Community Health Perspectives Service Learning Project, FA’14 Esther Hwang

Project Objectives  The primary objective was to educate the elderly community about type 2 diabetes, depression, and how they relate to each other.  The focus was on prevention and lifestyle changes to help reduce chances of becoming a type 2 diabetic or manage type 2 diabetes.  The second objective was to help residents understand the biological process of diabetes in an easy- to-understand format.

Location and Topic Choice  The project was completed at Lincoln Park Manor, which is an assisted living, rehabilitation, and skilled nursing facility in Kettering, OH.  Judy Ashford, activity director at Lincoln Park Manor, discussed that many residents are either diabetic or pre-diabetic and/or living with depression.

National Statistics  Diabetes remains the 7th leading cause of death in the United States.  1 out of 11 Americans are living with diabetes  An additional 1 out of 4 Americans do not know they have diabetes  In seniors, The percentage of Americans age 65 and older remains high, at 25.9%, or 11.8 million seniors (diagnosed and undiagnosed).  This is statistic is important to see that seniors need to be educated on the signs and symptoms as well as diagnosis and management of diabetes.

State and Local Statistics  Montgomery County had the highest prevalence of pre-diabetes at a percent of 8.3% when compared to the state of Ohio which is 6.4%.  When compared to two Ohio counties (Lucas and Summit) of similar population size and demographic make-up, the prevalence of diabetes was greatest in Montgomery County (13.0% vs. 11.6% and 9.0%),  13% of adults in Montgomery County have been diagnosed with diabetes.  The prevalence of diabetes increased with age.

Funding and Resources  This was a self funded project, which means all expenses were covered by myself.  This included purchasing poster board and materials (colored paper, stickers, etc.).  The presentation was given in a small library not equipped with a projector so a science fair board was used to present information.  Excluding printer ink and paper for the handouts, the total amount spent was about $11.  Judy Ashford and other Lincoln Park Manor staff members assisted with marketing my presentation to the residents by personally speaking with them and having my presentation listed on the central activities board.

 A health educator discussing the topic of diabetes and depression would need funding for a variety of expenses:  Salary  Transportation and travel  Supplies and materials  Promotional materials and marketing  Funding can come from governmental grants or private sponsors.  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services  RGK Foundation  Many of the funding grants can be applied for by different health educators or organizations by an online application. Funding and Resources

Presentation day- Nov 7,2014  There were ten residents and two nursing staff in attendance.  Due to HIPAA, this was the only picture that was allowed.

Summary  I started the presentation with an introduction of myself and the relevance of diabetes and depression for the residents.  For the presentation, I had three main sections: diabetes, depression and diabetes, and management and prevention of diabetes.  At the end, I facilitated a discussion so that the residents were able to share their personal experiences with diabetes or depression if they felt comfortable.  Two handouts were provided.  An American Diabetic Association handout with more information and resources  The PowerPoint packet of my poster slides was given so that they would be able to follow the presentation easier.  They would also have the references I used if they wanted to learn more.

Summary  Overall, the presentation went very well!  The residents remained engaged by asking questions and participating in the discussion. The staff were also valuable contributors to the presentation by providing their own experiences.  After I was finished, several residents expressed their appreciation.  One resident in particular commented on how well the information was presented. It was very encouraging as she had been a teacher for over 25 years.

Outcomes  Project facilitated insight about diabetes and depression, based on comments from residents and staff after presentation.  Project also meet the need of the population and addressed the issue of diabetes and depression in late adulthood in Kettering, OH.

Personal Evaluation Weaknesses of Project  Lacked hands-on activity  Spoke too quietly for the group during presentation Future Improvements  Create an activity to help solidify concepts  Use a microphone and/or speak louder during presentation  Increase the number of groups to educate Strengths of Project  Created easy to understand handouts and poster  Clear explanation of diabetes and depression

References  American Diabetes Association (ADA). (2014). Diabetes Basic Home. Retrieved from  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2014). National Diabetes Statistics Report Retrieved from  Public Health Department Montgomery County, OH. (2014). Health Profiles Diabetes. Retrieved from  Medline Plus. (2014). Depression in Elderly. Retrieved from