Prevention, Wellness and… Recreation!

Today I’m focusing on prevention and wellness, but with a recreation twist, because July IS National Recreation Month.

 

It’s summertime (at least according to the calendar—you wouldn’t know it from the weather around here!) and many of us are wearing sandals and flip flops.  But, according to UW Health, “wearing them could be disastrous for diabetics who have poor blood circulation or nerve damage that can numb their feet and make them unaware of infectious cuts and burns. In severe cases, such infections have led to the amputation of toes and feet.”  They provide a number of tips to maintain healthy feet.

 

A lot has been written about children’s decreasing physical fitness (and increasing obesity).  Some of this is a result of declining physical education opportunities in school.  Now, according to University of Wisconsin researchers, there is evidence that “summer may actually equal sedentary for elementary and middle-school aged kids, whose fitness levels slide in the absence of structure and supervision.”  This report includes tools to help reverse this trend, Simple Ways to Stay Healthy and Active.

 

The UW Population Health Institute has developed a database, Policies and Programs to Improve Wisconsin’s Health.   This unique tool lists dozens of health policies and provides a quick analysis of their effectiveness and expected outcomes, along with links to find out more information about the programs.  Topics include nutrition education programs, programs to promote physical activity and to reduce risky sexual behavior.  This is a great resource to scope out programs for your community.

 

The Wisconsin Alliance for Women’s Health has published an extensive Women’s Health Guide.  The Guide provides general information on a variety of women’s health topics and a list of health services for every Wisconsin county.  There is contact information for 44 categories of services and resources, including transportation providers, long-term care assistance, and community action agencies.  The Guide is available in English and Spanish on line or you can order hard copies 

 

And here’s a grant opportunity that’s due next month:

The National Eye Institute will award grants through the 2010 Healthy Vision Community Awards Program  to collaborative initiatives that address eye examinations, eye disease prevention, injury and safety, and vision rehabilitation.  Submit your proposals by August 31.

July 20, 2009 · KJacobson · No Comments
Tags: , , , , , ,  · Posted in: Grant Advice, Reports and Studies, Training and Tools

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