Show Title: A Lifetime of Health
Producer: Al Williamson
Time: 27:40
Show begins here:
>>>TODAY ON IMPACT... A LIFETIME OF HEALTH.
---(We still have too many cases of diphtheria and tetanus, and those things, because children are not getting their immunizations when they should.)---
---(First, I wasn't too sure if I wanted my child. Now I'm growing to love it and care for him. I'm taking precautions, eating healthy and exercising.)---
---(If you had leisure activities balanced with your work life when you were younger, you'll have hobbies and interests other than work when you get older. And I think that's part of the challenge, is establishing a balance early in life and healthy patterns early in life, so these are part of your lifestyle.)---
>>>THIS IS IMPACT. A WEEKLY LOOK AT ISSUES AND ANSWERS THAT IMPACT OUR LIVES AND THE WORLD AROUND US. PRODUCED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA'S INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES.
>>>FOR THESE NEWBORN BABIES, WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS WILL SHAPE THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. THAT'S WHY PROPER NUTRITION AND MEDICAL CARE IS CRUCIAL FROM THE VERY BEGINNING. TODAY'S PROGRAM LOOKS AT WHY PREVENTION IS SO IMPORTANT FOR MAINTAINING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.
Produced by Bill Kelsey
>>>EDUCATION. FOR MOST STUDENTS, IT MEANS LEARNING AND SHARING KNOWLEDGE, USUALLY IN CLASSROOMS WHERE OTHERS ARE CLOSE BY. BUT JUST AS KNOWLEDGE IS COMMUNICATED IN SUCH LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS, THERE'S LONG-BEEN A CONCERN ABOUT CONTAGIOUS DISEASES THAT HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS DESCRIBE AS USUALLY BEING ASSOCIATED WITH CHILDHOOD. IN GAINESVILLE, ALACHUA COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE SONJA SIMMONS SAYS MANY SUCH ILLNESSES ARE PREVENTED BY REQUIRED IMMUNIZATIONS.
>>>SONJA SIMMONS, RN, ALACHUA COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH NURSE: The primary things that we immunize against are the classical childhood diseases like hepatitis-B, polio, tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough. Those are the main ones that people are more familiar with. But we've learned in recent years that the hemopholous influenza is also a problem for children under the age of five, and we're giving that routinely now to all children.
>>>SIMMONS SAYS THAT IMMUNIZATIONS WORK TO EVERYONE'S BENEFIT; THAT FOR THOSE IN THE EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY, THE REQUIREMENT HELPS KEEP STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS WELL---IN SCHOOL, RATHER THAN BEING OUT SICK FOR WEEKS AT A TIME.
>>>SIMMONS: Some of the diseases have been almost eradicated. Like we know that smallpox has been totally eradicated. We don't even vaccinate against that anymore. There are very few cases of polio in this country anymore. We still have too many cases of diphtheria and tetanus, and those things, because children are not getting their immunizations when they should.
>>>BUT IT'S A BUSY WORLD, WHERE DAILY WORK SCHEDULES SOMETIMES PROVIDE TOO LITTLE TIME FOR TAKING CARE OF OUT-OF-THE-ORDINARY NECESSITIES. THAT'S WHY PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICES IN SOME COMMUNITIES ARE GOING MOBILE, SO IMMUNIZATION SERVICES CAN BE PROVIDED ON WEEKENDS AT CONVENIENT LOCATIONS. AND IN BREVARD COUNTY, THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA'S INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES' COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE HELPS ASSURE THAT ALL KIDS RECEIVE IMMUNIZATIONS THROUGH A COALITION OF VOLUNTEER EFFORTS. JOY SACHER, COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE AGENT IN BREVARD COUNTY, SAYS 17 DIFFERENT AGENCIES WORK TO PROVIDE FREE IMMUNIZATIONS ON A SATURDAY, JUST BEFORE THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR.
