bethel neighborhood center

.:healthy lifestyles:.

Healthy Lifestyles programs will be culturally appropriate and offered in English and Spanish by our Parish Nurse/Community Health Educator and collaborating agencies. Programs will consist of health and nutrition education, exercise, and diabetes & chronic disease prevention and intervention. Bethel will expand its health services to one weekend per month to reach more neighbors.

Adults:
Program goals will be achieved by providing information, coaching, and motivation towards healthy habits and lifestyles.
Participants will be encouraged to set their own goals to prevent diabetes and other chronic diseases and to maintain and improve their health. For underinsured persons, the nurse will facilitate access to Safety Net Clinics for primary care and vision care; free/low cost dental care; and other social support agencies as needed.

For Youth, Ages 5-14:
Youth programs seek to improve the quality of life for youth by attempting to reduce at-risk youth behavior, promoting physical and mental health, and teaching life skills and safe living. Youth will experience hands-on learning activities, first-aid training, and babysitting classes. They will be provided nutritious snacks and opportunity for exercise.

Activities:
Bethel and the community will benefit from program assessment and development based on current needs. This assessment will be designed and administered by a person with skills in Leadership/Organizational Behavior from the KU School of Nursing.

Adult Activities will include:
Screenings for blood pressure, glucose, and body mass index; health education related to nutrition, diabetes and chronic diseases; coaching in self-management and prevention of disease; exercise programs including arthritis exercise, walking, and Tai Chi classes.

Youth Activities will include:
Mentoring programs of adults-to-youth and youth-to-youth; activities focused on positive mental health and life-school balance, depression detection; anger management/coping strategies; training in basic first-aid and safety in the home; and babysitting skills for older youth. Activities will be led by program staff and collaborating agencies. Older youth will be included in planning and leading activities when appropriate.

Population served:
Bethel's geographic neighborhood is 18th Street to the Missouri River, and Minnesota Avenue to I-70. Bethel primarily serves seniors on fixed incomes, low-income families, and youth regardless of racial, cultural, or religious background. Nearly 90% of Bethel youth are Hispanic/Latino. Adults are predominantly Anglo and Hispanic/Latino.

According to U.S. Census Bureau and Claritas, Inc. 2000, 2004, Eastern Wyandotte County includes 44% Anglo, 31% African American, and 33% Hispanic/Latino. (Experience informs us that the number of undocumented residents often yields a higher percent of Hispanic/Latino in our Bethel
community.) Almost 26% of the Eastern Wyandotte County population is at or below the Federal poverty level. Almost 84% of families in our community have children.

Bethel offers hope and seeks to improve the present and future health of youth and adults at high risk for diabetes, chronic disease, stress, depression, and other conditions related to poverty. Healthy Lifestyles is a creative and holistic program designed to encourage participants to take responsibility for their health. Program content will be culturally appropriate and will be offered in English and Spanish. This community health resource for prevention & early intervention complements the medical management provided by Safety Net Clinics by providing screening, prevention, and early intervention activities, many in collaboration with other Parish Nurses in Eastern Wyandotte County.

Additionally, motivation and health coaching activities are essential to facilitate the adoption of new healthy habits. Healthy Lifestyles will be enhanced by offering weekly fresh produce as an incentive, and and will provide information and referral to other health and social services.

Bethel is intentional about building community among the people it serves. Participants are encouraged and mentored by staff and instructors; they learn to offer mutual encouragement to one another and take the skills home to family and the neighborhood. In the last 2.5 years that our current Parish Nurse has provided leadership at Bethel, she has given significant attention to nurturing community among participants. This will continue to be an important component in the success of this proposed project.

.:testimonials:.

I’m very active and go a lot, much better than when I just came here. – M.M

I increased vegetables and fruit eaten each day. – F.C
My doctor visit was very successful. My blood pressure and cholesterol numbers were down. And he cut my cholesterol medicine in half! – Rosie

Yo siento que es un buen programa. Me gusta porque la motivan a uno a caminar y a comer menos,tambien empese a comer mas verdures y tomar mas agua. – B.M.
(I think this is a good program. I like it because it motivates you to walk and eat less, and to eat more vegetables and drink more water.)

Mi experiencia es muy bonita. Yo siento que Dios esta conmigo y me senti mucha tristesa con la muerte del Santo padre Juan Pablo ll. – C.L
( My experience is very wonderful here. I feel God is with me and I’m feeling very sad about the death of Pope John Paul II.)

En estos ultimos dias me he sentido mucho mejor porque he estado comiendo mucho mejor y estoy haciendo mucho mas ejercicio que antes gracias al apoyo y motivacion que he recibido aqui con Melinda A. Krautmann. – S.L
(In these past few days, I have felt much better because I have begun eating much better and I am doing lots more exercise than before, thanks to the help and motivation that I have received here at Bethel with Melinda Krautmann.)

“In 3 months time I went from struggling to climb 3 flights of stairs to being able to climb 9 now, without stopping. Formerly I’d have pain and shaking in my lower legs after only 3 flights of stairs. When the elevators are down or during a fire drill in my high-rise apartment, everyone has to take the stairs. This was a matter of safety as well as my health that I be able to climb these stairs!” J.W.

I’ve lost 4 lbs in 2 weeks already, just walking and eating more vegetables and fruit instead of my other snacks.” B.F.
”My pants are fitting much looser now. I’ve lost inches even though I haven’t lost any weight yet.” R.S.

My depression is better and I’ve lost 15 pounds in 2 months by working out 1 hour everyday.” S.L.

I’ve been encouraging my husband to do exercise together with me. Now we share some quality time together walking around the lake or doing yard work together. My husband has more energy and is feeling less back pain as a result of me teaching him to do some of the P.A.C.E exercises I’ve learned here at Bethel Neighborhood Center.” B.B.

”I get up earlier and put in my exercise tapes. I used to lay in bed till 9 a.m, but now get up at 7 a.m. to do exercise. I feel more energetic all day.” B.F.

”I’m able to do 1 hour of yard work non-stop with my son now, and and I didn’t used to be able to do that!” R.S.
“I’m able to do 3 hours of continual house work without stopping now.” E.G.

”I’ve decreased the number of medications I take. My cholesterol medicine has been cut in half.” R.G.
“I no longer have to take insulin to control my diabetes. My diabetes pill is half the dose I used to take now that I’m walking an hour everyday. That saves a bunch of money for other things.” J.W.

”I think I had a better recovery from surgery because of all the exercise I’ve been getting.” B.B
”I’m combining exercise with errands now. I walk to store for the short trips instead of driving car. I need less money for gas.” J.B.