Senior Center Best Practices

Managers, Directors and Center Personnel

Senior Center Best Practices

Category
Intergenerational / Community Event

Senior Center/Nutrition Program/Organization Name
Center in the Park

Address
5818 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144

Phone Number
215-848-7722

E-Mail
mmarthol@centerinthepark.org

Contact Person
Marie-Monique Marthol

Event Name
Women - Looking Good, Feeling Good

Description/Overview
Women—Looking Good, Feeling Good: An Intergenerational Day of Wellness was a health fair designed for adolescent girls, women, and the staff of organizations that serve them. Participants engaged in activities designed to demonstrate the connection between physical health and mental health; and to encourage positive, non-stigmatizing conversations, and share information about the importance of mental health in overall wellness throughout the lifespan.

Women—Looking Good, Feeling Good: An Intergenerational Day of Wellness was a health fair presented in May 2010 by Center in the Park. It was designed to serve adolescent girls, women, and the staff of organizations that serve them. Participants engaged in activities designed to demonstrate the connection between physical health and mental health; and to encourage positive, non-stigmatizing conversations, and share information about the importance of mental health in overall wellness throughout the lifespan. This included interactive workshops, fitness demonstrations, information and health screenings on a range of related topics including, memory/brain health; eating disorders; domestic violence; HIV; body image and physical changes over the lifespan; depression; stress management, mindfulness and exercise; and chronic illness. In addition, the CIP Living Well Players, a health theater group composed of members of Center in the Park, wrote and performed a skit aimed at sparking discussions about destigmatizing mental health problems, and seeking professional help.

Over 100 participants attended the Women – Looking Good, Feeling Good Intergenerational Health Fair. Health fair participants ranged in age from 15 to 97 years old. Program evaluation surveys completed by attendees allowed us to measure the perceived impact of participation in the health fair, on knowledge and attitudes about mental health issues; on their desire to seek further information about mental health; as well as to share this information with members of their social networks.

Over 92% indicated that because of what they learned in the health fair, they plan to speak with someone about their feelings; and over 63 % indicated that because of what they learned in the health fair, they plan to contact an organization for information about mental health. Most significantly, over half of attendees stated that their thoughts about mental illness have changed because of what they learned at the health fair.

Some comments in response to the question “Have your thoughts about mental illness/health changed in any way because of what you learned in today‟s health fair?... If yes, how?” , reveal the true impact of the health fair:

“I suffer from depression and seeing all this makes me feel, no longer alone.” – Age 15
“More liberal – more understanding.” -- Age 80
“It‟s a disease – not what I thought could be prevented” – Age unknown
”It helped me to realize there is people just like me.” – Age 56
“Made me aware of symptoms of depression.” – Age 70

In response to “Do you plan to share what you learned today about mental health, with friends or family members?... If yes, what do you plan to share?”, some answered more broadly, indicating what they intended to share on a variety of topics:

“I‟m an educator who would like to „spread the word‟ re: sexual health.” – Age 31
“How to avoid stress. How to breathe better.” – Age 75
“The advice; the systems; the agencies that can help.” – Age 15
“Information helpful to grandchildren. Will discuss HPV virus to Daughter concerning Granddaughter, age 17.” – Age 78
“That the problem needs to be addressed.” – Age 60
“Stay involved with life.” – Age 77
“All information about caring for myself as I get older.” – Age 70

Moreover, we learned that intergenerational forums are potentially powerful tools for engaging women in frank discussions around health issues, as they apply across the lifespan. Many attendees, including some students from a local high school, have expressed their enthusiasm about attending Center in the Park’s next health fair.

Time and Manpower
A committee consisting of 5 staff members engaged in the planning of the event, and shared implementation tasks; devoting 5 to 10% of their time over a 3-month period.

Marketing
Print ad in a local newspaper; Radio ads on local station; flyers

Audience Served
Approximately 100 people attended the health fair, including a dozen local high school students; older adults; educators; and health professionals. Health fair participants ranged in age from 15 to 97 years old.

Partnerships Utilized
CIP engaged an extensive network of community partners to serve as presenters, to donate giveaways and refreshments, to offer health screenings and resource tables, and to recruit participants. This included several mental/behavioral health organizations, schools of health professions, hospitals, a high school, health advocacy organizations, government agencies, and other community-based organizations.

Budget/Costs
Funding was provided through a grant from the Regional Offices on Women's Health for $2265. In-kind donations of giveaways were furnished by community partners.

Impact On Center
This health fair has served to expand the range of intergenerational programming at Center in the Park, as well as provided a model for marrying it to other aspects of our programming, such as Health Promotion. Through implementing this health fair, we learned that intergenerational forums are potentially powerful tools for engaging women in frank discussions around health issues, as they apply across the lifespan. This experience has also served as a community educational vehicle that has two immediate benefits: 1) Young adults present were urged to consider older adulthood as a continuum of their own life cycles, and, by extension - older adults as a part of their community. As a result, some high school students in attendance expressed their desire to participate in other programs at Center in the Park, and to perhaps perform their community service projects at CIP. Center in the Park relies heavily on the work of volunteers, and will therefore benefit greatly from this. 2) Older adult members of CIP became more receptive to discussing mental health issues. This "openness" among our members, complemented by our newly-formed connections with behavioral health organizations, will be helpful with future programming around mental health issues.

Good Tips/Other
None Given