Hanover Township program helps with senior health

Hanover Township Senior Services is sponsoring a program to promote good health practices among senior citizens in its service area.

With the program, seniors keep track of their daily activities in three areas: physical activities, food and fluid intake and socialization activities.

Each week, participants receive “Wellness 4 Life” stamps for their activities — the more activities the more stamps. After accumulating enough stamps, they can redeem them for prizes from a prize catalog.

The prizes are not extravagant, but simple, practical items for everyday use, such as glasses holders and small flashlights.

“Just the fact that there is a record of activity with some kind of reward is motivation,” said Dr. William Gingold of the University of Illinois Department of Family Medicine and developer of the program.

“We have shown compliance rates of 80 percent with this program, even over a year’s time. Doctors don’t have that kind of compliance with actual prescription.”

This program will run for six months starting May 26. The Streamwood Park District is a check-in site for the program.

For information, contact Hanover Township Senior Services or attend the launch of the program 10:30 a.m. Thursday, May 26, at the Hanover Township Senior Center, 240 S. Route 59, Bartlett.

Sponsors interested in supporting the effort with prizes should contact Judy Reinhold, a registered nurse, at judy@kaliberimaging.com.