Officials seek to help healthier community project

We all know we can be healthier but there is a group doing something about it. 

As a volunteer, I have been involved over the past 15 months with a dedicated group of over 20 organizations including police and fire departments, human needs service groups, city health departments, churches and Maine Township which been working together to pave the way for all of us to eventually get the help and health information we need to fight human ills such as depression, hunger, joblessness, loneliness and so much more. I guess weight loss might get in there sometimes.

This group did a massive survey of about half of the households in Park Ridge for a start. The results are now being shared with groups and governments of all types around here. On Feb. 24, the Park Ridge City Council received the presentation by Paula Besler of Advocate Lutheran Hospital. Besler was chair of the committee which did the work for the survey and compiled the results. Further cooperation between the hospital and the City of Park Ridge is being worked out. Other towns and areas are now getting involved.

On Feb. 25, Maine Township Supervisor Carol A. Teschky welcomed Besler who is also Director of Community and Health Relations at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital (ALGH), to the Township Board meeting. Besler gave her comprehensive presentation to the Board and township department heads on the results of the health and human needs survey.

Teschky was also on the committee which produced the survey of 7,000+ households and helped compile the findings. Besler says the Healthier Park Ridge project and survey will be conducted in a similar manner in several surrounding communities in the coming year or so within the hospital’s service area.

The possible outcomes of the project may include formation of a 311 system, additional human needs resources and even staffing at the city levels and more to better coordinate between those in need with local resources and services. The survey really shows our community has needs. There are people hurting around here and some are your neighbors. Many of the necessary services are already available but making the connection between those in need and those to provide the help is the challenge. Working together we can meet that challenge.

This was amazing work by Besler and her committee. The positive results that can come from the information gathered cannot be easily measured. It is a wonderful move toward pooling resources and information to get help to those who really need it. What could be better?