Elder Health Upholders

Project Overview

1st Funding Cycle Planning Award
     Project Start Date: 4/1/2005
     Project End Date: 3/31/2006

Project Goal Statement: This project aims to improve the health outcomes for southeastern Wisconsin's African American older adults through the use of uniquely trained volunteers.  These volunteers will provide culturally appropriate health education, social support and health advocacy through churches where these volunteers and older adults are members. The project will recruit volunteers, develop a curriculum, and implement two programs.

Award Amount: $24,000

Community Partners:
Primary Community Partner: Covenant Healthcare System, Inc.
Additional community partner organization name: Milwaukee Health Services, Inc.

Academic Partner:
Primary Academic Partner: Jeffrey Morzinski, PhD, Department of Family and Community Medicine

Project Progress Summary Reports:
     Project Progress Report Summary April 2005 - March 2006
     Project Final Report Summary  

Affiliated Web Pages:
     Covenant Healthcare System, Inc.
     Milwaukee Health Services, Inc.

Project Dissemination Efforts (as reported by project partners)

• Media
  • Featured on the WNOV Radio Talk Show – McSwain D, Williams J. Elder Health Upholders – Serving the Community. WNOV Radio Talk Show. 12/27/95, 10-11am Milwaukee, WI.
• Outreach Materials/Events
  • Developed an Elder Health Upholder newsletter describing the program and highlighting church health activities. Spring 2006.
• Posters
  • Poster presentation at the Wisconsin Public Health Association-Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments and Boards – Brown M, Ellis J, Castillo S, Morzinski J. Elder Health Upholders: A Community-Campus Partnership. Wisconsin Public Health Association-Wisconsin Association of Local Health Departments and Boards. Wisconsin Dells, WI. May 24, 2006.
  • Poster presentation at the Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Family and Community Medicine Annual Research Forum – Ellis J. Elder Health Upholders. Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Family and Community Medicine Annual Research Forum. Milwaukee, WI. June 12, 2006.
• Presentations
  • Update for VA Hospital, Geriatric Med Division – Morzinski J, Brown M. Elder Health Upholders: A Faith-Based Health Promotion Initiative for African American Older Adults. Milwaukee, WI. April 29, 2005.
  • Presentations and interviews with 14 Milwaukee area churches – Williams J. Elder Health Resources, Needs and Strengths at YOUR Church: Preliminary EHU Project Publicity and Interest. April-May 2005.
  • Presentation for geriatric fellowship program and staff at the Milwaukee Wood VA Medical Center – Morzinski JA, Brown M. Elder Health Upholders: A Faith-Based Initiative to Improve the Health of Milwaukee’s African American Older Adults“. April 2005.
  • Presentation for the Milwaukee Inner City Congregations Allied for Hope (MICAH) – Williams J. EHU Project and Objectives. Feb 2005.
  • Presentation for the Milwaukee Health Coalition quarterly meeting – Williams J. EHU Project. May 2005.
  • Presentation – Assessing Principles of a Community-Campus Partnership, EHU pilot. 2006.