Market Days! To Promote Healthy Aging in Larimer County
College of Health and Human Sciences
Human Development and Family Studies
Larimer
County
- Health and Well-Being
- Equal time spent on-campus and in the field
Primary Topic:
Health and Well-Being
Other Topics:
Food and Agriculture
Internship Overview:
Market Days! was started in 2019 by the Larimer County CSU Extension Office and is a program that supplies at-risk older adults with fresh produce at the Larimer County downtown Farmer’s Market. Designed for seniors at risk for food-insecurity and social isolation, this program aims to enhance nutrition while building a sense of community and connection. I have been affiliated with the program since its inception in 2019 and have conducted preliminary program evaluation efforts. I have created student opportunities to be involved with the program including master’s thesis, internships, service-learning projects, and volunteer opportunities. Market Days! continues to be a successful and popular program among its participants. My work on this project centers around program evaluation, student involvement, and most recently, expanding program activities to actively engage participants and market attendees.
As a community-engaged researcher, my aim is to utilize the Market Days! program as a novel way to reach an underserved population of older adults who face complex problems of chronic illness and multimorbidity, social isolation, financial instability, and food insecurity. This internship will support this community-engaged research project by assisting with research and data collection activities, as well as to help design and grow the program offerings to engage and support participants in their own aging trajectories.
As a community-engaged researcher, my aim is to utilize the Market Days! program as a novel way to reach an underserved population of older adults who face complex problems of chronic illness and multimorbidity, social isolation, financial instability, and food insecurity. This internship will support this community-engaged research project by assisting with research and data collection activities, as well as to help design and grow the program offerings to engage and support participants in their own aging trajectories.
Goals, Scope and Objectives:
An Extension intern will assist with the following goals:
1) Attend the Farmer’s Market every Saturday May-August to meet participants, help pack produce bags, facilitate activities, and collect survey data.
2) Support the process of conducting an IRB-approved program evaluation program of the primary target outcomes (1. Fruit and vegetable intake, and 2. Social isolation) in addition to process outcomes (program satisfaction, new ideas for next year, desire for transportation); and
3) Assist with designing, coordinating, and implementing weekly healthy aging activities at the farmer’s market to help engage participants.
4) Collaborate on publications and presentations, as desired.
1) Attend the Farmer’s Market every Saturday May-August to meet participants, help pack produce bags, facilitate activities, and collect survey data.
2) Support the process of conducting an IRB-approved program evaluation program of the primary target outcomes (1. Fruit and vegetable intake, and 2. Social isolation) in addition to process outcomes (program satisfaction, new ideas for next year, desire for transportation); and
3) Assist with designing, coordinating, and implementing weekly healthy aging activities at the farmer’s market to help engage participants.
4) Collaborate on publications and presentations, as desired.
With which stakeholder group(s) will the intern work?
Dept of Human Development and Family Studies (HDFS)
CSU Extension
Various aging-related agencies in the local community, including Partnership for Age-Friendly Communities, Larimer County Office on Aging and others
CSU Center for Healthy Aging
CSU Extension
Various aging-related agencies in the local community, including Partnership for Age-Friendly Communities, Larimer County Office on Aging and others
CSU Center for Healthy Aging
What student learning outcomes do you anticipate and what are the opportunities for professional development?
1. Develop skills for project management and professional communication with community audiences;
2. Increase knowledge of adult development and aging, gerontology, healthy aging paradigms, and community-engaged scholarship
3. Engage in an immersive learning experience to build relationships with program participants by attending the weekly market, conducting interviews, and co-facilitating listening sessions throughout the program.
4. Apply knowledge and experiences to design activities and engage participants at the weekly farmer’s market
5. Participate in the publication and presentation process with academic and community audiences, as desired
6. Work as a key member of a multidisciplinary team
2. Increase knowledge of adult development and aging, gerontology, healthy aging paradigms, and community-engaged scholarship
3. Engage in an immersive learning experience to build relationships with program participants by attending the weekly market, conducting interviews, and co-facilitating listening sessions throughout the program.
4. Apply knowledge and experiences to design activities and engage participants at the weekly farmer’s market
5. Participate in the publication and presentation process with academic and community audiences, as desired
6. Work as a key member of a multidisciplinary team