>>>JOY SACHER, UF BREVARD COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT: We believe that we are the only agency, and the only county, that has organized a coalition, so we can reach many, many children, and many, many families. That gives us an opportunity to work with different agencies; those who are interested in children, whether they are non-profit or profit organizations or agencies. Anybody.
>>>THE CAPE CANAVERAL HOSPITAL IS BUT ONE OF FOUR LOCATIONS IN BREVARD COUNTY PARTICIPATING IN THE SPECIAL IMMUNIZATION DRIVE. SACHER SAYS EXTENSION SERVICE FAMILY AND COMMUNITY EDUCATORS ARE AMONG THOSE WHO FIRST GREET THOSE ARRIVING FOR IMMUNIZATIONS.
>>>SACHER: The public relations people in the hospitals are here to greet us, and the pink ladies are their extension of the hospitals, and they're here to give numbers out, and our people in the background are registering. These are our Family and Community Educators. We have over 400 strong in our county, and we are real excited about this.
>>>AND TO HELP COMFORT YOUNG CHILDREN, FAMILY AND COMMUNITY EDUCATORS HAVE A SMALL DOLL FOR EACH CHILD. MADE SPECIFICALLY FOR THE OCCASION BY THE BREVARD COUNTY EXTENSION GROUP, THE DOLLS ARE CALLED &OUCH DOLLS,& WITH THE IDEA BEING TO HELP REMOVE SHORT-TERM PAIN. BUT IT'S THE IMMUNIZATIONS THICSELVES, OF COURSE, THAT REMOVE THREATS OF LONG-TERM SUFFERING, AND THAT'S ONE REASON KIWANIS CLUBS ARE INVOLVED THROUGHOUT THE U-S, SPONSORING SUCH PROGRAMS AS THE KIWI COALITION.
>>>GEORGE LEONARD, FLORIDA KIWANIS DIV. 12: It's important for the area because the immunizations are necessary for the kids to go into school, and by immunizing through the Health Department and all the other agencies, we're increasing the percentage of kids that are immunized in our area, and this prevents diseases. It prevents problems with the kids that they have currently; being sick, as well as later on when some diseases catch them at an adult age.
>>>IN ADDITION TO HEALTH AND CONVENIENCE CONSIDERATIONS, THERE'S A COST SAVING ADVANTAGE TO BRINGING CHILDREN TO THE ANNUAL IMMUNIZATION CLINIC.
>>>KAREN HONAKER, PROGRAM PARTICIPANT: We're getting shots today, and I thought we were getting three, but I found out we're getting six. So, one's not going to be too happy today. But it's cost effective, that's for sure. We're not going to have to spend as much as we would if we went to a doctor's office.
>>>WITH THE COST-FREE IMMUNIZATIONS BEING PROVIDED DURING TODAY'S CLINIC, HONAKER SAYS THE SAVINGS ARE SUBSTANTIAL.
>>>HONAKER: A lot. Probably over three-hundred dollars, I would imagine. And this is great because they have a nice setup for the kids. That's why we came up here. They have a lot of nice things; a lot of advantages, and they loved it. Crayons and everything, and things to eat. Balloons, and stuff like that. It makes it easier for them. As easy as you can make it.
>>>BUT WHEN CALLED INTO A ROOM WHERE EVERYONE WEARING A WHITE LAB COAT SEEMS TO BE HOLDING A SYRINGE, WHO WOULDN'T BECOME A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE? BUT PAIN EXPERIENCED TODAY WILL FADE QUICKLY. HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS SAY THAT THROUGH TODAY'S AND SUBSEQUENT IMMUNIZATIONS, PROTECTION AGAINST DISEASES COMMONLY ASSOCIATED WITH CHILDHOOD, WILL LAST A LIFETIME.
---(nats)---
>>>FROM THE TIME CHILDREN ARE BORN ... TO WHEN THEY BECOME ADULTS, THEIR BODIES GO THROUGH MANY CHANGES. EATING THE RIGHT FOODS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS CHILDREN CAN DO TO GROW NORMALLY. BUT WHAT CAN YOU DO WHEN YOUR CHILDREN DON'T WANT TO EAT WHAT YOU KNOW IS GOOD FOR THEM?
