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Press Release
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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| February 01, 2004 |
Contact: AoA Press Office
(202) 401-4634 |
February, 2004
THE ADMINISTRATION ON AGING FOCUSES ON IMPROVING THE HEALTH FOR
AFRICAN AMERICAN ELDERS
In honor of National African American History Month, the Administration
on Aging recognizes the efforts of our partner, the National
Caucus and Center on Black Aged and their work in helping AoA
improve the health in the African American elderly community.
The Administration on Aging (AoA), part of the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services awarded $298,050 to the National
Caucus and Center on Black Aged (NCBA) to conduct a 36-month,
faith-based community leadership program. The program is focused
on reducing obesity as a leading risk factor for chronic disease
such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, kidney failure,
and diabetes among African American seniors. Church-based aging
and health advocacy committees have been established to disseminate
health promotion information that promotes weight reduction,
improve nutrition and increase physical activity.
“One of our top priorities is the health and well-being
of all older Americans,” said Assistant Secretary for Aging,
Josefina G. Carbonell. “By outreaching to and providing
culturally relevant and appropriate information in the African
American communities, we can help prevent or delay disease and
disability, reduce health care costs to our nation and provide
a better quality of life for our elders.”
NCBA’s campaign enlists the help of faith- and community-based
organizations in four cities: Baltimore, Maryland, Buffalo, New
York, the Prince George County, Maryland segment of Metropolitan
Washington, DC, and Richmond, Virginia. Group Ministries of Buffalo
and Baltimore, Bowie State University in Maryland and the Richmond
Capital Area Agency on Aging are energizing local community-based
health advocacy committees to make a difference in the lives
of older African Americans. These committees, all with senior
members, are the vehicles through which important health promotion
information about weight reduction, improved nutrition and increased
physical activity reaches African American seniors.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration
on Aging, works with a nationwide network of organizations and
service providers to make support services and resources available
to older persons and their caregivers.
| Last Modified: 7/16/2009 9:06:18 AM |
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