County-Wide Wellness: Activities
50+ Festival
When: May 2010
Where: Lebanon Valley Expo Center and Fairgrounds
What: Free Health Screenings, Free Entertainment, Free Parking, Free Demonstrations, Free Info-Sessions, Over 100 Exhibitors, Food Available on Site, and Door Prizes!
It is because of our 50+ Festival Sponsors and booth exhibitors that we are able to provide these programs for free to seniors. Please thank them when you have the opportunity: Fulton Bank, Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging, Cornwall Manor, Good Samaritan Health Systems, Alden Place, Lebanon Daily News, Giant Food Stores, Woodland Contractors and WLBR/WQIC
Choose Your Weigh(t) to a Healthier Lifestyle
This program was sponsored by the Healthy Lifestyles Committee of the Community Health Council of Lebanon County.
Program Timeline: December 2005 - May 2006
This program was designed to provide a group of volunteers who were overweight and had potential health problems with the tools and support necessary to lose weight in a healthy manner, while the community was invited to follow and support their efforts through the local media.
The ultimate goal was to create community awareness about the benefits of healthy living, and provide information about tools to help individuals within the community to be motivated to change their own habits to ones which will support a healthy lifestyle.
10 Volunteer participants were chosen to serve as role models for the public as they were guided through a weight management program to help them change their lifestyle habits to ones which will foster nutritious and appropriately portioned eating, regular exercising, and a commitment to carry out healthy practices.
"We want people to set realistic goals and develop healthier choices to reach and maintain a healthy weight level," said Shem Heller, Healthy Lifestyles committee chairman and chairman of the Choose Your Weigh(t) initiative.
Some of the comments received from participants included:
- "Reduced my heart medications by 2/3 and no medications for diabetes since January (06)."
- "Being taken off one of my two blood pressure medications."
- "Eating habits of my whole family have changed. My children are also conscious of nutritional value and their activity levels."
Program components included:
An initial dietary assessment by a Registered Dietician from the VA and Good Samaritan Hospitals and The Women’s Health Center for Aesthetics and Wellness, with follow-up consultation based on each individual's personal nutritional plan developed with them
A personal fitness assessment by a qualified fitness trainer from the GSH, Lebanon Valley YMCA and Paramount Sports Center and development of a personalized exercise plan to fit into one’s lifestyle
Free membership in a local fitness center for the duration of the project - The Lebanon Valley YMCA and/or the Paramount Sports Center in Palmyra
Biweekly support groups led by an experienced health coach who is the Director of the local chapter of the American Hearth Association
Assignment of a personal mentor to provide ongoing motivation and support for each individual - Volunteer mentors were individuals from the community who were willing to give their time and energy to help these individuals achieve their personal health and fitness goals.
Biweekly educational sessions provided by professional "life coaches" on topics beneficial to someone who is making lifestyle changes, i.e. good nutritional practices, the importance of behavioral changes, benefits of lifelong exercise and fitness, stress management, food preparation for weight loss, and purchasing practices in grocery stores and restaurants. These sessions were also open to the public and were highlighted in the media.
Initial introduction to the public through the media - radio, newspapers and the local cable channel - with follow-up stories on their challenges and progress in the program thanks to local reporters and students from the ELCO School District TV/video classes.
Solicitation of various forms of community support for the 10 volunteers, and for other special components of the project to enable further community education.
The ten participants collectively lost 300 pounds, successfully met individual goals, and continue to meet periodically and work on new goals for healthy lifestyles.