Produced by Erin Easterling
>>>DR. LINDA BOBROFF - UF/IFAS HUMAN NUTRITION SPECIALIST: Basically children need the same nutrients that adults do. There are certain key nutrients that we think about when we think about children because they're growing. Certainly they need protein to grow well they need calcium and iron they're building bones and blood and other tissues. They need folisyn because they're making more cells and more blood. So there are certain key nutrients that you think about, but still they're going to be eating food just like we are. We4 just want foods that are rich in some of these nutrients.
>>>SOMETIMES, GETTING CHILDREN TO EAT THE SAME FOODS AS THEIR PARENTS MAY BE A DIFFICULT TASK.
>>>DONNA NASH -- MOTHER OF A 4 YEAR OLD: Sometimes he'll eat everything on his plate and ask for more and other times he won't eat anything. He used to eat a lot of vegetables that he won't now, and...he used to eat meat, right now he's going through a phase where he doesn't want to eat any kind of meat at all.
>>>NUTRITIONISTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA'S INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES HAVE A FEW TIPS FOR PARENTS TRYING TO GET THEIR CHILD TO EAT SOMETHING NEW.
---(What's that? It's cornbread, want some? Oh sure, I want some cornbread. Do you you want some mashed potatoes? Yeah.)---
>>>BOBROFF: Introducing new foods to very young children is, can be a trick, but basically all you need to do is just put a little bit of it on the plate and then go about your business and eat your own dinner. And they may ask you about it. What is this stuff? What am I eating? I had my son say that to me that when he was very young and, he was eating away and eating away, and he said 'What am I eating here?' and it was just something new stir-fried that he hadn't seen before. I just told him what it was and went about eating my own dinner, and he just kept on eating and was fine. I think if you don't make an issue out of it, you're a lot better off, and actually research studies have shown that when children are presented with a new food and no comment is made, including not rewarding them or saying 'oh what a good boy, you ate that, you tried that', just ignoring it. The next time it was presented, the children who were ignored basically with respect with that actually did better and were more likely to try the food again.
>>>BOBROFF SAYS YOUNG CHILDREN HAVE VERY STRONG LIKES AND DISLIKES. THAT'S WHY, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR PARENTS TO START GOOD EATING HABITS WITH THEIR CHILDREN FROM THE BEGINNING.
---(All right Ryan, I want you to try this. I don't want some. Well it's just like hamburger, it just doesn't have a bun.)---
>>>NASH: I don't want to start a bad habit of making him special foods, because I think that will only allow him to be a picky eater. I think that it's important that he eat what we eat. So I'm not trying to make him anything special.
>>>NASH: I know that Ryan does like certain foods and that he'll always eat them. So I make sure that there is at least one thing in every dinner that he will eat, be it some kind of potato or corn. He'll eat any kind of bread, so we always have bread with dinner too.
>>>EVEN WHEN A PARENT IS OFFERING A GOOD MEAL FOR THE FAMILY, A CHILD MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT OPINION.
---(You want me to cut your meat up? No I'm not going to eat it.)---
>>>BOBROFF: That's the big food battle that parents seem to have with their children, is for some reason, parents think they know how much their kids should eat....And what makes us think that? How can we know how hungry a child is? And one day a child can eat enormous, a little child can eat enormous quantities, because they're running around a lot, they're going to be going through a growth spurt or whatever. And other days they can pick and seem to almost not eat anything and they're fine. So it's not up to us to decide how much a child should eat, we should just present reasonable portions to them and present them with good foods and a variety of foods.
>>>WHATEVER THE SITUATION, THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME FOODS THAT CHILDREN, JUST LIKE ADULTS, DON'T LIKE. FINDING A BALANCE BETWEEN NUTRITION AND TASTE IS ALL PART OF GROWING UP. WHEN IMPACT RETURNS, WE'LL SEE SOME EFFORTS TO INCREASE HEALTHY LIFESTYLES IN THE TEENAGE YEARS.
