Success StoryHealthy Choices for Home Bound Senior Citizen



Healthy Choices for Home Bound Senior Citizen

Author: Donna Ridener

Planning Unit: McCreary County CES

Major Program: Accessing Nutritious Foods (general)

Outcome: Long-Term Outcome

The McCreary County Extension Office partners with the McCreary County Senior Citizens using the Healthy Choices for Every Body Curriculum to educate senior citizens in our county.  According to the U.S. Census Bureau in 2015 there were an estimated 2,512 adults age 65 and over in McCreary County.  By 2020 seniors 65 and over is projected to be 3,058. Of these, 279 are projected to be age 85 and over.  31% of senior citizens in McCreary County have arthritis, 51% have high cholesterol, 59% have hypertension, 14% have heart failure and 31% have had a heart attack.   Our program reaches 20-25 limited resource seniors who are able to attend our program monthly at the McCreary County Park and also 25-30 home bound seniors to whom meals are delivered daily by the McCreary County Senior Citizens.  Home bound participants receive materials from the Healthy Choices Curriculum for Every Body to learn about food resource management practices such as meal planning, comparing prices, the value of using a grocery list, food safety, and the importance of drinking water and the effects it has on our overall health.  Of the participants who attend our program and home bound participants:  94% of our participants have made a positive change in food group choice.  71% Showed improvement in one or more food safety practices.  86% showed improvement in one or more food resource management practices, and 66% use the “Nutrition Facts” on food labels to make food choices more often.The Director of the McCreary County Senior Citizens stated that the home bound participants looked forward to receiving our program materials each month.  One lady had shared with her that she read each piece of the Healthy Choice materials each month and shared the information with her family and caregivers.






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