Oasis Albuquerque announced today that it received a $60,000 grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico (BCBSNM) through its Healthy Kids, Healthy Families® initiative. Oasis Albuquerque’s commitment to promoting healthy aging through lifelong learning, active lifestyles, and volunteer engagement aligns with the vision of BCBSNM’s Healthy Kids, Healthy Families grant program to help improve the health of individuals and families in local communities.
“We are so grateful to BCBSNM. With their support, Oasis Albuquerque will be able to offer health and wellness programming to over 3,000 adults in the Albuquerque Metro Area,” said Kathleen Raskob, executive director of Oasis Albuquerque. “This programming will include approximately 100 engaging lectures and cooking classes by experts in their fields on an array of health topics, physical activity classes and research-informed, evidence-based workshops. We are particularly excited about the workshops: ‘A Matter of Balance,’ which focuses on fall risk reduction; ‘Peers for Productive Aging,’ focuses on reducing social isolation in older adults and connecting them with local resources; and ‘Chronic Disease Self-Management Education,’ focuses on improving self-management of chronic conditions and pain. We will be offering many of these opportunities in new and underserved parts of our community.”
“Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Mexico is committed to supporting the health and wellness of older adults,” said Dr. Eugene Sun, vice president and chief medical officer, BCBSNM. “By working with Oasis Albuquerque, we can assist in providing seniors with community-based programs that help increase mobility and reduce the risk of injury so older adults can maintain active and independent lives.”
Healthy Kids, Healthy Families is a signature program of BCBSNM. The initiative focuses on engaging children and their families in understanding the importance of nutritious food, raising the level of physical activity, better managing chronic conditions and promoting safe environments. Likewise, Oasis and its programs work to provide resources to the community on healthy aging, fall prevention, chronic disease self-management, exercise and nutrition.