‘Feel Good Piscataquis!’ invites residents to make county healthier

    Poor health impacts not only the lives of individuals but the vitality of the communities in which they live. Unfortunately, Piscataquis County is not faring well when it comes to overall health. According to the 2015 Robert Wood Johnson County Health Rankings released in March, Piscataquis ranked second to last of Maine’s 16 counties for poor health. In particular, Piscataquis shows an alarming rate of chronic disease, the highest incidence of most forms of cancer and Maine’s highest premature death rate.
    “Feel Good Piscataquis!” is a county-wide community-centered initiative to help people in Piscataquis live healthier lives. The effort grew out of two separate health grants awarded to Piscataquis County by the Maine Health Access Foundation (MeHAF) under its Achieving Better Health in Communities initiative. The “Feel Good Piscataquis!” name signifies that the TIP and Healthy Community are working closely together – and that in the big picture, being healthy is about feeling well.

    The Thriving in Place (TIP) grant, facilitated by the Charlotte White Center, is helping medically vulnerable adults avoid unnecessary hospitalization and other forms of institutional care. Specifically, TIP is working to increase capacity in six core areas to help older people and adults with serious health problems stay well at home: volunteerism; health-related transportation; home-based services and supports; caregiver support; community engagement; and person-centered planning.
    The Healthy Community grant, being led by the Piscataquis Regional YMCA, aims to improve the overall health of residents in Piscataquis County by helping people get better access to fresh, healthy foods. According to the USDA, nearly 3000 individuals in Piscataquis County, including 700 children, are “food insecure.” Seniors and children, in particular, are at high risk for physical and mental health problems and diseases due to lack of adequate daily nutrition. They also have a harder time learning, working, and contributing to their communities.
    Both TIP and Healthy Community are looking at how resources and services that already exist in Piscataquis can be used more effectively to help people achieve better health. More than 30 organizations and individuals have become partners in the “Feel Good Piscataquis!” effort. Together they are already finding and implementing solutions that are “small enough to do and big enough to matter” to people’s health. TIP project coordinator Meg Callaway and Healthy Community coordinator Erin Callaway hope that the coalition will continue to grow. In particular, they invite people who have trouble getting access to healthy food or living well at home to join the conversation.
    There are many ways to get involved. To learn more about TIP, contact Meg Callaway at 270-2778 or meg.callaway@charlottewhite.org. For the Healthy Community initiative contact Erin Callaway at 343-0171 or e.callaway@prymca.org. “Feel Good Piscataquis!” will also be present at regional events and venues throughout the year including the Dover Cove Farmer’s Market and the Maine Whoopie Pie Festival.