FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 19, 2022
PRESS CONTACT: Ana Hornburg 517-908-8229 or [email protected]
LANSING, Mich. — The Power of Understanding, a health literacy consultation service, will soon expand to additional locations at PACE Southeast Michigan. This project was piloted at the Eastpointe Center from 2021 to 2022, included an in-depth review of patient-facing literature, and trained 55 staff members. The PACE Southeast Michigan Town Hall, which will take place on July 27-28, will serve as a kickoff event for 6 additional locations to begin participation.
“We had a very successful pilot of the training at our Eastpointe Center earlier this year,” says Mary Naber, President and CEO of PACE Southeast Michigan. “We are looking forward to expanding this crucial training to the rest of our staff and believe it will make a positive difference in the lives and health of our participants, which is what we strive to do here at PACE Southeast Michigan.”
Participating PACE Southeast Michigan locations will include Southfield Center, Pontiac Center, Thome Rivertown Center, Sterling Heights Center, Dearborn Center, and the Detroit Center which will open this summer.
"One in five Americans is functionally illiterate, and challenges for seniors are even more profound," said Nancy Combs, principal at Nancy Combs Communications. "We want to show that organizational health literacy can play a significant role in reducing health disparities and improving outcomes for everyone."
According to the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL), only 12% of U.S. adults had proficient health literacy, and 71% of adults older than age 60 had difficulty in using print materials.
"This is just the beginning," said Melanie Brim, President and CEO of MHC. "We hope to continue working with organizations and healthcare professionals who seek to prioritize health literacy in their communities."
The Power of Understanding is available to any organization interested in assessing and improving their health literacy. To learn more, please visit www.centerforcaring.org/power.
About Michigan Health Council
Michigan Health Council (MHC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization on a mission to create products and provide services their partners rely on to build health care workforce capacity. Learn more at mhc.org.
About PACE Southeast Michigan
PACE Southeast Michigan is a unique health care plan that provides home and community-based care and services to help seniors maintain their independence. For more information, visit www.pacesemi.org.
About Nancy Combs Communications, LLC
Nancy Combs is a seasoned health communicator and community health strategist with a track record of more than three decades working in health system, public health and health plan settings.
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