ideas & inspiration

Menu

ideas & inspiration

Outdoor Recreation – There’s a Map for That!

Outdoor Recreation – There’s a Map for That!

by | Jul 2, 2020 | Being Well, Move Well, Uncategorized

Imagine if there was a map that included all the outdoor recreation amenities and trails in Tillamook County. How cool would it be to have a convenient way to find places to hike, ride, paddle, bike and bird watch within minutes from where you live?

Thanks to a partnership between Tillamook County Wellness (TCW), Visit Tillamook Coast, Northwest Youth Corps and the U.S. Forest Service, having access to this exciting resource is closer than you might imagine. Beginning in January 2020, efforts have been underway to build a GIS database and map for all recreational opportunities throughout Tillamook County. GIS Intern, Samantha “Sam” Goodwin and TCW Access to Physical Activity (APAC) Co-Chair, Marty Wisehart, were recently interviewed on KTIL’s Tillamook Today show to share more about the project.

View from Pacific City Pathway Trail

“There are hundreds of recreation activities in Tillamook County,” Goodwin stated in her interview, “but right now people have to search all around from individual sites like State Parks or the Oregon Department of Forestry to find what there is to do here.” Sam has worked with local, state and federal agencies to gather all that data and put it into one system.  In the process, she has discovered many local waysides, waterfalls, parks and community pathways for which there is no official information.

“We’re building a one-stop place for recreation,” says Sam. “This is really meant to help locals get out and enjoy activities and the natural beauty we have here.” Nan Devlin, Executive Director for Visit Tillamook Coast, states that “what is good for locals is also good for visitors and vice versa,” noting that Transient Lodging Tax (TLT) revenue directed to her organization is being used to support this work.

In addition to his leadership role with TCW, Marty Wisehart is President of the Tillamook Off-Roads Trails Alliance (TORTA), which has secured funding to build more than 30 miles of mountain biking trails in the Siuslaw forest near Sandlake in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service. Trail building is slated to begin this Fall with access to trails anticipated by Summer 2021. TORTA has been actively involved in increasing community access to recreation, especially for kids and youth, by building trails and helping coordinate Trails Day events. According to Marty, “we have so many recreation assets here and a lot of it is just not known.” He adds, “It’s not enough to build opportunities for people to get active, we have to make sure people have the information they need to decide if an activity is right for them – if they need special gear, how easy or hard the trail is, and so on. The more information we can give to people, the more likely they will feel confident about trying something new and that’s really what we want to see.”

The map includes details for all trail types, surfaces and difficulty levels, as well as access for people with disabilities. It will be sortable by different types of activities, including boat launches and water trails, making it easier for people to plan outings. And, for people worried about their secret destinations being discovered by the masses, county leaders acknowledge this is already happening. County Commissioner, Bill Baertlein emphasizes, “Visitors are already coming and will continue to travel here to enjoy our trails and outdoor recreation. This map and the processes supporting it will help us get out in front of the issue and be proactive rather than reactive.” Leaders also state that having more places on the map helps spread activity around, preventing heavily visited areas from being “loved to death.”

Tourism leaders agree that increasing recreation within the local population instills a sense of pride and ownership, creating stewards who help protect these beautiful places. North Coast Tourism Management Network’s volunteer beach and trailhead ambassador program is one example, as are volunteer opportunities through the local chapter of Trailkeepers of Oregon. For information on how to volunteer as an ambassador contact Arica Sears at icom@thepeoplescoast.com and to learn more about Trailkeepers visit https://www.trailkeepersoforegon.org/get-involved/.

Thanks to an extension of funding and on-going support from the sponsoring agencies, the GIS mapping project will continue until all identified locations are completely mapped and approved by governing agencies. Next the group will determine how users can access the map platform on-line. Michelle Jenck, Tillamook County Wellness Coordinator indicates there is a plan to include a page or link from their new website scheduled to launch this summer.

