Older Americans are disproportionately affected by chronic diseases in American. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute on Aging (NIA) approximately eighty percent (80%) of older adults have at least one chronic health condition and sixty percent (60%) have at least two chronic conditions. The Title III-D program of the Older American’s Act takes an evidence-based approach to support older adults with chronic diseases through promoting healthy behaviors and lifestyles.
Contact Us
To find out more about this program, please contact the program manager, Lisa Engstrom, at 307-321-9842.
Provider Enrollment Forms
Who is eligible?
Eligible participants are individuals who are 60 years of age and older.
What services are provided?
The Healthy U – Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) administers by University of Wyoming, Wyoming Center on Aging (WyCOA) trained lead trainers to hold classes in their communities to educate other eligible individuals, with chronic disease(s) on how to manage and self-monitoring of their chronic disease. CDSMP makes it possible to disseminate, evaluate, and bring the program to scale, and provides participants with the education and tools they need to help them to better manage their chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, or arthritis.
Contact Information: wycoa@uwyo.edu, Healthyuwyoming.org, (307)766-2765
Bingocize incorporates fun and educational activities with regular bingo games. The 10 weeks, twice-per-week sessions promote active and healthy lifestyle games led by trained instructors for 60 and older participants.
Contact Information: Lisa Engstrom (307)321-9842
Evidence-Based Programs
The Wyoming Department of Health collaborates with Wyoming providers to offer evidence-based programs such as:
- Promoting Tai Chi for Arthritis (TCA). Research has shown that this program is effective in improving balance, and in reducing the risk of falling and fear of falling among older adults.
- Promoting through training of peer leaders to inspire older adults to improve their health outcomes through Healthy U, a Chronic Disease Self-management Program (CDSMP). Eligible participants will be enrolled in intervention workshops and paired with trained peer- leaders for self-management of chronic diseases.
History of the Title III-D Program
The Title III-D, Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Program of the Older Americans Act (OAA) was established in 1987. The Title III-D Program is intended to assist elderly Americans age 60 and older by removing barriers to independent living and adding to a continuum of care for vulnerable individuals to educate and implement activities that support healthy lifestyles and promote healthy behaviors. Health education reduces the need for more costly medical interventions.
The federal FY-2012 Congressional appropriations law included, for the first time, an evidence-based (EBP) requirement. In response to the new requirement, ACL developed an evidence-based definition to support the transition. Since 2016, Evidence-based programs are now required (the highest level program only) for Title III-D-funded activities. This change followed a decade of progress by the aging services network to move efforts toward implementing disease prevention and health promotion programs that are based on scientific evidence and demonstrated to improve the health of older adults.
Priority is given to serving elders living in medically underserved areas of the state or who are of greatest economic need.
Evidence-based (EBP) practice is basically an approach that focuses on using scientific studies and research as the base for finding the most effective practices in specific fields. It initially started with an emphasis on medicine, but it has developed to other sectors such as education, nursing, psychology, and preventive medicine. The objective of EBP is to offer transparency and also assure consumers that the procedures and techniques used to offer the best treatments or interventions.