>>>A NEW PROGRAM TO REDUCE INFANT MORTALITY IS MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF YOUNG MOTHERS AND THEIR BABIES. EXPERTS ARE ADVISING PREGNANT TEENS ON WAYS TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH, BUT IT'S REALLY ALL A MATTER OF THE "CHOICES" THEY MAKE.
Produced by Linda Kubitz
---(It's not how many times that you eat a day, it's the choices that you make.)---
>>>WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICES, A GOOD PLACE FOR YOUNG MOTHERS TO START IS WITH PROPER NUTRITION.
---(You learn your eating habits from your parents and from those people that are around you.)---
>>>MICHELLE HOLT-17 YEARS OLD: Before I was pregnant I just, I didn't really think about good food. I mean I ate good food nutritious food, but I was eating a lot of junk food, candy and stuff, and I really didn't exercise that much.
---(At no other time in your life is nutrition probably more important than it is now.)---
>>>LAKISHA HICKS-18 YEARS OLD: After a while you get tired of the junk food, and you just go back to dieting and eating nutritious food.
---(Who can tell me how many food groups make up the food guide pyramid?)---
>>>DR. LINDA BOBROFF-UF EXTENSION NUTRITIONIST: Basically we teach general good nutrition for the teen to take throughout her life, pretty much. We look at the pyramid and the food groups and so on, and then we make some adjustments for the pregnancy. They need to eat a little bit more food, not really a whole lot, but they need to be eating more food than they would if they were just getting an adequate diet for not being pregnant. And we emphasize some of the critical nutrients, like protein, calcium, iron, folacin, and those are particularly critical during pregnancy when the cells are growing. And of course you have a double challenge with a pregnant teen, since the teen herself she is herself growing. And so she needs calcium, protein, folacin, and iron for her growing cells as well. So it's kind of a double need in particular for the pregnant teen.
---(Cut the mozzarella cheese into strips...right...just like...about as wide as the English muffin is...right...exactly..very good...and then what you're going to do is simply put the mozzarella cheese slice on top...sprinkle it with just a little bit of Italian seasoning....and then we're going to put it in the toaster oven...until the mozzarella cheese is nice and melted.)---
>>>THE "CHOICES" PROGRAM IS STILL IN ITS INFANCY BUT THE IT'S ALREADY HAVING A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON YOUNG MOTHERS IN THIS STATE.
>>>NIKKI DESHAY-17 YEARS OLD: I learned I should be able to take care of my baby I know I'm a teenager right now, but I learned how to cope with it now. Better than I used to. That's why I came back to school for one.
---(blender)---
>>>DURING CLASSES LIKE THIS, YOUNG MOTHERS LEARN VALUABLE INFORMATION ABOUT EATING HEALTHY...EVERYTHING FROM FOOD PREPARATION TO CREATING A BALANCED DIET. BUT THE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM ISN'T LIMITED TO JUST NUTRITION.
>>>BOBROFF: Extension decided to put together a multi-disciplinary program targeted to pregnant and parenting teens that would address a number of the needs that perhaps weren't being met. And what we include is nutrition education, both for the mother, maternal nutrition, and then for the infant when the infant is born. And we include resource management, family economics issues, consumer issues, and human development issues, as far as parenting goes, and how to be a better parent and how to avoid some of the problems that you can have as a very young parent. And finally we also address issues of the teens thICSelves, and self-esteem issues, and-and so on, and how to encourage them to stay in school and to complete their education. How to do resumes and things like that. Really practical, hands-on kinds of things. And it is a very experiential program. It involves activities that the teens do in the lesson, and we do this program generally in most counties in cooperation with Department of Education, in some instances with HRS and other agencies and organizations that are dealing with or concerned about the problem of young parents.
---(What we're going to do with the fun-kabobs...this is a fun snack...you can also use it when your children are old enough that they want to start helping make the snacks thICSelves.)---
>>>SO FAR, FEEDBACK FROM THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN POSITIVE.
