Grantee: Pike Market Senior Center & Food Bank
Timeframe: April 2020 – March 2021 | Amount: $18,397
Pike Market Senior Center & Food Bank (PMSC) will conduct a one-year pilot program, Alternative for Healthy Aging (AHA), to expand and evaluate the impact of providing on-site, free-of-charge acupuncture and East Asian medicine services to PMSC members. AHA has been established as a collaborative effort between PMSC and Seattle Institute of East Asian Medicine (SIEAM)/CIC at the request of Senior Center clients who have received treatment by a volunteer acupuncturist. PMSC will demonstrate via data collection (qualitative and quantitative), analysis, and reporting that providing direct access to EAM is feasible, well-accepted and demonstrates patient-reported effectiveness for a wide range of symptoms.
PMSC will create program guidelines to be used to expand services and create a long-term, sustainable model. The Institutional Review Board of SIEAM/CIC will oversee the conduct of all data collection and analysis. If sufficient patient benefit and program viability are established, AHA can seek sustainable funding and future programs may be established.
The project will help practitioners deliver effective care to low-income older adults from diverse backgrounds.
During the COVID pandemic, this program will focus on telehealth intervention including lifestyle coaching, dietary advice, general health information, psycho-social support services and referrals, as well as weekly classes centered around gentle movement exercises (qi gong) and health maintenance strategies from an East Asian medicine perspective.
About Our Grantee
Pike Market Senior Center & Food Bank
The Pike Market Senior Center & Food Bank serves the residents of Downtown Seattle. The Pike Market Senior Center (PMSC) offers nutritious meals, social work case management, and healthful activities to over 1,500 older adults (55+). PMSC clients are predominantly very low-income and over 40% are homeless. At the Pike Market Food Bank, we provide free groceries to thousands of people of all ages who face hunger.
Agency mission statement: In Downtown Seattle, the Pike Market Senior Center strives to make each day better and safer for older adults; the Pike Market Food Bank serves people of all ages who face hunger. Together, we provide services, activities, and support that lead to more self-sufficient and fulfilling lives.
