Senior citizens and families in the Shenango Valley will be able to improve their overall health thanks to two new programs that are a collaborative effort between Minority Health Advocacy Committee, Sharon Regional Health System and Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield's Health Education Center.

Health Literacy is a program presented by Jacque Glenn, a registered nurse, to help senior citizens learn to understand basic health issues. The program will have six sessions including understanding doctor visits, documenting and keeping test results, administering medications and promoting health and wellness, Ms. Glenn said.

The first set of sessions will be in February for the residents of Lavigne Manor in Farrell. The next sessions will be open to the public and will be at the Shenango Valley Multi-Service Center, Hermitage.

Healthy Families is a program presented by Emmagene Williams, a registered nurse. The Healthy Families program started in 1976 in Allegheny County with a grant and 10 years later it was adopted as a Highmark program, Ms. Williams said. The program is meant to empower parents and caregivers to make a positive change in their health behavior.

"The program is geared for those who have children in the house under the age of 18 or who provide care for children under the age of 18," Ms. Williams said. Healthy Families promotes wellness of a holistic level focusing on the physical, emotional, environmental, intellectual, social and spiritual, she said.

The program's six sessions will include written and home exercises to reinforce the class work, Ms. Williams said. The classes will focus on topics such as the food pyramid, home safety and decreasing tobacco and drug use.

The Healthy Families program was presented in October and was very successful, Ms. Williams said.

All participants of Health Families will get a free cholesterol and glucose screening, and anyone who completes all six classes will get a gift certificate, Ms. Williams said.

Olive Brown, director of Minority Health, said a third program will start in late spring in conjunction with the Mercer County Family Center and Safe Kids. Home Safe Home will teach families about safety topics such as covering electrical outlets or the need for fire extinguishers in the home, she said.

Pre-registration is required for both programs. Anyone interested can register by calling (724) 983-5518 or (800) 346-7997. For more information call (724) 981-3856.