142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition

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Healthier Living Program for Seniors (HELPS- PLUS Taylor/Allers component): A public health approach to chronic disease management

142nd APHA Annual Meeting and Exposition (November 15 - November 19, 2014): http://www.apha.org/events-and-meetings/annual
Sunday, November 16, 2014

Hermia Parks, RN, PHN, MA , Public Health Nursing, Riverside County Department of Public Health, Riverside, CA
The Riverside County Department of Public Health (RCDOPH) Healthier Living Program for Seniors (HELPS) is a public health approach that targets high risk African American, Latino, and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) adults age 55+ with chronic conditions.  The goal of HELPS is to increase access to care and improve self-management of the disease process.  HELPS utilizes Stanford University’s evidence-based Chronic Disease Self-Management Model.

 In addition, to the evidenced-based model, RCDOPH created a novel program, by incorporating the Taylor/ Allers component ( referred to as PLUS) which includes:  nutrition demonstration, lift Off exercise (designed by UCLA School of Public Health),  and optional follow-up home visits by a public health nurse, health service assistant and/or student nurse.  The home visits provide case management services for seniors who are at risk of becoming medically compromised or institutionalized due to lack of access to information and health care services. HELPS-PLUS is designed to help people gain self-confidence in their ability to control their symptoms and teach them how their health problems affect their lives. 

Since its implementation in 2011, nearly 200 seniors have completed the HELPS-PLUS program.  These seniors report reductions in hospital visitations, greater energy, reduced fatigue, increases in exercise, fewer social role limitations, better psychological well being, enhanced partnerships with physicians, greater self-efficacy, and a reduction in chronic disease symptoms. 

This session will share the steps in the development and evaluation of this innovative program designed to reduce health inequities among seniors.

Learning Areas:

Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Chronic disease management and prevention
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
Identify the necessary components needed to replicate the HELPS-PLUS model. Define the Taylor/Allers component Describe the successes and challenges of the HELPS-PLUS program implementation.

Keyword(s): Aging, Chronic Disease Management and Care

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Ms. Parks serves as the Public Health Nursing (PHN) Director for the County of Riverside Department of Public Health and serves in a leadership capacity on a number of committees. Responsibilities include: the operations, planning and policy development. She represents PHN in many geriatric initiatives. In September 2010, Ms. Parks received a two year Practice Change Fellowship to develop an innovative geriatric service program. The Healthier Living Program for Seniors (HELPS-Plus)/Taylor-Allers Component was developed.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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