Tag Archives: Americorps

Understanding Health Literacy

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Non-Profits, Senior Living, ,

By Laura P., AmeriCorps Member, Cherry Health


Are you confident you can compare premiums and deductibles to find the best health insurance plan for you and your family?


Can you use a nutrition label to calculate how many grams of sugar are in a bowl of your breakfast cereal?


Are you able to locate the medical services you need, when you need them?


If so, you may have high health literacy! When we talk about health literacy, we are referring to a person’s ability to access and understand health-related information and services. It’s something we all possess to varying degrees, and we often use our health literacy skills without knowing we’re using them.


Health literacy can vary widely between people depending on someone’s level of education, cultural background, economic status, skill with numbers, and mental health. No matter our level of health literacy, we build our skills over a lifetime and there is always room for improvement. Health literacy skills include the following:

  • Being able to correctly dose and administer medications
  • Knowing the body systems and how to describe pain
  • Finding and understanding information on a medical topic
  • Being able to manage a chronic health condition
  • Knowing your own and your family’s health history
  • Comparing treatment options to decide what’s best for you
  • Understanding your provider’s instructions
  • Filling out complex forms accurately

Knowing a patient’s general level of health literacy is important to successful treatment, as people with lower health literacy are likelier to be hospitalized, end up in the emergency room, and to take medications incorrectly. Where appropriate, healthcare providers should use plain language to ensure that they and their patients are on the same page. For patients with a different cultural background than their providers, extra attention is needed to ensure that communication is clear and understood.


Delivering quality healthcare requires examining how health literacy influences every aspect of the medical experience, both at the office and at home. It is our responsibility to make sure the services we provide and the information we share are accessible and understandable to all.


Reprinted with permission from Cherry Health.


Service work can make a difference in your community and career

3-bottom, Area Education, Citizen Journalism, Education, How-To's, Non-Profits, Volunteers, , , ,

By Katherine Jamieson, Michigan State University Extension

 

Are you looking for help to pay off student loans or save money for college? Do you need to add relevant work experience to your resume? Are you trying to enter or re-enter the workforce? Do you want to make a difference in your community? If you answered yes to any of these questions, consider becoming a member of AmeriCorps or Senior Corps. If you answered yes to any of those questions and would like to accomplish that feat within Michigan 4-H, consider joining 4-H STEAM Corps.

 

Michigan State University Extension will be expanding its 4-H programming impact through 4-H STEAM Corps, an AmeriCorps program that will place 30 full-time members in MSU Extension 4-H offices across the state to provide science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) enrichment programming via 4-H SPIN Clubs and 4-H Tech Wizards. Through this program, MSU Extension will expand 4-H SPIN clubs by potentially creating 600 new SPIN clubs in 30 counties across the state reaching over 3,200 youth. Members will serve from September 2018 through July 2019. The program is contingent upon funding by the Corporation for National and Community Service and Michigan Community Service Commission. Contact Rachel Puckett at pucket21@msu.edu for more information.

 

AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs are operated by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency established in 1993 whose mission is “to improve lives, strengthen communities, and foster civic engagement through service and volunteering.” The Corporation for National and Community Service employs 75,000 individuals across the United States in a variety of public service assignments aimed to meet critical needs in the community. At 21,000 locations nationwide, national service members are making a difference in their community through projects focused on disaster preparedness and relief, the opioid epidemic, youth mentoring, college access and readiness, conserving our environment and improving the economic opportunity of our veterans and limited income families.

 

In addition to making a positive impact on others and serving your country, there are many other benefits to becoming a national service member. Full-time members typically receive:

  • Modest living allowance or volunteer stipend
  • Limited health benefit option
  • Student loan deferment
  • Educational award to pay for college, technical school or repay student loans
  • Skills and training

Furthermore, the Corporation for National and Community Service found service work also spurred personal and professional growth. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service Office of Research and Evaluation 2013 study, volunteering is a positive pathway to employment. They found volunteers in general were “27 percent more likely to find a job after being out of work, and that number jumped to 51 percent for volunteers without a high school diploma” and 55 percent increase for those in rural America. The Corporation for National and Community Service 2017 State of the Evidence Annual Report also found:

  • 9 out of 10 alumni reported their experience increased their problem-solving abilities.
  • 8 out 10 alumni indicated their experienced benefitted their career path.
  • 79 percent are, or plan to become, actively involved in their community after service, compared to 47 percent prior to service.

According to the National Service 2018 Impact Report, locally Michigan has 1,710 service locations with 9,360 AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members hard at work improving lives and communities, with the Corporation for National and Community Service contributing 63.1 million in program funding.

