In partnership with Metropolitan State University (MSU) of Denver, a wellness coaching program at Eaton Senior Communities is helping wellness coach interns practice their profession while senior residents of Eaton’s communities improve their health and wellness.

Late last year, the Residences at Eaton Senior Communities received a $50,000 grant from LeadingAge’s Innovations Fund to create a replicable model for other affordable housing providers to establish a partnership with an institution of higher learning in order to offer this same service to their senior residents. The template will include toolkits for interns and housing providers, with intern recruiting videos and handbooks with step-by-step instructions to make the partnership successful. It will be available later this year, at no charge, to interested parties.

In addition to funding from LeadingAges’s Innovations Fund, Eaton was recently awarded a $10,000 grant from the Colorado Health Foundation to measure the effectiveness of wellness coaching on resident health outcomes. This grant will enhance Eaton’s promotion of wellness coaching in affordable housing settings across the United States, and the program is already showing positive outcomes.

Eaton residents participating in the program have reported that the coaching is dramatically changing their lives. The student interns, supervised by Eaton staff, are also impacted by their coaching experience at Eaton and several have changed their study focus to aging services.

Dr. Bobbie Kite has been hired to administer the most recent grant and establish scientifically-based analysis methods. She will work with graduate students from MSU of Denver, recognized nationally as a leader in wellness coaching, to complete this project.