Greater Detroit Area Health Council

www.gdahc.org

Active for Life
program contact:

Kimberly Campbell-Voytal
kvoytal@med.wayne.edu

Active Living Every Day is offered through the Greater Detroit Area Health Council in conjunction with the Detroit Area Agency on Aging and Wayne State University/Detroit Medical Center in four neighborhood-based locations in Detroit. Lead neighborhood partners include the Northwest Neighborhood Health Empowerment Center, New Calvary Baptist Church, Cass Community Social Services and Virginia Park Senior Citizens Service Corporation. Additionally, the City of Detroit Departments of Recreation and Health & Wellness Promotion provide advisory, advocacy and consultative services.

The program targets recruitment through community, senior and faith-based sectors which include neighborhood-based agencies, employers, and social networks such as churches, social clubs, senior apartment building dwellers and block clubs. Community leadership is instrumental with Detroit’s project for decision-making and governance. The Executive Committee governs the project and four geographic specific Community Councils represented by neighborhood leaders coordinate delivery of the Active Living Everyday Model through support groups in their neighborhood, and community-wide promotion of the Active Living philosophy.

According to Vernice Davis Anthony, President & CEO, GDAHC, participants and graduates report the program is extremely valuable with helping them develop plans to become physically active and encourage sustained commitment to their new goals. We're finding that participants often change their lifestyles to accommodate physical activity within the first few Active for Life sessions. AFL allows us to reach at-risk citizens who without this program, likely would not be exposed to information on Active Living.

The Greater Detroit Area Health Council (GDAHC), a regional coalition dedicated to improving health care quality, access and cost in Southeastern Michigan, is actively involved in issue analysis, health care planning, community education and developing solutions for regional health care delivery to improve community health status.

The Detroit Area Agency on Aging serves senior adults to assist older persons in maximizing their personal independence and dignity through removal of social, economic, physical and psychological barriers with a special emphasis on older persons who are frail, low income and/or minority.

The Wayne State University Department of Community Medicine/Community Health Institutes leads a range of teaching, participatory research, and primary care initiatives to reduce disparity and improve the quality of life in local communities.