Like & follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. New Tillamook County Wellness website coming soon!

Walk More and Live Well

Walk More and Live Well

by | Jun 25, 2020 | Being Well, Move Well

         “Above all, do not lose your desire to walk: Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness; I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it.”

– Soren Kierkegaard

Getting outdoors, being physically active and engaging in positive social interactions are just what the doctor would order for supporting health and preventing disease, especially in light of COVID-19. Walking, and being more active in general, boosts our immune system, builds stronger muscles and increases bone density. In addition to improving metabolism and supporting weight management, a daily walking routine can provide immense mental and social benefits. In short, carving out at least 20-30 minutes each day to walk is good medicine! Even better, it’s also free.
Melody Ayers, director of philanthropy and volunteer services at Adventist Health Tillamook, has been working from home since March 17 as part of the hospital’s pandemic response plan.  She shares, “While working from home, there are days that I have as many as five video calls with various work groups that are also working remotely.  I’ve learned to make time throughout the day to walk on the country road where I live, even if only 5-10 minutes at a time in between meetings, to breath fresh air deep into my lungs, stretch my body, and get my creative thoughts pumping again. I’ve even found an inventive new use for my ever-present cotton face mask:  filtering the gnats and small bugs in the air from flying up my nose!”
Walking groups were launched in all three areas of Tillamook County—North, Central, and South—back in 2017, thanks to a grant from the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute’s Community Partnership Program.  The hospital, Tillamook YMCA, OSU Extension and Tillamook County Wellness came together through this project to promote walking as a vital health activity for Tillamook County.  That year, five walking groups with 72 participants facilitated by seven leaders agreed that this was a fun way get physically active and enhance personal wellbeing.  In a survey taken at the end of the grant project, walkers reported significant improvements to their health and said that increased social engagement was a great participation benefit.
Fast forward to 2020, and several groups are meeting and walking regularly throughout Tillamook County. Groups are volunteer led and are open to anyone, including drop-ins. It’s worth noting that State guidelines for curbing the spread of COVID-19 currently allow small groups to get together outdoors while following basic safety precautions such as maintaining appropriate distances and wearing a face covering or mask when you can’t maintain a distance of “one cow length apart,” as we’ve been known to say in Tillamook County. For more information about walking groups in Tillamook County, see the Walk Well flyer or contact volunteer coordinator, Nancy Kershaw at nancy.kershaw@oregonstate.edu.
 
For more local health and wellness information, follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest. And watch for our new website coming soon!

What Drives Health?

What Drives Health?

by | Jun 10, 2020 | Being Well, Uncategorized

We have seen many news media reports in recent months referencing the topics of underlying health conditions and health disparities. Factors underlying these issues are varied, complex and heavily intertwined. Tillamook County Wellness uses data and best practices to influence those factors in ways that lead to improved health for all people, especially those with a higher risk of developing chronic health conditions, such as type 2 diabetes.  As a program of Tillamook County Public Health, our partners work to improve health drivers at every level so that people can live happier, healthier lives. This involves strategies from multiple approaches and an understanding of what drives health at individual, population and public levels.

Population Health vs. Individual health – They are tied together! Individual choices, attitudes, and behaviors impact both our personal health and the health of our community. Individual behaviors contribute to cultural norms and these can be “contagious.” The more we see people doing something, the more likely we are to do the same thing.

Population Health vs. Public Health – Both work to improve the health of the public itself and fall under the umbrella of the field of health systems work.

Population health is a broad focus on understanding the conditions and factors that influence the health of populations over lifetimes. Population health also measures patterns and implements policies for the overall health and wellbeing of society. Healthcare professionals work to improve the health of populations by preventing disease, promoting healthy lifestyles, and addressing health inequities. Some outcomes that population health responds to are improving the health of the people with limited resources, implementing cost-effective strategies to address health disparities, and developing practice guidelines for practitioners. Providers use population health solutions to identify risk factors and coordinate specific care needs for patients.

