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Need for Housing, Maintaining Community Character Are Key Topics at Portsmouth Smart Growth Panel Discussion –

"Every growing town needs labor, so ask yourself where labor sleeps at night," said New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority Coordinator Benjamin Frost at a Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce panel discussion on Smart Growth, community planning and housing affordability, telling the members, "You must care about where people are living, because the less housing choices there are, the more problems workers have personally and within the business."
Source: http://www.smartgrowth.org/news/article.asp?art=5921&state=30

Blueprint Buffalo Strategy Takes Aim at Aging Suburban Strip Plazas –

Buffalo has many hard-hit retail outlets, but such "grayfields" amid empty parking lots also mar suburbia, with most of some 20 strip plazas along a five-mile Sheridan Drive stretch near Amherst in the east and Tonawanda in the west patently "outdated or run-down" and almost half crippled by vacancies reports Buffalo News writer Sandra Tan. She quoted Amherst Planning Director Eric W. Gilbert, who said, "The problem the city has been dealing with for years has clearly arrived in the suburbs."
Source: http://www.smartgrowth.org/news/article.asp?art=5973&state=33

Philips Elementary School’s Small Change in the Day-to-day Lives of Students Pays off in Big Way –

Philips Elementary school switched the timing of students’ daily recess period, allowing activity before lunch. This change has allowed students to go out to play. When they return, it’s time to eat. The result of this change has been higher test scores overall for the students, and fewer behavioral problems.
Source: http://www.activelivingbydesign.org/index.php?id=497

Glut of High-End Homes as Experts Tell Builders to Focus on Affordable Houses –

"You cannot have a work force live in Ada County if all they can afford is a Canyon County home (at least 12 miles west of central Boise),” said local Colliers International expert John Starr at an Urban Land Institute conference in Boise. He pointed to the area's glut of costly homes but stagnant household incomes, and urged builders to focus on affordable housing while being careful not to exceed urban service capacity.
Source: http://www.smartgrowth.org/news/article.asp?art=5967&state=13

Louisville Mayor Endorses "Complete Streets" Design Guidelines –

"For decades, we in Louisville – and cities around the nation – have built roads only for vehicles," said Metro Mayor Jerry Abramson in endorsement of Louisville’s proposed "Complete Streets" design guidelines. The guidelines focus on sidewalks, bike lanes and curbs easy for wheelchairs and baby-strollers.
Source: http://www.smartgrowth.org/news/article.asp?art=5941&state=18

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A New Look at Planned Unit Developments –

Ten large builders, who build more than 20 percent of all U.S. homes, are changing the way land is developed, relying increasingly on planned unit development and master-planned communities. Daniel Mandelker, FAICP, offers new alternatives and standards for the new generation of PUDS in Planned Unit Developments, a report just released by APA's Planning Advisory Service.
See: http://www.planning.org/pas/reports.htm

Visitability: A Major "No-Step" Towards Inclusive Housing –

Changes in public policy and design practices must begin to prepare for the growing number of seniors who want to age in their own homes, and the needs of people with disabilities.
Read the first three pages of this article by Jordana L. Maisel.
See: http://www.plannersweb.com/wfiles/w186.html

Sustainable Communities for All Ages is a Viable Futures Toolkit –

“Sustainable Communities for All Ages: A Viable Futures Toolkit” offers guidance to planners, policymakers, service providers, funders and even families about how to craft solutions for older generations that simultaneously address needs of younger generations and their communities. The Toolkit and accompanying User's Guide are available for download. Covering a breadth of topics including education, civic engagement, economic development, health, housing, transportation, and the environment, the Viable Futures Toolkit provides concrete approaches and sequenced actions so that local government officials and community partners can maximize financial, human, and natural resources.
See: http://www.viablefuturestoolkit.org.

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Better Health from Exercise
Author: Teddi Dineley Johnson
Healthy You, May 2007, American Public Health Association

Your body was made to move. Daily physical activity reduces the risk of heart disease by improving blood circulation throughout your body. It also can keep your weight under control, improve blood cholesterol levels, prevent and manage high blood pressure, relieve stress, improve self-image, boost energy levels, increase muscle strength, prevent bone loss and increase optimism by countering depression. In older people, exercise helps delay or prevent chronic illnesses and diseases associated with aging and maintains quality of life and independence longer.