>>>DESHAY: First I wasn't too sure if I wanted my child. Now I'm growing to love it and care for him. I'm taking precautions, eating healthy and exercising.
>>>TANYA SIMS-18 YEARS OLD: Nutrition is important. I eat nutritious food all the time. Exercise is good. It makes it easier for you to have the baby. Gives me something positive to think about.
---(I'm going to have you evaluate whether you think these snacks are healthy or not.)---
>>>THE CHOICES PROGRAM TARGETS YOUNGER TEENAGERS... AGED 13-15 BUT IT ALSO AVAILABLE TO YOUNG MOTHERS THROUGH 19-YEARS OLD. ORGANIZERS ESPECIALLY WANT TO GET YOUNG MOTHERS UNDER 13 YEARS OLD INVOLVED BECAUSE THEY ARE AT THE GREATEST RISK FOR NUTRITIONAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS.
>>>WHILE IT'S A GOOD IDEA TO LEARN HEALTHY HABITS BEFORE REACHING ADULTHOOD, IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO MAKE POSITIVE CHANGES IN YOUR DIET. THAT'S WHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA EXTENSION AGENTS ARE TARGETING FAMILIES WITH A SPECIAL MESSAGE ABOUT BALANCING DIETS AND CULTURAL EATING HABITS.
Produced by Bill Kelsey
>>>SELLING THE SIZZLE, NOT WHAT'S ACTUALLY BEING COOKED, MAY BE A COMMON PRACTICE IN THE WORLD OF ADVERTISING. BUT SELLING THE IDEA OF A HEALTHY DIET IS THE AIM OF AN OUTREACH PROGRAM OPERATED THROUGH THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA'S INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES. TAKING THE MESSAGE OF THE FEDERALLY FUNDED EXPANDED FOOD NUTRITION AND EDUCATION PROGRAM INTO INNER CITY NEIGHBORHOODS, ARE PROGRAM ASSISTANTS SUCH AS TELISA FOX.
>>>TELISA FOX - EFNEP PROGRAM ASSISTANT: We was asking around about what all foods do you have for breakfast, and one of the girls and one girl said the only thing you CAN have for breakfast is pork, and we was showing her that there's different things that you can have instead of bacon and pork chops. That's all her breakfast was; bacon and pork chops. So we was showing her that there's other things other than bacon and pork chops for breakfast.
>>>FOX WORKS UNDER THE DIRECTION OF DADE COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT MONICA DAWKINS, A HOME ECONOMIST SPECIALIZING IN FOOD AND NUTRITION EDUCATION. AS AN EXTENSION AGENT, DAWKINS LINKS UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH AND EDUCATION TO THE SOLVING OF DADE COUNTY RESIDENTS' PROBLEMS. ONE SUCH PROBLEM IS A MISUNDERSTANDING OF PROGRAMS AVAILABLE THROUGH SEVERAL AGENCIES.
>>>MONICA DAWKINS - UF DADE COUNTY EXTENSION AGENT: We find that we get complaints from time to time, or concerns I should say from the personnel who work in the health centers, or in the community centers; the food stamp offices, that the clients come back after two weeks, saying that their food stamps ran out, when it should last for a whole month. So apparently, people are not really managing their food stamps wisely--and their food money, so we help them to learn how to shop wisely; shop with a list.
>>>TO HELP CLIENTS BETTER BUDGET THEIR FOOD PURCHASING RESOURCES, PROGRAM ASSISTANTS TYPICALLY TEACH THEIR LESSONS IN GROUP SETTINGS SUCH AS ONE PROVIDED BY A CLINIC SPECIALIZING IN FAMILY MEDICINE. THIS MAKES FOR A ONE-STOP SET OF LESSONS; AN OPPORTUNITY FOR NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION TO BE PROVIDED ALONG WITH HEALTH SCREENING, AS IN ONE INTERVIEW THAT WILL RESULT IN A PERSONALIZED PROGRAM OF PRENATAL CARE.