Public health – According to the American Public Health Association (APHA), Public Health promotes and protects the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work and play. Public Health works on a more personal level than population health. It promotes wellness to the public by encouraging patients to live healthier lives. Public Health workers also educate people to help prevent unhealthy habits, like smoking and substance use, from getting out of control. For example, social workers, nurses and caseworkers work with the healthcare industry in providing government assistance and counseling to the public under the public health umbrella.
Our community Wellness work combines facets of population and public health when addressing the health of our community. We follow the CDC’s research-based guidelines based on numerous factors that drive health.

Health Is More Than Health Care!
Health is more than what happens at the doctor’s office. A wide range of factors influence how long and how well we live from education and income, to what we eat and how we move, to the quality of our housing and the safety of our neighborhoods. For some people, the essential elements for a healthy life are readily available; for others, the opportunities for healthy choices are significantly limited.
According to the CDC, health care provided in a clinic setting accounts for less than 20% of our health. Our community and environment and social determinants of health, like housing, access to healthy food, income, educational attainment, and social supports among other things, can account for more than 50% of our health outcomes. Even outpacing genetic predispositions.

Across the country there are significant differences in health outcomes, from one county to the next, from one state to the next, and among racial/ethnic groups. For example, Blacks, Native Americans and Hispanics have consistently faced barriers to opportunity and good health. Increasing opportunities for everyone can reduce gaps in health. For example, providing better access to high-quality education and enrichment opportunities boosts skills that are key to landing a good job and for upward economic mobility. Additionally, early childhood care and education, good nutrition, physical activity and social-emotional learning contribute to significantly better health later in life.

Health equity means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible. This requires removing obstacles to health such as poverty and discrimination, and their consequences, including powerlessness and lack of access to good jobs with fair pay, quality education and housing, safe environments, and health care.

Health disparities are differences in health or in the key determinants of health, such as education, safe and affordable housing and food security.
We are fortunate there are many dedicated and highly energized community partners working to improve community conditions for inclusive and equitable access to better health. There is more work to be done.
We want to be part of the solution to address community and population health! Tillamook County Wellness is committed to bringing people together to look at the many factors that influence health, and to pursuing strategies that can improve health for all and to make changes that will have a lasting impact. If you’d like to join us, please email us at info@tillamookcountywellness.org.

For more local health and wellness information, visit tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Team Explores Ways to Enhance Community & Economic Vitality in Tillamook County

Team Explores Ways to Enhance Community & Economic Vitality in Tillamook County

by | Jun 5, 2020 | Being Well

Local representatives earn opportunity to participate in a national course on Balancing Nature and Commerce in Rural Communities and Landscapes  

Tillamook, OR – Earlier this year, a team from Tillamook County participated in a three-day course designed especially for rural communities seeking to capitalize on their natural and cultural assets. Working with national experts on sustainable tourism, economic development, natural and cultural resources, community health, transportation, and branding, the nine-person team looked at ways to leverage existing and emerging programs and community assets that make Tillamook County an appealing place to live, work and play.

The Conservation Fund designed and delivered the program to a total of six teams from regions in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Puerto Rico, in addition to the team from Tillamook County. Groups were selected through an application process to participate in the program. Each community group included diverse representation from business and tourism, elected officials, civic leaders, public land managers, and engaged citizens.

The Tillamook County team assembled to attend the event which took place Feb 10-14, 2020, included:  Mary Faith Bell, County Commissioner; Deb Wilkins, USDA, US Forest Service; Michelle Jenck, Tillamook County Wellness; Nan Devlin/Arica Sears, Tillamook County & Regional Tourism; Sarah Absher, Tillamook County Community Development; Eva Wilson, Tillamook County Creamery Association; Claudine Rehn, Tillamook Estuaries Partnership (TEP); Joanne Woefle, Tillamook County Parks; & Erin Skaar, CARE.

