News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 29, 2014

City HHC Urges New Yorkers to "Move To Improve" Their Health

City HHC Urges New Yorkers to "Move To Improve" Their Health

Flu Shots and Preventive Health Screenings Available at 19 Public Health Fairs in the Bronx in October

“Move to Improve” Facebook Photo Contest and Raffles to Win Free Citi Bike Memberships and Crunch Guest Passes

Bronx, NY – The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is urging New Yorkers to “Move to Improve” in October as part of its 11^th annual "Take Care New York" campaign to improve the overall health of New Yorkers. HHC Hospitals and primary care health centers will host public health fairs and education events in every borough, including 19 in the Bronx, where children and adults can get flu shots, learn their body mass index (BMI), measure blood pressure or join an exercise class. Over 6,400 people participated in Take Care New York events last year and many were connected to follow-up care for chronic diseases that were previously undiagnosed.

“Take Care New York” health fairs will offer a variety of prevention and screening tests for illnesses and chronic diseases affecting the public, including obesity, high blood pressure, depression, asthma, HIV, cancer and more. Many HHC facilities will also provide nutrition counseling, tips to manage diabetes, smoking cessation kits, raffles to win Citi Bike and gym memberships, and other services at little or no cost. New Yorkers can dial 311 or visit www.nyc.gov/hhc for a complete list of “Take Care New York” events in the community.

“There’s room in everybody’s day to ‘Move to Improve,’” said Dr. Machelle Allen, HHC’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer. “Excess body weight puts people at increased risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, arthritis and cancer. Exercise is a very important part of a healthy lifestyle. It’s good for the body and has also been proven to reduce stress. And it doesn’t take much time or require any special equipment. A few minutes of exercise a day can save your life or the life of someone you love.”

This year’s “Take Care New York” campaign includes:

• A Facebook photo contest. Submit photos to the HHC Facebook page that show how you move to improve and get a chance to win a free one-year Citi Bike membership or a free 1-month or 3-day passes to Crunch gyms.
• Raffles to win Citi Bike and Crunch memberships. Visit one of the education and screening events and enter to win one of 10 free 1-year Citi Bike memberships or one of more than 200 free 3-day guest passes to Crunch gyms.
• Free Shape Up NYC exercise classes. Join an aerobics, yoga, zumba, Latin cardio, calypso cardio session or other fun routines. Just bring your own water bottle and workout mat. No registration needed.
• Healthy cooking demonstrations. Learn new, healthy recipes ideas, and how traditional meals can be recreated using healthier ingredients and cooking techniques.
• How to find a great health plan. Learn more about HHC’s MetroPlus Health Plan and what benefits are available under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The next open enrollment period for health insurance coverage under the ACA will be from November 15, 2014 to February 15, 2015.

In New York City, over 50 percent of adults and 40 percent of children are overweight or obese. The obesity epidemic strikes hardest in communities already suffering from health and economic disparities, particularly black, Latino and low-income communities where the rate of overweight and obesity reaches 70 percent in some neighborhoods.

Screenings and other HHC health services are available to all New Yorkers regardless of immigration status or ability to pay. Those without health insurance will get help on-site to apply for any health insurance plan for which they may qualify or to otherwise access affordable healthcare services at HHC hospitals and clinics.

“Take Care New York” screening dates and locations:

Lincoln Medical Center
234 East 149th Street
Conference Room 3, 4 & 5
October 7, 14, 21 & 28 (Tuesdays)
9am – 3:00pm

Segundo Ruiz Belvis Diagnostic & Treatment Center
545 East 142nd Street
Lobby 1st floor
October 7 (Tuesday)
11am – 4pm
718-579-4019

Jacobi Medical Center
1400 Pelham Parkway South
October 7, 14, 21 & 28 (Tuesdays)
10am-4pm

North Central Bronx Hospital
3424 Kossuth Avenue (Mosholu Park and Jerome)
October 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 (Wednesdays)
10am – 4pm

Morrisania Diagnostic & Treatment Center
1225 Gerard Avenue
1st Floor
October 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30 (Thursdays)
10am – 3pm

 

Contact:

Ian Michaels, 212-788-3339, ian.michaels@nychhc.org
Jennifer Bender, 212-788-3339, Benderj1@nychhc.org

About HHC

The New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) is a $6.7 billion integrated healthcare delivery system, the largest municipal healthcare organization in the country, and one of the New York area's largest providers of government-sponsored health insurance, MetroPlus Health Plan, the plan of choice for nearly half a million New Yorkers. HHC serves 1.4 million New Yorkers every year and more than 475,000 are uninsured. HHC provides medical, mental health and substance abuse services through its 11 acute care hospitals, five skilled nursing facilities, six large diagnostic and treatment centers and more than 70 community based clinics. HHC Health and Home Care also provides in-home services for New Yorkers. HHC was the 2008 recipient of the National Quality Forum and The Joint Commission's John M. Eisenberg Award for Innovation in Patient Safety and Quality. For more information, visit www.nyc.gov/hhc or find us on facebook.com/nycHHC or twitter.com/HHCnyc.