Active Communities are Well Communities
In response to an ageing population, growing waiting lists and the need for rethinking the delivery of health services, Cork Sports Partnership (CSP) supported by Cork Kerry Community Healthcare (CKCH) recently announced the launch of a new initiative: WellComm Active – Active Communities are Well Communities.
The initiative, which places a greater emphasis on increased physical activity, self-care and illness prevention is funded by the Department of Health, under the Sláintecare Integration Fund.
The overall aim of WellComm Active is to empower citizens to manage their own health and wellbeing and to help prevent chronic disease through peer delivered physical activity and healthy eating interventions.
Speaking at the launch, Priscilla Lynch, Head of Health and Wellbeing, Cork Kerry Community Healthcare, recognised the key role Cork Sports Partnership has played in supporting community health and physical activity initiatives with the support of project partners in the Education and Training Board and UCC.
Priscilla added “Maintaining health and preventing chronic disease is a key objective for us. WellComm Active brings resources that support this objective close to where people live throughout Cork with evidenced based programmes that have proven their popularity and effectiveness.”
Kristine Meenaghan, Coordinator of Cork Sports Partnership noted “We are delighted to take the lead on this initiative with our partners in UCC and CKCH. We see it as another step forward in recognising the value physical activity plays in improving our health and wellbeing. WellComm Active is an innovative way to address health related problems within the community”
The five key physical activity and healthy eating interventions included in the initiative are; Staying Fit for The Future with Better Balance Better Bones – an older adults physical activity programme, Healthy Food Made Easy – A nutrition and cookery course, Made2Move – a peer mentored physical activity intervention,Project Weight Loss – a community weight management intervention, Neuro Functional Training – a training zone for patients with neurological conditions.
All programmes have been devised and developed with the support of the HSE locally in Cork with a number of other partners including UCC and CKCH.
WellComm Active Project Lead, Eoin Kaar outlined how he and the Cork Sports Partnership team will coordinate and deliver the key actions involved;
“We will be working in conjunction with a broad spectrum of medical and wellness professionals, public health agencies and non-governmental organisations to strengthen links with the existing healthcare practitioners. Each programme will be delivered in an integrated manner across all 11 community healthcare networks in Cork. The team will manage referrals from Acute Hospitals, as well as frontline health professionals and self-referrals to each of the five programmes.”
