Proceeds from WEforum support Monmouth Medical Center’s Community Health Education Programs and Services
Proceeds from WEforum’s Health and Wellness Conferences and Annual Fit Crawl support the development of free educational health and wellness programs accessible to the entire community.
Programs include evidence-based health and wellness-focused classes, screening programs, activities and support groups developed by Monmouth Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health affiliate.
The free programs are offered at the hospital and throughout Monmouth County, with plans to offer them at a new Health and Wellness facility under development at the Monmouth Mall in Eatontown and a new Ambulatory Center.
Chronic diseases account for roughly 47% of all deaths in the United States -a health care burden that could be greatly reduced with education and behavior modification.
The statistics are staggering and it says one thing: We need better resources and more information to help make better, healthier choices.
In response to these challenges, Monmouth Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health affiliate, has taken immediate action. This includes:
- Expanding outreach programs beyond the hospital walls
- Promoting early detection and prevention of disease
- Providing free educational health and wellness programs and services
- Advocating living a happier, healthier, more balanced life.
As part of RWJBarnabas Health, Monmouth Medical Center is a leader in designing unparalleled new ways for delivering health care.
Programs & Services for the Community:
Department of Community Health Education
Monmouth Medical Center’s Community Health Education department is dedicated to improving the health and wellness of its community. The medical center offers a wide range of free preventative screenings, support groups and health education to the public. Its strong partnerships with other community organizations benefit residents of all income levels. Monmouth takes pride in working with the community to provide meaningful and useful health and wellness information.
Educational Programs – Monmouth Medical Center offers an array of educational programs for children, adults and seniors to promote healthy lifestyles through wellness and prevention. Topics include childbirth education, child safety, diabetes and heart disease. The classes are posted on Monmouth Medical Center’s website and published in its monthly calendar.
Health Screenings – Monmouth Medical Center offers health screenings based on the needs assessed within the community. Screenings include blood pressure, cholesterol, cancer detection, balance, bone density, cardiac risk assess- ment, peripheral artery disease and more. Community health screenings are posted on the Monmouth Medical Center’s web site and published in its newsletter.
Speaker’s Bureau – A free Speaker’s Bureau is available to groups and organizations of 20 or more look- ing for a physician or health care professional to provide a presentation such as Brain Fitness, Heart Health as We Age, Stress Management, Living Well with Diabetes, Healthy Bones as We Age, Understanding Your Medications and Fall Prevention.
Corporate outreach – To promote workplace wellness, Monmouth Medical sends health care professionals to present a specific health topic to employees of small businesses or corporations. The hospital offers a variety of topics and can tailor presentations to employees’ needs.
Support Groups – Free support groups are run by health professionals who bring together people facing similar health challenges and concerns. Sessions allow individuals to provide emotional support, advice and encouragement for one another.
Free Programs & Services:
The Center for Diabetes Education at Monmouth Medical Center
This center is comprised of an expert team of certified diabetes educators, including registered nurses and dietitians, including a bilingual dietitian, who conduct individual and group programs to empower people with diabetes and those who are at-risk to manage their care.
Patients benefit from the collaborative efforts of a team of specialists who focus on providing an educational experience that motivates an individual with diabetes to take an active and positive role in his or her diabetes treatment plan. Individuals who care for and about the patient also play an integral part of the team. In addition, a summary of each visit is sent to every referring physician to ensure continuity of care.
The Center offers the following programming at convenient morning, afternoon, and evening appointments:
- Diabetes Self-Management Series
- Nutrition education (monitoring/tracking blood sugar readings, macro/micro-nutrients, meal planning, portion control, dining out, heart healthy eating and cooking, individualized meal plans, etc.)
- Pediatric Weight Management
- Gestational Diabetes Education
- One-on-one consultation with a nurse or dietitian
- Free support groups for diabetes and insulin pump users, which provide a professional facilitator and educational topics on a monthly or bimonthly schedule
Funds are needed to develop and implement an educational program with a fitness component and a group learning experience to complement our ongoing nutrition and lifestyle education with our underserved populations in Monmouth and Ocean Counties with a focus on the growing Hispanic populations. Bi-lingual nurses and registered dieticians are needed to partner with schools, municipalities and places of worship to grow this program.
KidsFit and Safe Kids Monmouth/Ocean
To promote physical activity and good nutrition, KidsFit is an 8-week, all inclusive wellness program that teaches children, teens and their families how to live healthier lifestyles. The program includes eating assessments with a bilingual nutritionist, fun moving activities such as Zumba, parental workshops, classroom challenges, cooking classes and urban farming in local greenhouses and gardens.
Part of Safe Kids Worldwide, Safe Kids Monmouth/Ocean is led by Monmouth Medical Center and provides a host of programs to keep kids safe, such as car-seat checkups, sports clinics, preventive information and educational games.
Cancer Support Community
In April 2014, the Leon Hess Cancer Center absorbed the closing Cancer Support Community (CSC), a local non-profit organization that offered over 80 programs a month that provided support services, educational and healthy living programs for patients who were in active treatment and in survivorship. Our hospital-based CSC for Monmouth and Ocean Counties was the 1st hospital based CSC in the state and only the 3rd in the country.
CSC programs and services have been integrated into the hospital at both its main campus in Long Branch and its southern campus in Lakewood. Our Cancer Support Community is part of an international non-profit organization dedicated to providing a wide array of free, high-quality educational programs, support services, and healthy living programs for anyone who is affected by cancer — patients in treatment or survivorship, family, friends and caregivers. Individuals affected by cancer are given an opportunity to enhance their health and well being through participation in professionally led programs of emotional support, relaxation, exercise and education.
Anyone who is affected by cancer — the patient, family, friends and caregivers — can access our free support programs. To ensure that no one faces cancer alone, there is no charge for these programs and they’re available to all cancer patients in Monmouth and Ocean counties, regardless of where they are being treated.
Select programming includes:
- New member meetings to learn about programs
- Support groups facilitated by licensed professionals for people with cancer and their loved ones
- Physician lectures, educational workshops and special programs
- Stress management classes, such as yoga and qigong
- Nutritional support group and educational programs
- Social activities and crafting
- Resource room, information and community referral resources
Funds are needed to expand our Kids/Teens Connect program for children who have a parent/grandparent with a cancer diagnosis. Because it takes a very specific skill set, facilitators hired to run these groups need solid experience working with children and also must have an oncology background. These groups run on separate days, one for younger children and one for teenagers. While children/teens meet, another licensed professional will meet with the parents/grandparents.
Two licensed professionals are therefore needed to host the two separate groups, which doubles the normal expense. Ongoing funds are needed to sustain this program element. In addition, CSC needs funds for facilitators of all support groups including adults, stipends for presenters (such as nutritionists and physicians), a supplies budget for art therapy and social programming, and general funds to establish an emergency fund for cancer patients who need immediate help with a one-time expense.
Falls Prevention Program
Monmouth Medical Center is committed to raise awareness about how to prevent fall-related injuries among older adults. Falls are the leading cause of fatal and non-fatal injuries for older adults. Falls threaten senior safety and independence and generate enormous economic and personal costs. With 10,000 people a day turning 65 years of age it is more imperative to promote safety.
However falling is not an inevitable result of aging. Through practical lifestyle adjustments, evidence-based falls prevention programs, and community partnerships, the number of falls among senior adults can be substantially reduced.
We are currently sharing a balance machine with Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus.
Funds are needed to purchase a balance machine so the Community Health Education Department at Monmouth Medical Center can expand its program in all communities with particular attention for underserved populations living in communities like Asbury Park, Long Branch and Red Bank.
