Community Health Workers help the elderly live their best lives.
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Healthy, happy, and safe: Helping elderly people live their best lives

Aging affects all of us differently.  “Human beings are complex. Life is complex. There’s a long list of health troubles we might experience as we get older,” says Dr. Douglas Smucker, Medical Advisor for the Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio.  But, as we age, the chance of experiencing a chronic condition—or “an ongoing condition…

PRESS RELEASE: HCAN granted $180 thousand by CareSource

This sizeable grant of $180 thousand from CareSource’s Community Reinvestment Activities Fund will allow Health Care Access Now (HCAN) to recruit and train Community Health Workers (CHWs) in Ohio.  With these funds, HCAN will have increased ability to focus on improving health, advancing equity, and eliminating health disparities in vulnerable populations. CHWs provide community-based care…

Stress of caregiving, Cincinnati, Ohio
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Multigenerational caregiving takes its toll 

It’s difficult enough to care for young children.It’s difficult enough to care for an elderly parent.What about if you have to care for both, at the same time?   For some people, “sandwich caregiving,” as it has been termed, is a way of life.  As an aging adult’s ability to perform everyday activities erodes, relatives often…

Community Health Workers help seniors find safe housing in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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Housing for elderly people: Specific needs, greater expense

Imagine your house turning against you. The stairs to the basement become dangerous. The bathroom becomes a place where you could easily seriously injure yourself. Many people find that the places they’ve lived for most of their lives don’t suit them any longer as they age. What do they do then? “The most pressing issue…

Community Health Workers help the elderly in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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Cognitive decline in elderly people: Early warning signs

No one wants to lose their memory. It’s a terrifying prospect.  And cognitive decline isn’t just about losing your memory; it’s about not being able to think like you used to. For example, you might be confused by abstract concepts, have trouble with decision-making, or not understand friends’ and families’ conversations. Cognitive decline can make…

PRESS RELEASE: HCAN granted $50 thousand from The Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Foundation

The Charlotte R. Schmidlapp Foundation, distributed by The Foundation Office at Fifth Third Bank, granted Health Care Access Now (HCAN) $50 thousand for its Maternal and Child Health Care Coordination program. HCAN will use the grant’s funds to meet the needs of its clients and community. CHWs will focus on helping Black mothers to birth…

How to help reduce poverty in Cincinnati, Ohio

Poverty affects all of us: How to help

Poverty profoundly affects those in its grips. Experiencing poverty means lack of access to basic needs (food, shelter, transportation, health care, education). It increases toxic stress. It erodes mental and physical health. It intrudes on each and every aspect of life. It keeps people from reaching their potential.   But poverty also affects those who are…

Action items to reduce poverty in Cincinnati, OH

Action items to reduce poverty

Many people are aware that a disproportionate number of Cincinnati citizens are living in poverty. Many people understand that the current poverty rate is a legacy of a system steeped in racism. Many people get involved in their communities to help those living in poverty by volunteering or donating.  But many of those same people…

Poverty and children's mental health in Cincinnati, OH
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Poverty and children’s mental health

An Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) can take many forms, ranging from “abuse or neglect” to “significant surgery,” according to Victoria Ackman, LISW-S, Service Area Vice President for Lighthouse Youth & Family Services. These ACEs add up and “play a huge part into how your brain processes experiences, impacting everything you do and how you see…

PRESS RELEASE: HCAN receives $100 thousand from ODH for workforce development

Health Care Access Now (HCAN) received $100 thousand from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to further develop its Community Health Worker (CHW) workforce. CHWs are critical in the fight against systemic racism in public policy and health. HCAN acts as the Certified Pathways Community Hub in Southwest Ohio (Hub). CHWs use the Hub as…