Deb Wilkins initiated the application, stating, “In my role as Hebo District Ranger of the U.S. Forest Service and as co-chair of the Tillamook County Wellness Access to Physical Activity Committee, this seemed like the perfect opportunity for us. We know people are coming here to take advantage of our trails and outdoor recreation amenities. We want to make sure locals have those same opportunities and that everyone who uses these natural spaces can do so safely and with an understanding of how we can protect them. The long-term health of our economy and community depend on it.”

Tillamook Team members received a great deal of useful information from the course, such as the fact that outdoor recreation is a major economic driver, contributing more to the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) than the pharmaceutical industry.  National experts noted that it is the “soul of the community” that attracts investment, such as social events, openness to newcomers, community aesthetics, physical beauty and green spaces. Presenters gave practical tips for how to enhance community livability in ways that attract new businesses and jobs, instill community pride and protect the natural beauty of the region.

“The Tillamook County team application presented an ideal candidate for this program due to the strong ties throughout the community and their passion for protecting and enhancing the area’s natural and cultural resources,” said Director of The Conservation Fund’s Conservation Leadership Network, Katie Allen.  “It’s our goal to help communities foster valuable partnerships, reinforce development plans that balance environmental and economic goals and provide technical assistance to enable places like Tillamook County to become even more vibrant and thriving communities.”

Members of the Tillamook team are involved in a variety of local efforts that work collectively to increase access to culture, recreation and other measures that increase community livability and well-being. Research shows that these investments contribute to having a sense of belonging, which helps communities thrive.  Ensuring that youth and young families reap the benefits of this work was a theme during the course’s team planning sessions.

For more than 20 years, The Conservation Fund has delivered this course and other services to over 700 communities in the U.S. and Canada.  The national course is offered annually at the National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV with place-based programs offered on request.

AUTHOR: Katie Allen, 304-876-7925, The Conservation Fund kallen@conservationfund.org

About The Conservation Fund
At The Conservation Fund, they believe that conservation should work for America. By creating solutions that make environmental and economic sense, they are redefining conservation to demonstrate its essential role in our future prosperity. Top-ranked for efficiency and effectiveness, they have worked in all 50 states since 1985 to protect more than 8 million acres of land. www.conservationfund.org

Health, Well-Being and the Outdoors

Health, Well-Being and the Outdoors

by | May 22, 2020 | Being Well

As stay-at-home restrictions begin to lift and the weather changes, people are ready to get outside. This reprint from a previous article on the health impacts of being outdoors gives us one more reason to celebrate where we live. Just remember to follow current guidelines when out and about with others. And keep washing those hands!

“Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach some of us more than we can ever learn from books.” – John Lubbock

Fresh air offers a great benefit to our health. Living in congested city environments is associated with increased risk for many health complications; while those who live by bodies of water, like the ocean, rivers, and lakes, enjoy improved mood and sense of well-being.

Outdoor environments around bodies of water and trees like evergreen and cedar have more negatively charged ions which research shows is good for health. Ocean air from the mid-Pacific contains significantly less particulate matter compared to air from large cities. Ions are tiny, electrified particles of matter. Ionization along with oxygen and the absence of pollutants help to make “fresh “air, which has more negative ions. Negatively charged air has been shown to kill germs, decrease the survival of airborne bacteria and viruses, boost immune function and even improve symptoms of depression. Alternately, positively charged air is associated with feelings of unpleasantness and lethargy. (Links to research articles and additional information on this topic can be found at https://www.healthline.com/health/negative-ions.)

Fresh air is also dependent on trees. Trees draw particulates, ozone and pollutants from the air into their leaves cleaning the air. The University of Chicago studied the number of trees in Toronto Canada and found a relationship to public health. Their 2015 study published in Scientific Reports showed that planting ten trees per city block related to increased perceptions related to a person’s health. People living on those blocks suffered less from obesity and hypertension as compared to neighborhoods with fewer trees and had the same health impact as being 7 years younger.