Vigorous aerobic activities are best for improving the fitness of your heart and lungs. These include brisk walking, running, swimming, skiing, bicycling and jumping rope. But even low-intensity activities, when done for as little as 30 minutes a day, will improve your health. So grab a rake and till the garden, or scrub the kitchen floor. You might even borrow your neighbor’s poodle and go for a stroll, or dance!

Unfortunately, many people who start a new exercise program drop out within a couple of months, claiming they’re too busy or simply bored with the routine, says American Council on Exercise spokeswoman Debi Pillarella, MEd, CPT.

"If it’s not fun, then the likelihood of it becoming part of life for the long haul is significantly reduced," Pillarella says. To counter the boredom, she suggests taking a class. "Research shows that people who take exercise classes do a better job adhering to their exercise program than those who go it alone."

Or play. Exercise isn’t just push-ups, sit-ups and walking on a treadmill. Playing softball, joining a tennis league, running around with your kids, "all are great ways to get exercise in a fun way," she says.

Finally, providing yourself with realistic exercise goals and rewarding yourself for achieving those goals makes working out a lot more fun. To reward herself, Pillarella puts $1 in a jar each time she works out and sets a goal of four to six workouts a week. "This allows me to get a pedicure almost monthly," she says.

But whatever you decide to do, keep in mind that if you’ve been sedentary for a long time, are overweight, have a high risk of coronary heart disease or some other chronic health problem, the American Heart Association recommends that you see your doctor for a medical evaluation before beginning a physical activity program.

MYTH: You have to be a marathoner to see health benefits
FACT: Research continues to show that any amount of exercise, at any age, is always better than no exercise. In general, the more you do, the greater the benefits. "Many newcomers to exercise can begin to achieve health benefits by accumulating a minimum of 60 minutes in a week," Pillarella says.

MYTH: It’s too late for me to start
FACT: You don’t want to jump from the couch to the treadmill all at once, but it’s never too late to start exercising. In older adults, a little exercise goes a long way toward imparting health benefits, and the more you do, the greater the health benefits.

Of course, if you have a chronic condition, such as heart disease, cancer or diabetes, you’ll want to check with your doctor first for any precautions you’ll need to take.

MYTH: No pain, no gain
FACT: A sensible exercise program might be uncomfortable, but it should not be painful. If exercise hurts, you’re doing something wrong.

MYTH: Exercise takes up way too much of my free time
FACT: Exercise doesn’t have to be done in one long session. You can break it up throughout the day, or sneak it into your activities. Instead of jockeying for the best parking spots, choose the ones farthest away. Carry that gallon of milk to your car instead of using the cart. Take the stairs instead of the elevator whenever you can. During TV commercials, get up and walk around the house or run-in-place for two minutes. At the office, when you need to talk to co-workers, do it the old-fashioned way — get up out of your chair and visit them in person. They’ll be pleasantly surprised and you’ll benefit from the movement.

Break out your walking shoes.

Walking is the easiest and most convenient form of exercise, and here’s the best part: it’s free! Studies show that women who walk four or more hours per week have 41 percent fewer hip fractures than women who walk less than one hour a week. Also, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that sedentary women ages 65 and older who began walking a mile a day cut their rates of death from all causes by 50 percent.

To download a PDF of this article or other editions of Healthy You, see: http://www.apha.org/publications/tnh/healthyyou/.

For more easy exercise tips, see:
http://www.acefitness.org or http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/everyone.htm.

National Bipartisan Coalition Forms to Make Chronic Disease the Key Health Care Issue in 2008 Presidential Election
Source: PRNewswire-USNewswire

Leading experts and organizations in the health care, business, faith and labor communities came together this May in Iowa to launch the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD), a coalition committed to making the issue of chronic disease the key health care issue in the 2008 presidential election. The PFCD is led nationally by Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., FACS, the 17th Surgeon General of the United States (2002-2006) and Ken Thorpe, Ph.D., Chair, Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University and a former White House health policy advisor.

In Iowa, PFCD has a distinguished panel of co-chairs. Former Governors Terry Brandstad and Tom Vilsack, as well as Sarah Swisher from SEIU, Former Minority Leader Rep. Dick Meyers, Forrest Harms, executive director of Des Moines Area Religious Council, Jim Swanstrum, CEO and President of Community Health Charities of Iowa and Jim Cownie, Chairman of the Greater Des Moines Partnership, are all leaders in the strong bipartisan partnership.

"We have a 'sick care' system, not a health care system in this country. That's why this diverse coalition is sounding the alarm and calling for action," said Thorpe. "Despite any differences we may have on other issues, we all agree on a single, undeniable fact: 130 million people suffer from chronic diseases in our nation, and costs are skyrocketing because of preventable and poorly managed chronic diseases. We can – and we must -- do something to stop it."

