Announcements, Important Dates, Information for Parents

ANNOUNCEMENTS

1. Nutritional Events
2. Important Dates
3. Information for Parents

1. NUTRITIONAL EVENTS

1. Just quarter and core an apple, cut a wedge from the skin side of each quarter, then press slivered almonds in place for teeth.

HEALTHY HEARTS

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:

. Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter on watermelon slices. Poke a bamboo kitchen skewer through each heart, and then complete the arrow with an orange slice tip and tail.

** These are a few of the examples that will be used to create fun food and integrate behavioral change **

2. IMPORTANT DATES 

Programming will be scheduled at the start of summer (June-July) and mid-winter (Jan.-March) each year.

3. INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

OBJECTIVE
                The Program Coordinator’s (PC) primary functions are to act as intake coordinator, and to maintain communication with the referring physician. Also, in collaboration with the nutrition educators and supervising MD, the PC helps coordinate and monitor the Heart Healthy (HH) program. The PC will act as a liaison between patients’ families, nutrition educators, HH administrators and primary care providers (PCPs – referring MDs). After the completion of the 8 week curriculum, the PC will maintain contact with families and encourage them to independent healthiness through telephone coaching.  As a clinical liaison, the PC will assure follow-up data is collected from the PCPs, in coordination with the research/efficacy assessment team.  The PC will also contact patient and/or PCP when a patient’s family misses sessions.  Finally, the PC will engage in roles as a Health Educator & Behavior Change Coordinator by presenting during the 8 week nutrition/physical activity curriculum.  The PC will conduct face-to-face preparation interviews at the end of the curriculum period.  A modified “Active Choice” phone-based lifestyle behavior change coaching model will be used to guide a six-month program of telephone calls following-up on the families and assisting them with obstacles.  The PC will promote and encourage completion of all aspects of the Healthy Hearts Program to participants. This includes encouraging positive changes in physical activity, nutrition and family lifestyle.  Monthly reports will be submitted on the progress of the families to the supervising MD, and executive health director.

THEORY
                There will be many families participating with the program, in addition to any control group participants.  The intervention group will engage and demonstrate, over time, the purpose of having knowledge, fitness, and overall health introduced into their lifestyle.  There will be staff to ensure the objectives of the curriculum are assigned and completed and the coordinator will streamline any deficiencies.  Also, the families assigned within the intervention group will be participating within the phone based follow-up program for 6 months prior to the initial 8-weeks.  Each family will complete an assessment intake and follow-up with weekly and monthly phone calls to ensure successful tracking on lifestyle changes.  The health educator would be familiar with each family through data and written reports from the face to face intake which is scheduled within 2 weeks after the 8-week component.  The health educator will follow-up with strategically scheduled phone calls, which will provide insight for prescribing the necessary resources needed in order to successfully enable families to pursue their desired goals.  The control group will provide insight to the same data assessments as the control group.

MATERIAL PROVIDED

• Healthy Family Home Kit
• Q & A sessions and additional monthly Saturday sessions 
•  Fitness/Gym/Studio Schedule
• Xerox of free “New Classes” and scheduled celebrations
• Gym Guides and special event schedules
• Neighborhood Resource Guide
• Membership Cards

PROCEDURE
                The families will be introduced to the fitness environment, which includes the studio, fitness gym, and recreational areas.  While at the gym, they will be given proper instruction on technique and educated on nutritional food intake.  During specific fitness classes, each participant will be given a personal assessment of health by the health educator.  Each participant will identify their fitness goals and will be given proper instruction and understanding of physiological equivalence.  They will also be given established support from their respective physician.  Additional resources that will be available to them include behavioral counsel and fitness training found at the gym to assess both their lifestyle and proposed change.