NISC Programs of Excellence 

• Year Awarded: 2023
• Programs of Excellence Name: HEAL (Healthy Eating, Aging, Living) Nutrition Education Program
• Hosting Organization: City of San Antonio
• San Antonio Population: 1.7 million
• 60+ Population: 300,000
• Senior Center Members: 30,000

About the HEAL Nutrition Education Progam

The Healthy Eating, Aging, and Living (HEAL) nutrition education program provides engaging nutrition initiatives using evidence-based research to inform senior center members about making the best dietary choices for their well-being as well as supporting the congregate meal. The program materials are overseen by staff registered dietitians (RDs).

Each site throughout the city is staffed with a Senior Center Nutrition Specialist who has a strong educational background in nutrition and is trained on the nutrition requirements for the meal program. They provide on-site expertise to senior center members and develop monthly presentations and events that are geared toward the needs and wants of that particular center, accounting for cultural and socioeconomic factors. In conjunction with the the monthly presentations, the curriculum includes produce markets.

In collaboration with a local produce vendor, the senior center RDs developed a "Produce Market" program that unites nutrition education with a produce market for members. The purpose of this program is to teach members the health and economic benefits of consuming seasonal produce, along with guiding members on how to select, store, cook and incorporate seasonal produce into their diet. A vendor erects a produce market on-site at senior centers throughout the city for members to shop at as well as providing free produce boxes to senior center members who attended the nutrition education portion. The vendor collaborates with the RDs to develop the food demo that accompanies the nutrition education portion provided by the RDs.

Also, the senior center's registered dietitians partner with the UTSA Dietetic program. Dietetic interns rotate 4-5 weeks at the senior centers and learn to provide and develop various nutrition education modes as well as learning to interact with older the adult community in the city that most will work in after graduation. This allows future practitioners to prepare to better serve the older adult community once they enter the workforce.

Key takeaways from HEAL:

• This program allows senior center staff to directly tailor nutrition education to the needs and wants of the particular center they serve.
• The produce markets allow senior center members who do not have access to transportation to shop while at the center. They are able to take their time, ask questions, and save money while choosing to eat healthy.
• On-site food demos led by registered dietitians give participants longlasting education on how to incorporate healithier foods into their daily diets.

About the City of San Antonio

The City of San Antonio's senior centers offer shared meals, activities such as basic health screenings, exercise classes, and social services, and more, and are open to all Baxter county residents age 60+ and their spouses.