The Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program-Eat Smart New York (FSNEP-ESNY) is a program which enables low income senior citizens residing in New York City to make informed choices that will support their nutritional and physical well being through maximization of food resources. Upon completion of the program senior citizens manage their food resources more effectively to meet their food needs, have a heightened awareness of the importance of increasing the consumption of plant foods to improve overall diet quality, and implement safe food handling practices. Community Educators, who are representatives of the communities they serve, implement the program. Through a series of 6-7, 1 ½ hour workshop sessions, seniors have the opportunity to assess their own food patterns and identify changes that are needed to meet the Dietary Guidelines. A FSNEP-ESNY lesson plan was developed specifically to address senior nutritional needs, and handouts and materials include "senior friendly" education materials. FSNEP-ESNY provides a unique opportunity for informal sharing among the seniors. Recipe ideas are exchanged, and discussions on cost cutting and cultural food behaviors are among some of the topics. Every workshop provides senior citizens the opportunity to engage in food activities both in the community organizations and at supermarkets. At the end of the workshop series a graduation ceremony is held and each senior citizen receives a certificate of achievement.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session the participant (learner) will be able to: 1. Identify ways to utilize government resources to develop educational programs that support the nutritional and physical well being of senior citizens. 2. Identify areas of concentration that can benefit the maximization of food resources for senior citizens
Keywords: Aging, Community Programs
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.