JASA is excited to be partnering on a new, one-year campaign to help improve the heart health of older adults in South Brooklyn. The HeartWatch campaign was developed in response to a United Hospital Fund study that demonstrated a clear and urgent need to improve heart health in the Brighton Beach/Coney Island area. The study surveyed senior residents at three JASA Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs), where 40% of senior residents are living with heart disease, and of those, more than 75% describe their condition as fair or poor.
A unique component of this program is its focus on volunteerism to provide services, and the program is funding a dedicated, part-time Volunteer Coordinator. Cameron Gelisse, who served as an Americorps*VISTA Friendly Visiting Coordinator, in 2006/07 is back in the Volunteer Department as the Volunteer Coordinator for the HeartWatch Campaign. Cameron has been working on recruiting and training community volunteers to be peer educators, nutrition educators, fitness coaches, and outreach workers. The program has already increased interest in volunteerism in South Brooklyn
Other partners in this cross-disciplinary program include the Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC), Metropolitan Jewish Health System (MJHS), and Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY).
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