---(Counselor: How do you feel when you're pregnant? You eat good? It's very important you eat six times a day. You know that?)---
>>>MEETING THE NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF LOW INCOME EXPECTANT MOTHERS AND THEIR YOUNG CHILDREN, THE WOMEN'S, INFANT'S AND CHILDREN'S PROGRAM, OR WIC, IS A FEDERALLY FUNDED PROGRAM MAKING FOOD AVAILABLE DURING THAT TIME OF LIFE IN WHICH HUMAN DEVELOPMENT EXPERTS SAY GROWTH IS MOST RAPID. WIC SUPPLEMENTS OTHER FOOD PROGRAMS, WHILE EFNEP COUNSELORS TEACH HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF WHAT'S PROVIDED.
---(Now, the WIC is going to give you a six-month supply; and also for the new baby, for the first year of life, right?)---
>>>DAWKINS: What we're doing is looking exactly at the prenatal situation and the infant mortality rate. And so we're working with several; about 30 of us agencies, including hospitals, doctors, physicians, social service agencies looking at the prenatal situation, and making sure that mothers are getting good prenatal care, including nutrition that we do, and the WIC does also.
>>>SUGGESTIONS ABOUT OBTAINING THE MOST IN NUTRITION FROM EACH FOOD PURCHASE ARE PROVIDED AT THE CLINIC BY EFNEP PROGRAM ASSISTANT LILLA WINFIELD. WINFIELD, WHO HAS BEEN TEACHING NUTRITION LONGER THAN MANY OF THOSE SHE WILL COUNSEL TODAY HAVE LIVED, SAYS ONE OF HER CLIENTS OVERCAME WHAT MANY WOULD THINK OF AS A NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE SITUATION.
>>>LILLA WINFIELD - EFNEP PROGRAM ASSISTANT: I have one homemaker with 11 children. She didn't know how to do anything. She didn't know how to buy food. She didn't know how to prepare food. I went into her home. I told her how to prepare for the large; I first taught her how to buy food for a larger family, where she was shopping every day. And this was bad 'cause she was spending more money. I told her how to save money by shopping once or twice a month, and buy the larger quantities, so that she wouldn't run out fast. And from that, she learned how to take care of her 11 children.
>>>OUTREACH PROGRAMS, SUCH AS THE UNIVERSITY'S ROLE IN THE EXPANDED FOOD, NUTRITION AND EDUCATION PROGRAM, HAVE COUNTY EXTENSION AGENTS THROUGHOUT THE SUNSHINE STATE TAKING THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 'ON THE ROAD' TO DIVERSE GROUPS OF FLORIDA PEOPLE. THROUGH COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICES, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED ON A WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS, VARYING FROM NUTRITION TO THE GROWING OF ROSES...
---( What does it take to grow the perfect rose? A lot of hard work!)---
>>>... TO THE SOLVING OF PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH TEEN VIOLENCE...
---(Kim , you're starting to sound just like they do. Are you scared or something?)---
>>>... FROM ISSUES OF INTEREST TO THE ELDERLY
---(Also, for security, you can shut the sliding glass but open the transom windows)---
>>>... TO THOSE BENEFITING TOMORROW'S LEADERS.
---(The sand pine cones are smaller, and they're tight. And that's why they need a fire to open them up)---
>>>EXTENSION OFFICES IN EACH COUNTY HAVE A HISTORY OF MEETING CHALLENGES AND OF SOLVING PROBLEMS.
>>>WITH THE REGULAR IMPROVEMENTS IN MEDICINE AND HEALTH CARE, THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF AMERICANS CONTINUES TO INCREASE ... AND ALTHOUGH NOTHING CAN STOP THE NATURAL PROGRESSION OF AGING, RESEARCHERS HAVE DISCOVERED THAT A PERSON'S LIFESTYLE CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE.
Produced by Erin Easterling
>>>WHEN IT COMES TO PROMENADING YOUR PARTNER, THESE DANCERS HAVEN'T MISSED A STEP IN YEARS...THAT'S BECAUSE THEY'VE FOUND A WAY TO BEAT THE AGING PROCESS. INSTEAD OF LETTING LIFE PASS THEM BY, THEY'VE DECIDED TO DANCE THE YEARS AWAY.
