Recently I posted a request for information, suggestions, examples
relating to writing about population health for the rural senior
volunteers.  I received numerous responses and I wish to thank all of you
who took the time to send in your thoughts.

I have since prepared an outline for a series of articles, and drafted the
first of these.  While I am not free to circulate my work through the list
serve at this time, I will share it with any of you who request it after
it is published.  However, I do want to share all of the suggestions I
received from people on the list serve.  Some excellent work has been done
in this area.

These are the resources that people recommended:

Series of articles on health determinants produced by the
Saskatchewan Public Health Association
http://www.cpha.ca/english/policy/pstatem/hdeterm/list.htm

Making Connections: A Community Affair, produced by the Health
Determinants Partnership in Ontario. The brochure includes stories and
pointers for people who would like to create healthier communities. You
can download a free copy of this guide at
www.making-connections.com.

Building a Healthy Future, the popular version of The 2nd Report on the
Health of Canadians
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/phdd/resources/Building_e.pdf


"Inspiring Change: Healthy Cities and Communities in Ontario" from the
Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition. Available for $10 through the
following website
www.opc.on.ca/ohcc or email [log in to unmask]

The Ottawa Charter www.who.dk

"Social determinants of health: the solid facts."
http://www.who.dk/healthy-cities

Community quality of life approach
http://www.utoronto.ca/qol/communit.htm

I would also add the article in Newsweek, that Dennis sent around
yesterday:
Is Our Society Making You Sick? Americas health lags behind that of more
egalitarian nations. Economic equality is the medicine we need By Stephen
Bezruchka, M.D NEWSWEEK Feb. 26 2001 issue My Turn section
http://www.msnbc.com/news/532083.asp


Others wrote with tips on popular writing, working with senior volunteers,
and rural life in general.  For brevity, I won't include all of these.
Here is an edited sampling:

You must use very user friendly language, grade 6 to 8 level
approximately, very few scientific terms.  If you can put in drawings, or
other visuals that are somewhat comical, yet to the point, that would be
very useful.  Use as few words as possible to put the message across.
Make it interactive if you can:  crossword puzzles, questions and answer,
find the missing part (with answer somewhere else in the newsletter). Make
it positive with very few 'do not's.  ( I have worked as literacy
coordinator for three years; this is where this stuff comes from).  Try to
make them 'identify' by using little anecdotes or short case histories
with a positive ending (hopefully).  Ask for feedback in one way or
another:  small contests (inexpensive, but attractive I mean.  It could be
a book or a brochure they can get for free.).  Games, humour, simple
sketches, rewards, you know that kind of stuff.

****

In my experience a lot of the "general" public (at least in BC) have
absorbed the lifestyle messages quite well.  The challenge is to get them
to the collective aspects. It might be easier in the Atlantic provinces
because people have more of a culture of helping each other out.

****

My experience has been that communities know intrinsically what keeps them
healthy; what they often lack is information about contacts, existing
programs and how to organize/take leadership.

****

I have some thoughts on this as I work with many seniors as volunteers
doing health promotion.  Here are some things I have found: Seniors like
to work with others, when teaching fitness, if there are a few of them
they can share the work, inspire each other, and if one is good at the
warm ups and another likes the cool down, then they can stay within their
comfort zone which they appreciate. Also, we found that many promote
health to individuals, by being a companion, helping out the person,
one-on ones, sharing our health prevention information can make a real
difference. We also found that the volunteers liked to promote information
that was fun and interesting and limited to one page, the true and false
health quizzes we have are very popular for getting dialogue going. We
found that volunteers also liked to be able to have resource materials to
give away, hand out free samples and little gifts. Seniors also liked to
pick up resource materials to digest at their leisure and share with
others. They also liked having videos to show and resource persons to give
the sessions, volunteers set up the session, make everyone welcome,
introduce the speaker or the video.  Volunteers also like to do different
things like man a display booth, be an adviser, answer questions, make
sure promotional material are always available. They don't necessarily
have to deliver health promotion directly to contribute and make a
difference. Senior volunteers also love to teach fitness to other seniors
and there has to be free training, free CPR and on-going support on at
least a tri-monthly basis for volunteers. These are some of my experiences
with seniors and health promotion.

Thanks once again for your support.

--
Susan Lilley
7 Canterbury Place
Dartmouth NS B2Y 4J5
Tel: (902) 463-1837
Fax: (902) 469-0833
http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/~LilleyS/Profile.html