Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital - Good NEWS for a Better LIFE

Overview

The Good NEWS for a Better LIFE program was created in 2006 to address the health, social, and economic issues affecting the full range of seniors, from “frail” (Good NEWS) to “well” (Better LIFE). The primary focus of Good NEWS for a Better LIFE is to improve able-bodied seniors’ health status through better education, fitness classes, and a stronger social support. For the less-capable senior, the hospital and Good NEWS work together to (1) help seniors continue to live in their homes; and (2) provide them social support services and transportation.

By 2020, the Dallas-Fort Worth area, in which the city of Azle is included, will have a projected 1.3 million people over the age of 60. An estimated 400,000 seniors will have difficulty performing two or more activities of daily living, such as eating, dressing, or walking. Azle, a small town with a population of 10,000 located 16 miles northwest of Fort Worth, has the second highest population of seniors and the highest number of isolated seniors in Tarrant County. Injuries caused by falls and suicide are the fourth-leading cause of death in this age group for the Azle area.

Impact

After one year or more of regular exercise, the results have been remarkable: 19 percent of the exercise group reported “excellent” health compared with only 8 percent in the pre-intervention survey; 53 percent reported “very good” versus only 16 percent in the baseline. All respondents who reported health status of fair moved up to “good”. When compared with national benchmarks, the results are outstanding. In the pre-intervention group, 30 percent reported to be in “fair” or “poor” health, which is slightly higher than the national Healthy People 2020 benchmark of 27 percent. In the post-intervention group, the number is only 4 percent.

Challenges/success factors

Unfortunately, many programs try to place everyone over the age of 65 in the same category. In reality, health and physical ability vary widely in this age group, ranging from very active to homebound. Good NEWS for a Better LIFE acknowledges this truth and has collaborated to offer a comprehensive program to everyone in this age group regardless of health status. The result is to provide help without wasting resources by duplicating services.

Future direction/sustainability

Good NEWS is a trusted hometown resource staffed by friends and family members who contribute thousands of volunteer caregiver hours yearly, providing social support services and transportation to hundreds of senior citizens. In 2006, Good NEWS and Better LIFE formally teamed up to increase the program’s capacity and ensure the continuation of services in a rural community where its elders are cared for and held in great esteem.

Advice to others

One assumption made at the beginning of the program was to use biometric scores, such as cholesterol, blood pressure, and body mass index as measurements. After collecting this data, it was discovered that most of the participants were taking medication to control these areas. Many seniors have seen great results from exercising regularly; many reported a decrease in their medication. In future endeavors, more information about meds can be gathered at the beginning of the program to monitor the amount of medication that has been discontinued because of regular exercise.

Contact: David Tesmer, MPA
Senior Vice President, Advocacy and Community Benefit
Telephone: 682-236-7937
E-mail: davidtesmer@texashealth.org