>>>DR. SUSANNA SMITH - UF/IFAS HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST: Successful aging has been found in the research literature to be A process where by older people age, they maintain their health and independence. well into their later years. You know we tend to think that as we get older we fall apart, we're going to have a lot more health problems, we're going to be confronted with disease and there are some changes that are associated with aging, but the research also shows that there are lifestyle factors and psychosocial factors that have a tremendous impact on the aging process. In particular, good health and nutrition, a feeling of autonomy and independence and support from other people are really critical as people get older. And these factors together enable people to maintain their health and their independence well into the later years.
>>>EXPERTS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA'S INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES SAY MOST COMMUNITIES OFFER A VARIETY OF SOCIAL PROGRAMS ESPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR SENIOR CITIZENS.
>>>SMITH: A number of programs meet the needs of the whole person. They meet physical needs for remaining physically active. We really must, if we are going to stay healthy, and prevent illness, and remain well in our later years. They provide the opportunity for interaction, and being able to meet with your peers and your friends is a source of support and sharing.
>>>ONE WAY TO SATISFY BOTH THE PHYSICAL AND SOCIAL NEEDS OF A PERSON IS TO PARTICIPATE IN A GROUP EXERCISE PROGRAM. MANY FITNESS CENTERS HAVE DEVELOPED CLASSES JUST FOR SENIORS
>>>KAY BARLOW --GAINESVILLE HEALTH AND FITNESS CENTER: We just saw within the facility, bit by bit, seniors coming in, and it didn't almost seem fair that we didn't have special programs for them. Our most popular program is our water exercise program. It's an hour program Monday, Wednesday and Friday, at 9 and 10. I think one of the things that make it the most successful is the interaction they have with each other and seeing other people in their same peer group.
>>>COMMUNITY CENTERS PROVIDE A NUMBER OF RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ENCOURAGING SENIORS TO STAY ACTIVE. THESE OFFER SOCIAL INTERACTION AS WELL AS A PLACE TO RECEIVE IMPORTANT INFORMATION.
>>>KAREN WARREN --DIRECTOR OF SANTE FE COMMUNITY CARE: We try to be a one stop shop for seniors, we provide a hot lunch, we provide recreation, health support, health screening, education, legal services, all of the things you and I may need in order to live our lives, these people need as well, but sometimes they just need the services brought to them.
>>>MOST OF THESE RESOURCES CAN BE ENJOYED BY SENIORS FOR LITTLE OR NO COST, BUT THERE ARE SOME WHO DON'T TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT'S AVAILABLE.
>>>SMITH: One very basic thing is to establish these patterns early in life, because we find for a number of different things throughout the life course, you continue what you learned early on. So for example, if you tended to share housework when you were younger, you'll tend to share house work when you get older. If you had leisure activities balanced with your work-life when you were younger, you'll have hobbies and interests other than work when you get older. And I think that's part of the challenge, is establishing a balance early in life and healthy patterns early in life, so these are part of your lifestyle.
>>>SO WHETHER YOUR FAVORITE FORM OF EXERCISE IS THE TWO-STEP OR THE BACKSTROKE...EXPERTS SAY IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY OR TOO LATE TO GET INTO THE SWIM OF THINGS.
>>>FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SUBJECTS SEEN TODAY ON IMPACT, AND A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO IMPACT MAGAZINE, WRITE TO IMPACT, P.O. BOX 110190, GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA, 32611-0190. OR CALL 352-392-0437. TRANSCRIPTS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE FOR SIX DOLLARS. VIDEO COPIES ARE TWELVE DOLLARS. VISA AND MASTERCARD ARE ACCEPTED. AND REMEMBER TO VISIT OUR WEB PAGE FOR MORE ON UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH AND EDUCATION.
Programs | TV stations | Tapes & transcripts | Guestbook | Video library | Multimedia