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Security Awareness Training
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Senate Recognizes Department of Aging for Health Promotion in Workplace
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Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Chronic diseases and conditions affect most older people at some point in their lives. Four out of five older adults have a chronic condition and many experience limitations in activities due to such conditions. Eighty percent of the “illness” burden” in the United States is the result of chronic illness occurring between the age of 55 and death.
The purpose of the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Program is to improve the quality of life for older adults and prevent premature institutionalization by maintaining and/or improving health status, reducing risk factors associated with illness, disability or disease, delaying the onset of disease, preserving functional abilities, managing chronic diseases, managing over the counter and prescription medications and vitamin, mineral, and herbal supplements.
The Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Program is a federally funded program under Title IIID of the Older Americans Act. Federal and state funds are distributed to local Area Agencies on Aging who use the funds to provide a wide variety of services and information at multipurpose senior centers, at congregate meal sites, through home delivered meal programs, and at other appropriate sites.
Examples of services and information provided throughout the state include:
- Comprehensive health risk assessments
- Routine health screening
- Nutrition counseling and educational services, for individuals and their primary caregivers
- Health promotion programs, including but not limited to programs relating to prevention and reduction of the effects of chronic disabling conditions, alcohol and substance abuse, weight loss, smoking cessations, and stress reduction.
- Home security and injury control services, including screening of high-risk home environments and the provision of educational programs on injury prevention (including fall and fracture prevention) in the home environment.
- Screening for the prevention of depression, coordination of community mental health services, provision of educational activities, and referral to psychiatric and psychological services
- Information and educational programs on the availability, benefits, and appropriate use of preventive health services
- Medication management screening and education to prevent incorrect medication and adverse drug reactions
- Information concerning the diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation concerning age-related diseases and chronic disabling conditions, including osteoporosis, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders with neurological and organic brain dysfunction
- Gerontological counseling, family support, community education, advocacy, and outreach,
- Counseling regarding social services and follow-up health services
- Purchase of physical fitness equipment, physical fitness classes
The following disease prevention and
health promotion services are designated priority services
by the state:
The target population for this program are
individuals who are aged 60 years and over; who are aged 60
years and over who live in an area of greatest economic need;
who are aged 60 years and over living in a medically underserved
area of the region; who are aged 60 and over with chronic
medical conditions that can improve with education and non-medical
intervention. Contact your local Area Agency on Aging
to determine what services are available in your community.
Related Links: Governor's
Vision for a Healthy California
