Chapel Haven has found a beautiful marriage with the Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center in a new program called “A Weigh to Live.”
The new curriculum was created with the following goals in mind: to help Chapel Haven’s clients attain and maintain a healthy weight; to reduce clients’ risk of chronic disease; and to help clients live a healthy lifestyle.
To achieve those goals, health center staff created an eleven week program that covers everything from weight loss tips to healthy snacks. Weigh-ins, food tastings,
hands-on activities and food demonstrations are also included in the weekly
classes. Students engage in a variety of activities including Nutrition Jeopardy.
Read more about it in the New Haven Register here
“The Weigh to Live” started April 11th and currently has fifteen students enrolled. Each student had pre-testing done including glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure screenings as well as waist and hip measurements. Post-testing will also be conducted.
“Weight management and fitness are vital components of leading a happy and healthy adult life,” said Michael Storz, President of Chapel Haven. “We have been delighted with the success of this initiative in such a short amount of time. The staff of the Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center are remarkably skilled at making fitness fun and manageable for our students and that is the key to any sustainable health program.”
The program is being overseen by Jill Meyerhoff, a Cornell Scott-Hill Health Center Wellness Educator. She is also thrilled with the program’s progress: “So far the program has been a success. Not only have the fifteen students lost a combined thirty-five pounds, they have been buying new, healthier foods at the grocery store and learning how to portion control their foods, important skills that will serve them well as they move toward independent living.”
The Cornell Scott – Hill Health Center is the oldest and among the largest community health centers in Connecticut. The center provides integrated medical and behavioral health solutions throughout the greater New Haven area and the Naugatuck Valley
with the goal of improving the health status of patients and the community at
large. The Cornell Scott – Hill Health Center has been a leader in community healthcare innovation for over 40 years. Learn more at www.hillhealthcenter.com.
Chapel Haven is a nonprofit agency founded in 1972 and dedicated to helping adults with developmental and social disabilities live independent and productive lives. Through three core programs, Chapel Haven has helped more than 300 adults gain the skills needed to live happy and productive lives of independence. Chapel Haven has campuses in New Haven and Tucson, AZ and recently was selected as a national “best practice” by Advancing Futures for Adults with Autism. Learn more at www.chapelhaven.org.