"Iowans have a dual responsibility when it comes to these important issues," Vilsack said. "We should ask the candidates to outline thoughtful healthcare policies and we should lead the nation in prevention and wellness."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), chronic diseases are responsible for seven out of every 10 deaths in the U.S. – killing more than 1.7 million Americans every year. Chronic diseases are also the primary driver of health care costs, accounting for more than 75% of the $2 trillion dollars spent each year on health care in the United States.

"Any serious proposal to reform our health care system must address preventable chronic disease," said Branstad. "Our state's premier business, labor, health care, faith, and community organizations are dedicated to making chronic diseases like asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer the number one health care priority for policymakers and presidential candidates."

Thorpe, along with other high-profile Iowans, including former governors Branstad and Vilsack announced the broad-based effort that aims to change the way our nation approaches chronic disease. Representatives from many of the partner organizations attended the event, which was held in Des Moines.

Leaders from such organizations as the Community Health Charities, Iowa, Des Moines Partnership, Des Moines Area Religious Council, and Service Employee International Union joined Thorpe on the panel.

During the event, Thorpe delivered a keynote presentation titled "An Unhealthy Truth" – an overview of the crisis of chronic disease and the lack of awareness among the majority of Americans about the problem and potential solutions. Key facts in the presentation included:

Thirty percent of the increase in health spending since 1987 is due to doubling of the rate of obesity during that time;
Two-thirds of spending over the past 25 years is attributable to the rise in rates of treated chronic disease;
In Iowa, roughly $7.6 billion is spent every year on the five most common chronic diseases alone – and another $780 million on obesity; and
Only a small fraction of Americans, fewer than one in six, comprehend the magnitude of the problem: that chronic diseases represent more than 70% of the deaths in the U.S. and more than 75% of health care costs.

"There is a lot of debate about how to pay for health care, but there is a lot of agreement about the need for better prevention and management of chronic diseases that can yield better results for patients and overall cost savings," said Thorpe. "With the presidential election coming up, we intend to do all we can to put the focus on the critical need to reduce the burden of chronic disease. It's essential for our health and for the
sustainability of our health care system."

In order to bring the issue of chronic disease to the forefront of the national dialogue on health care, the PFCD is modeling its outreach strategy and tactics after a modern-day presidential campaign. The Co-chairs and partner organizations will launch an aggressive grassroots effort which includes voter and candidate education and media outreach.

Paid media is a critical part of the PFCD's awareness-building efforts. Print, radio, billboard, and other highly visible outdoor advertisements aim to educate consumers and policymakers on the issue of chronic disease. The ads will explicitly ask voters to hold presidential candidates responsible for addressing the issue.

The PFCD is also running an extensive online advertising campaign to drive consumers and policymakers to the coalition's website (http://www.fightchronicdisease.org), where they can:

Sign a petition to voice support for the fight against chronic disease;
Learn the appropriate ways to contact policymakers;
Explore model programs that are successful in fighting chronic disease and improving health in communities across the nation;
Access recent research conducted by the PFCD and other organizations, as well as fact sheets and toolkits that offer helpful tips on healthy living at home and in the workplace;
Stay informed with the latest news on chronic disease, health and wellness, and health care policies; and
Keep tabs on current legislation that may affect the prevention and treatment of chronic disease in the United States.

About the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease: The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) is a national bipartisan coalition of patients, providers, community organizations, business and labor groups, and health policy experts committed to raising awareness of the number one cause of death, disability, and rising health care costs in the U.S.: chronic disease. the PFCD's mission is to:

Challenge policymakers – in particular, the 2008 presidential candidates – to make the issue of chronic disease a top priority and articulate how they will address the issue through their health care proposalsl
Educate the public about chronic disease and potential solutions for individuals, communities, and the nation; and
Mobilize Americans to call for change in how policymakers, governments, employers, health institutions, and other entities approach chronic disease.

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Editor: M.H. Brennan
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The Project for Livable Communities (PLC) is a nonprofit organization headquartered in metropolitan Phoenix; membership includes professionals in urban design, public health, education and journalism. Founded in 2005, PLC, which includes the Alliance for Healthy Community Design (AHCD), fosters livable communities by addressing three major community components of the environments in which we live and work – Healthy Design, Safe Design and Sustainable Design – and focusing on the best practices of each.

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