Author: Heather Toombs
Major Program: Active Living and Health Promotions General
64% of Kentucky students are not reading proficiently according to Thinkimpact.com. The Oldham county health department survey identified that of the 5 top Health needs for the county, exercise and physical activities were second in terms of need. Cooperative Extension teamed up with the Family Resource Coordinator for Centerfield and Crestwood elementary to present two Leap Stories as a Story walk. The stories selected were "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and "Handa'
Author: Vicki Boggs
Obesity is a problem not only nationally but also in Leslie County. The obesity epidemic threatens the quality and years of life of Kentuckians. Obese individuals are at an increased risk for many chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancers. 2020 Kentucky Nutrition Education Program Annual Report data indicated that 41% of Leslie County’s adult population were considered obese. Also, according to 2019 County Health Rank
Author: Deborah Shepherd
Wayne County continues to have high numbers of unvaccinated citizens and COVID cases. A collaborative event utilizing EXCITE was held to help inform the public and provide vaccinations. Also COVID home testing kits and information were distributed. A vaccination clinic was held during the entry day of the Wayne County Fair Expo. 7 vaccines were given that day: Two Pneumo 20, one Tetanus, and four Shingrix. We had an additional 5 people who where interested in both Shingri
Author: Cabrina Buckman
Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) continues to be a public health epidemic across Kentucky. According to America’s Health Rankings, 13% of the adult population in Kentucky have diagnosed T2D, which is higher than the national average at 10.6%. In addition, 1 in 3 adults have diagnosed or undiagnosed prediabetes, which equals approximately 1.1 million Kentucky adults at greater risk of developing T2D.Fortunately, support programs and education that focus on preparing healthy meals, living an active lif
Author: Ruth Chowning
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States. It is about 30% (or 1 in 3) of all new female cancers each year. In Bullitt County as well as Kentucky, Breast Cancer is the second leading cancer diagnosis behind Lung. (Data sources: North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR), 2020; Kentucky Health Facts.org 2017). Over the past 25 years, the Bullitt County Extension Service has partnered with the Health Department and KY Cancer program to
Author: Emily DeWitt
Diabetes is a major health concern in the Commonwealth of Kentucky with over 13% of adults living with diabetes, giving Kentucky the 4th highest mortality rate from diabetes in the United States. Further, 1 in 3 adults live with diagnosed or undiagnosed prediabetes, placing them at an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes in the future. Coupled with limited access to providers and a lack of diabetes prevention education and training, many rural and underserved counties in Kentu
Author: Nathan Rider
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the United States. It is about 30% of all new female cancers each year. In Bullitt County as well as Kentucky, Breast Cancer is the second leading cancer diagnosis behind Lung. (North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR), 2020; Kentucky Health Facts.org 2017). Over the past 25 years, the Bullitt County Cooperative Extension Service has partnered with the Bullitt County Health Department and Kentucky Cancer Program to
Author: Lora Gullett
School are back in session for the 2021-2022 school year and some restrictions have been lifted for COVID, but the school system still is encouraging virtual programming rather than in person classes for speaker not employed by the school system due to Rowan County still having higher than state average COVID numbers. Rowan County Kentucky State University SNAP-Ed has been partnering with the elementary schools to provide nutrition and during the previous school year Organwise Virtual Programmin
Author: Amanda Hardy
Bingocize® was created by Dr. Jason Crandall, Co-Director/Co-Founder at the WKU Center for Applied Science in Health & Aging. He created the socially engaging group-based game that combines health education and exercise in the format of BINGO. Dr. Crandall and his research team have tested the program and demonstrated that over 90% of older adults who played two times a week for 10 weeks significantly improved physical, social and mental health. To help participants learn and
Author: Brooke Hogancamp
Spring into Green has been a long established area-wide program in the Purchase Area. This event brings participants from all eight counties to gain new information from educational workshops and demonstrations. The event was hosted virtually last year and participants were excited to have the event back in person for 2022. Spring into Green: In the Garden edition, was hosted by the Purchase Area Family and Consumer Science agents at the Graves County Extension Office. Speakers at this year&rsqu
Author: Chandra DeRamus
Title of Success Story: “Impacts from Skip Covid-19 Programs and Community Collaborations within Hardin County” Our community is often times faced with various issues such as rising cost of transportation, housing, and food. In addition, the world is constantly dealing with the challenges of dealing with diseases breaking out all over the world. These issues have impacts on families that often times makes it much harder for them to provide necessary resources for the
Author: Sarah Drysdale
In January of 2022 Ballard County hired a new director over the Senior Citizens Center. FCS agent was approached to come into the center and provide health and wellness classes to seniors. As we are coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic having classes that encompass social interaction along with health activity was essential. FCS agent took the homemaker lesson Mindful Chair Yoga to teach. Chair yoga can lessen the impact of chronic illnesses and pain. It also helps in reducing anxiety, promotes i
Spending time outside is a great way to be physically active, reduce stress, and get vitamin D. However, the more time you spend outdoors the more likely you are to be exposed to ultraviolet light rays. Most skin cancers are caused by too much exposure to ultraviolet light. You can work and play outside without raising your skin cancer risk by protecting your skin from the sun. Just as staying hydrated is important for our bodies, keeping our skin protected is equally as important. Bal
Author: Kate Thompson
One in four Americans ages 65 years and older fall each year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019). In 2014, there were 8,164 fall-related inpatient hospitalizations for Kentucky residents ages 65+ (Kentucky Safety and Prevention Alignment Network, 2014). According to the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center in Campbell County for seniors (age 65 +), the estimated emergency department visits to hospitals for unintentional falls from 2008-2012 was 30-40%.
Author: Tracy Cowles
2022 Farm Safety Day Camp In May of 2022 The Butler County Extension Service worked with several community partners to offer the Progressive Agriculture Safety Day Camp for all the 4th graders in our community. All of the office staff worked to make the day a success. The program was held at the extension office because of the unique capabilities of our facility, and the willingness of our staff to support the event. The 4-H agent Lloyd Saylor served on the planning commit
Author: Krista Perry
Annually, the Family and Consumer Sciences agents and staff see an increased interest from clientele in health-behavior choices around the new year. This year, to reach both current and new clientele with timely and research-based information, Henry and Trimble Counties decided to present their clientele with a Big Blue Goals Head-to-Head Challenge. The program was designed to allow for participation through either an online platform (Goalify app)&nbs
Author: Shannon Smith
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
Author: Paul Norrod
Farmers and persons residing in rural areas consistently report elevated levels of stress associated with farming and rural living. The combined effects of farming, rural mental health challenges and their stressors have shown associations with higher rates of suicide in farming occupations and in Kentucky. To address rural mental health challenges, farm stress, and suicide among youth and in rural communities, a mutual partnership was created between the UK Cooperative Extension Service and the
