

Method: Surveys and Evaluations

Timeline:  2 to 3 years


Long Term Outcomes

Intermediate Outcome:  Individuals will adopt short, and long term strategies related to energy conservation, pest management, or other healthy home practice, resulting in increased savings

Indicator:  50% of the participants will report a change in at least one behavior resulting in savings.

Method:  Evaluation

Timeline:  Follow up after intermediate evaluations and then 6 months


Intermediate Outcomes

Outcome: Families and Individuals will increase knowledge about home safety, pest control, and recycling.

Indicator: Participants show increased knowledge. 

Method:  Evaluations

Timeline:  2021-2022 School Year

Learning Opportunities:

Audience:  Community Members

Project or Activity:  Policy, Systems, and Environmental Approaches

Content or Curriculum: Faithful Families, Health Coalitions, Trail Development

Inputs: Volunteers, grant funds, faith-based organizations, community partners, key stakeholders, elected officials, Department of Transportation, Health Coalitions, Family to go bags

Date: Ongoing projects throughout the year


Audience:  Families and Individuals

Project or Activity:  Chronic Disease Prevention

Content or Curriculum: Publications, Health Bulletins, Cook Together Eat Together, Fit Blue, Faithful Families, Body Balance, Plate It Up! Kentucky Proud Resources, WIN, Kick Kentucky Cancer, Health Partner, Keys to Embracing Aging

Inputs: Programmatic materials, paid staff, community partners, faith-based organizations, health coalitions, Healthcare Providers, Health Department, Non-profits, Schools, Company Health & Wellness, Homemakers, Family to go bags

Date: Ongoing projects throughout the year



Audience: Families and Students 

Project or Activity:  Physical Activity

Content or Curriculum: Publications, Faithful Families, Health Coalitions, Fit Blue, WIN, Health Partners, and Keys to Embracing Aging

Inputs: Paid staff, volunteers, facilities, health coalitions, Healthcare Providers, Health Department, Non-profits, Schools, Company Health & Wellness, FBOs, Homemakers, State projects, Family to go bags

Date: Monthly Classes in School


Audience:   8th grade students

Project or Activity:  Substance Abuse Awareness

Content or Curriculum; Truth and Consequences

Inputs: Volunteers, paid staff, community partners

Date: Spring 2022


Audience: All ages

           Project or Activity:   Adapting Healthy Lifestyles

           Content or Curriculum: Keys to Embracing Aging, Stand Up to Falling, Cook Together/Eat Together, Mastering Food Choices, Dining with Diabetes, Fit Blue, Body Balance, Health Partners, WIN, Credit Education, Money Habitudes, Recovering Your Finances

           Inputs: Partner with community resources related to programs.

           Date: Spring 2022


Audience: All ages

Project or Activity:  Disease Prevention/Early Detection

           Content or Curriculum: Alzheimer’s Association 10 Warning Signs/UAD, Stand Up to Falling, Dining with Diabetes, Fit Blue, Health Partners, 

           Inputs: Partner with community resources related to programs.

           Date: Spring 2022


 Audience: Seniors

Project or Activity:  Aging workshops, Lessons at Income Based Apartments

           Content or Curriculum: Aging awareness based on community need in collaboration with local community partners (food safety/nutrition, fall prevention, caregiving, healthy lifestyles, grand parenting, finding purpose/connection, etc.) 

           Inputs: Community partners related to theme

            Date: Monthly Lessons with Seniors


Audience: Extension Homemakers

              Project or Activity: KEHA

                        Content or Curriculum: Leader Lessons

                        Inputs: Area FCS Agents

                        Date: Fall 2021


Audience:  5th Grade

                        Project or Activity: Elementary Students

                        Content or Curriculum: Recipe for Life

                        Input: FCS Agent Schools

                      Date: Spring 2022


Project or Activity: Elementary Students

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Backyards and Beyond Club Leader Curriculum, Organizational Guide and Toolkit, and Explorers’ Journal; 4-H Exploring Your Environment Series; Leopold Education Project

                        Input: Soil Conservation, Local Schools

                        Date: Spring 2022


Project or Activity: Elementary & Middle School Students

Content or Curriculum: 4-H Water Lessons:

Healthy Water, Healthy People Educator’s Guide and Field Monitoring Guide; Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide; 4-H There’s No New Water; 4-H2O Ambassador Curriculum

                        Input: Soil Conservation, Local Schools

                        Date: Spring 2022


            



Success Stories

Learning about the Air Fryer

Author: Shannon Smith

Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General

Air Fryers debuted in 2010 with great popularity overtime they became like many small kitchen appliances do, just something else to store.  However, when the pandemic hit and people were stuck at home with restaurant closures and limited dining options, people began cooking more and more at home.  The Air Fryer made a resurgence with people craving the fried food taste at home minus all the fat and calories.  The Boone and Kenton County FCS Agents contacted the Bracken FCS Agent t

Full Story

Financial Lessons

Author: Shannon Smith

Major Program: Financial Education - General

Teaching kids about money is an important life skill that is never to early to begin.  To be creative 2 different lessons were taught to elementary and middle school students.  For the first lesson the 1st grade classes in Bracken County were taught skills about Economics.  The topics included Consumers and Producers, Human, Natural, and Capital resources as well as Needs and Wants and Goods and Services.  Each day a new concept was taught to the kids using stories and hands

Full Story

Recipes for Life

Author: Shannon Smith

Major Program: Recipes for Life

The Bracken County Family and Consumer Science Agent offered the Recipes for Life program to Bracken County 5th graders for the first time in 2022.  The FCS Agent collaborated with 2 administrators, 5 teachers from Taylor Elementary and Augusta Independent School, 10 volunteers and 115 students.  The program was held for 5 days at the Extension Office with a new class coming each day.  A pre/posttest was given to determine learning outcomes.  As a result from the program stud

Full Story

Self Esteem for Middle School

Author: Shannon Smith

Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General

The Bracken County Middle School did a school wide program on finding your Soul Shield themed after the Disney Movie Soul.  This was a new program with the purpose to better incorporate social and emotional learning for the students.  The program consisted of many different session for all middle school students. Some of the sessions included leadership, self-expression through art, group bonding, music exercises, learning social cues, reflection, and choosing your own personal represe

Full Story

Safe and Sober Prom

Author: Molly Jordan

Major Program: Substance Use and Mental Health – 4-H Youth Development

Safe and Sober Prom

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol is the most abuse substance among adolescents in the United States. As the end of the school year approaches, proms and graduations mark memorable nights in a young person’s life. The Bracken County 4-H and the Bracken County FRYSC, understood that part of combating underage drinking is being open and honest about the outcomes of alcohol. The Safe and Sober Prom event is a collaboration between Bracken County 4-H,

Full Story
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