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Lay Health Advisors (LHA's)
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| Neighborhoods |
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Biddleville
Elenore Heights
Enderly Park
Lakewood
LaSalle
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Lincoln Heights
McCrorey Heights
Oaklawn Park
Oakview Terrace
Parkview
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Seversville
Smallwood
Tarlton Hills
Taylor
University Gardens
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University Park
Washington Heights
Wesley Heights
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The Lay Health Advisors (LHAs) are a cornerstone of the Charlotte REACH 2010 Project. The LHA Program identifies and recruits residents who live within 14 neighborhoods of northwest Charlotte. LHAs are “natural helpers” who provide education and develop and promote activities designed to reduce the risk factors of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Neighborhood residents are employed as LHAs to promote positive health behaviors among their neighbors. LHAs educate, motivate, refer and encourage their neighbors to improve their health and overall quality of life. Peer education through one-on-one visits, mentoring, acting as a referral source and role model and facilitating neighborhood activities are ways in which LHAs encourage healthy lifestyle changes. Lay Health Advisor-facilitated initiatives and activities include:
- Diabetes and Hypertension Support Groups
- Grocery Store Tours
- Health Fairs
- Healthy Cooking Demonstrations
- Neighborhood Walking Groups
- Exercises Classes (coming soon!)
For more information, call (704) 432-0939
Diabetes and Hypertension Support Group:
In the first year of the REACH project, neighborhood residents shared their need for informal educational sessions to discuss issues regarding living with diabetes. As a result, three LHAs began to facilitate weekly sessions at the West Charlotte Recreation Center to help support those affected by the disease. When requested, diabetes educators, nutritionists, physicians, and other health professionals share disease prevention and maintenance information.
Neighborhood Walking Groups:
Exercise is essential to reducing the risk for diabetes and heart disease. LHAs continue to encourage their neighbors by leading walking groups in their neighborhood
Health Fairs:
Health fairs have long served as a way to educate the masses regarding important health messages. LHAs participate in various health fairs throughout the community and abroad delivering the message of REACH 2010.
Healthy Cooking Demonstrations:
The LHAs utilize their knowledge of healthy eating practices to introduce alternative cooking to their neighbors. Healthy cooking demonstrations are provided in residents’ homes, at health fairs and workshops to promote important messages about healthy eating.
Exercise Classes:
Currently, Lay Health Advisors are completing training to become certified exercise instructors. Upon completion of this training, those LHAs will enhance the exercise component of REACH 2010 by providing availability of more aerobic classes.
To contact your Lay Health Advisor (LHA) and find out neighborhood events, please call 704-432-2010.
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| Lay Health Advisors (LHA's) |
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Karen Allison |
No bio information at this time. |
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Dorinda Avery |
Advises: Biddleville/Smallwood, Washington Heights
Lay Health Advisor for ~1.5 years
What has impacted you most during the time you have been with the REACH 2010 Project?
"Being able to help a young girl understand how to deal with her diabetes." |
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Catherine Chapman |
Advises: University Park
Lay Health Advisor for 2+ years
What has impacted you most during the time you have been with the REACH 2010 Project?
"A young lady in our diabetes support group did not drink water because
she did not like the taste, is now drinking water because of our encouragement.
She also cut out stopping at the drive-thru for her breakfast." |
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Hattie Griffin |
Advises: Lakewood, Enderly Park
Lay Health Advisor for 2+ years
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Mable Latimer |
Advises: Oaklawn Park
Lay Health Advisor for 1+ years
What has impacted you most during the time you have been with the REACH 2010 Project?
"My favorite success story is about my neighbor who joined Commit to Quit
and won the $500 award. Now she is talking to her mother along with me trying
to encourage her to quit." |
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Beverly Lawston |
Advises: Lincoln Heights
Lay Health Advisor for 2+ years
What has impacted you most during the time you have been with the REACH 2010 Project?
"I worked with a client who had major surgery on her arm and wasn’t
working. Her electrical power was going to be shut off but my working with
her making
phone calls directing her to persons to talk to, she was able to get a
person to come out to her home and to get a case manager to help solve
her problems." |
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Valerie McCray |
Advises: Coming soon . . .
Lay Health Advisor for (coming soon) years
What has impacted you most during the time you have been with the REACH 2010 Project?
"Coming soon . . . " |
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Janie Shipman |
Advises: Tarlton Hills, University
Park
Lay Health Advisor for 2 years
What has impacted you most during the time you have been with the REACH 2010 Project?
"With my encouragement a neighborhood resident stopped smoking a few months ago." |
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Ella Talley |
Advises: Seversville
Lay Health Advisor for 1+ years
What has impacted you most during the time you have been with the REACH 2010 Project?
"Learned more about some of the things and people call thanking me for helping
them." |
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Lillie Wall |
No bio information at this time. |
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