 

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit http://www.msue.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit http://expert.msue.msu.edu, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

Healthy Aging

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Community Health, Health, How-To's, Non-Profits, Senior Living, , ,

Courtesy Cherry Health

By Rebecca Pavlock, AmeriCorps Member at Heart of the City Health Center

 

As we age, our bodies go through many changes. It is important to discuss these changes with our medical providers as we observe them, as some changes may be normal and healthy symptoms of an aging body and mind while other changes may be symptoms of conditions that would require additional support from your team here at Cherry Health.

 

Below are some things to think about before your next appointment with your medical provider:

 

Do you understand your prescription medications and how to take them? The average senior patient takes five or more prescription medications to manage their health. With so many different prescriptions, it can be difficult to remember what medications are treating and how often each should be taken. If you are struggling to manage your medications, please consult your medical team.

 

Are you feeling more forgetful than usual? Many individuals face increased memory loss as they age in a normal process referred to as age-associated memory impairment. However, if you or family members are concerned about your memory, please discuss your concerns with your provider.

 

Are you having a difficult time seeing or hearing? Many older adults require glasses or hearing aids in order to see or hear properly, so do not hesitate to discuss any changes to your vision or hearing with your medical provider.

 

Have you noticed any changes in your energy levels or sleep habits? As we age we often experience changes to our normal sleeping patterns such as becoming sleepy earlier in the day, waking earlier, or not sleeping as deeply as we used to. These are all healthy, normal changes. However, if you are experiencing disturbed sleep, insomnia, or are waking up tired every day, this may not be a normal part of aging.

 

Does fear of falling keep you from your usual daily activities? It is important to keep an active lifestyle as we age in order to maintain independence. Your provider may have recommendations for how to overcome your mobility concerns.

 

Do you often feel sad, anxious, or worthless? About 15% of older adults struggle with mental health conditions. If you find yourself frequently feeling depressed or anxious, bring this up in your next medical appointment. You may benefit from meeting with a counselor or strengthening your support system.

 

Our team here at Cherry Health is eager to support you!

 

Reprinted with permission from Cherry Health.

Government Matters: Week in review, May 26-June 2

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Politics, , , , ,

Peters Announces $11.4 Million in Support for Michigan AmeriCorps Programs

By Allison Green

 

U.S. Senator Gary Peters announced that Michigan has received $11.4 million in AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency for volunteering and service programs.

 

“Citizen service is an indispensable resource for nonprofits, communities and the individuals they serve, and essential to solving problems that face Michigan and the United States,” said Senator Peters.

 

The investment includes 14 grants totaling $4.6 million, which will support 671 AmeriCorps members.

 

Below is a partial listing of 2017 AmeriCorps competitive grants in Michigan:

  • American Red Cross of Grand Rapids: Together We Prepare
  • AmeriCorps Urban Safety Program
  • Michigan Campaign To End Homelessness AmeriCorps Program
  • Michigan Financial Opportunity Corp
  • Power of We Consortium AmeriCorps Project
  • MARESA AmeriCorps
  • B-H-K Child Development Board
  • AdviseMI

CNCS will also provide Michigan with up to $3.1 million in education scholarships for the AmeriCorps members funded by these grants to help pay for college, vocational training, or pay back student loans.

 

This year’s AmeriCorps grant cycle was highly competitive. The 2017 competition prioritized investments in economic opportunity, education, governor and mayor initiatives, veterans and military families, disaster services, and initiatives to build safer communities.

Peters, Colleagues Raise Concerns over President Trump’s Cuts to Rural Development

President Trump’s drastic budget cuts, coupled with plans to eliminate the USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development, would hurt small towns and rural communities

 

U.S. Senator Gary Peters joined 28 other Senate Democrats in sending a letter to President Trump expressing strong concerns over recent actions that would have negative impacts on families in rural America.

 

In the letter, the Senators objected to the proposed cuts, and urged President Trump to maintain the position of Under Secretary for Rural Development at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

 

Last week, President Trump issued a budget proposal calling for drastic cuts that would undermine the important rural development mission at the USDA. These damaging cuts come on the heels of recently announced plans to eliminate the USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development, an important advocate for small towns and rural communities across the country.

 

The letter was also signed by Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and others.

ICYMI: Senator Stabenow Questions OMB Director Mulvaney on Trump’s Budget Cuts to the Great Lakes (VIDEO)

By Ian Wilhite

 

During a recent hearing in the Senate Budget Committee on the President’s 2018 Budget, U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) questioned OMB Director Mick Mulvaney about zeroing out funding for the Great Lakes in Fiscal Year 2018.

 

Video of the exchange is below.