SCAN Health Plan’s Classroom in the Community Initiative

Emphasizes Health Literacy

(LONG BEACH, CA – February 9, 2011) — SCAN Health Plan has announced a new community outreach initiative aimed at improving health education and literacy for seniors and their caregivers. “Classroom in the Community” is a series of 13 newly developed presentations that are easy to understand and provide seniors information they need to take action on their health.

“Health outcomes are related to health literacy, particularly for seniors,” said Lena Perelman, director of community outreach for SCAN. “As a senior-focused health plan, we recognized that we needed to do more than just bring health education out into the community − we needed to make sure that the health information being delivered was understandable. Choosing a healthy lifestyle, knowing how to seek medical care, and taking advantage of preventive measures require that people understand and use health information.”

The new presentations were developed by staff gerontologists and health educators and reviewed by a selection of SCAN medical directors. The series includes important information on health topics such as medication management, diabetes, nutrition, fall prevention, physical activity and living with arthritis. The presentations can be delivered individually or as part of a series of workshops and are available in both English and Spanish.

Classroom in the Community focuses on providing information that is appropriate for the senior audience, easy to understand and actionable. The objective of each module is to provide education that encourages and enhances older adults’ ability to manage their own health and continue to control how and where they live. There is a heavy focus on prevention activities that enable older adults to learn and practice healthy behaviors. The programs are currently being offered in partnership with community-based organizations throughout California as well as Maricopa and Pima counties in Arizona.

“Our goal is to positively impact the lives of seniors and their caregivers in every community SCAN serves,” said Perelman.

Classroom in the Community is part of the health plan’s larger community-outreach efforts, which also include the SCAN Van mobile resource center for seniors and caregivers, SCAN’s “Trading Ages” senior sensitivity program, the SCAN Resource Centers in California and Arizona, and many other initiatives.

For more than 30 years, SCAN Health Plan has been focusing on the unique needs of seniors and is now the country’s fourth largest not-for-profit Medicare Advantage plan. The company currently has nearly 130,000 members in California and Arizona. Further information may be obtained at scanhealthplan.com.