The Daily Bulletin Archive

The Health and Wellness Department, in collaboration with the Wellness Institute of Greater Buffalo, the City of Buffalo Division for Senior Services, and the Erie County Department of Senior Services, implemented the Passport to Wellness for Older Adults: Walking for Health program. The Walking for Health program focused on the regular benefits of physical activity over a five-week period from February 15 to March 14. The program offered short and long walks in area malls every Friday. The Program Planning in Health/Wellness course (HEW 412), taught by Susan Baldwin, assistant professor, Health and Wellness, and its students prepared one to two age-appropriate walking and health presentations for each scheduled event and provided a hands-on warmup, assisted with a diabetes-prevention assessment, performed short and long walks with older adults, and conducted two fitness assessments (strength and blood pressure) throughout the event. Students conducted 101 blood pressure readings and 151 grip-strength measurements, which were well received by all participants. The students were extremely satisfied with this practical, hands-on learning experience transferring classroom knowledge and skills into real-world experience.