People living in a neighborhood with less than 10% tree canopy were much more likely to have symptoms of depression, stress and anxiety a Survey of Health of Wisconsin found. Many other studies are examining how higher amounts of green space in cities leads to mental health benefits. Even outdoor exercise and community gardening, as explored by Harvard School of Public Health, are linked to mental health benefits such as recovery of mental fatigue, reduced stress and improved restoration. A growing body of research shows nature is a potent therapy for depression, chronic disease and contributes to creative thinking.

“I go to nature to be soothed and healed and to have my senses put in order.” – John Burroughs

 

AUTHOR: Ginny Gabel, RN, Community Wellness Education, Adventist Health Tillamook

For more local health and wellness information,  follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Stay Home, Stay Safe, Stay Healthy

Stay Home, Stay Safe, Stay Healthy

by | May 17, 2020 | Being Well

We will all remember the Spring of 2020 because of the stay at home restrictions put in place to help stop the spread of disease.   To make the most of this time, we are sharing some great advice from our friends at the Oregon Dairy & Nutrition Council.
 
Eat Well. Our bodies need the best fuel every day, and this is a great time to focus on healthy food choices.  Eating a balanced diet, which includes lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, dairy and whole grains, can help keep you healthy. And, it’s easy! Use the USDA’s MyPlate app as your guide.  Think about food groups when planning meals and snacks.  Try for at least two food groups for a snack – fruit and cheese, for example – and at least three for a meal – whole grain pasta, tomato sauce with added vegetables, and lean ground beef.  Pour a glass of milk to round out the meal.
 
Drink plenty of fluids. Your body depends on fluids to survive, and most healthy people can stay well hydrated by drinking water and other fluids whenever they feel thirsty. Water is recommended, but when you want something different, consider drinks that won’t add unnecessary sugars to your diet, like milk. Milk not only tastes great, it also is an affordable, excellent source of 9 essential nutrients. And, did you know that three of the nutrients – vitamin A, vitamin D, and protein – are essential for a healthy immune function?

Get fresh air. While doctors don’t typically prescribe sitting on your porch to cure an ailment, they do say that stepping outside can help to impact both our physical and mental health.  Open a window, take a walk, or sit on your porch. “Taking a short break outdoors can leave you feeling refreshed and more energized to get back to your daily tasks,” says Dr. Jimmy Johannes, a pulmonologist at Long Beach Medical in this article. Plus, it’s easy to keep a safe “social distance” outdoors!
 
Keep moving. Just because the gyms are closed doesn’t mean you should stop your exercise routine. Use this time as an opportunity to try something new. Many gyms are offering online classes, and many at home programs are offering free trials. Who knows? Maybe now is the time to start training for your next 5k or marathon. It starts with the resolve to keep moving. Need to get started? The Department of Health and Human Services offers physical activity guidelines and practical ways to be active on their website.
 
Get plenty of sleep. Getting a good night of sleep not only helps you feel and think better, it can also help you manage stress. Start with a healthy evening routine.  Turn off the screens, including your phone, an hour before bed and pick up a good book, meditate, write, play music or find another relaxing activity that will settle your brain.  Being “stuck” at home doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to binge-watch your favorite television show and, remember that getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep will help you stay healthy.
 
Do something good. Times are stressful. People are uncertain, confused and cooped up. A great way to help manage your own stress is to take time each day to do something for someone else. Check on a neighbor, share a roll of TP, call a parent or grandparent, sew some masks for healthcare workers, or donate funds to your local food bank. While you are at it, thank a farmer for continuing to produce food for your family. Even doing something small for someone else will boost your mood- and theirs too!

AUTHOR: Stacy Foster, Industry Relations and Communications Manager, Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council     

For more local health and wellness information, follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.