Bennett (geriatric medicine, Johns Hopkins U.) promotes collaboration between health care systems, medical professionals, and religious congregations to minister to the health needs of their community, and provides detailed information and advice on programs that have proven successful in a diverse group of congregations and communities over the past decade. He also suggests specific areas for congregational programs, among them coronary heart disease, cancer, depression, influenza and pneumonia, advance directives, communicating with health care providers, modifying common risk factors, managing medications, and accidents and falls. The appendices include sample forms. The first edition was published in 2000. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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Because health care works best when patients assume greater responsibility for their own health, community outreach and patient education have taken on increased importance. Building Healthy Communities through Medical-Religious Partnerships describes an innovative approach to the development of community-based health education and patient advocacy programs targeted at the prevention and management of disease. Partnerships between health systems and religious congregations, the authors show, can be remarkably successful at bringing appropriate care to people who are often difficult to serve. The book offers valuable guidance for religious and medical leaders interested in developing programs in their congregations and communities. It includes practical and accessible information for establishing health education programs, identifies additional resources that can be obtained from local and national organizations, and discusses a range of medical topics. It also outlines how to train volunteers to assist others in navigating our complex health system. This revised and expanded edition of Building Healthy Communities through Medical-Religious Partnerships includes several new chapters along with descriptions of five medical-religious partnership models. Special attention is given to the challenges and opportunities presented by our aging and increasingly diverse population.
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