Corewell Health South, formerly Spectrum Health Lakeland, will host a Community Grand Rounds speaker series event titled “Health, Housing and Healing” on October 27 from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in person at the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center, with a virtual attendance option also available.
The event will focus on the connection between housing and health, building on the understanding that people with stable housing are more likely to have longer life expectancies, healthier behaviors, and better overall health outcomes. Corewell Health South welcomes Natalie Moore, journalist and author of “The South Side: A Portrait of Chicago and American Segregation” as the keynote speaker.
Following the keynote presentation, a panel discussion with local and regional housing experts from Berrien, Kalamazoo, and Kent counties of Michigan and St. Joseph County from northern Indiana. They will explore community-driven solutions to housing insecurity including strengthening local partnerships needed to create healthier and more equitable communities throughout Southwest Michigan and Greater Michiana.
“Across health care, we’re taking a greater interest in the social determinants of health, like income, food, jobs, and housing,” said Loren B. Hamel, MD, president, Corewell Health South. “While those factors may not appear to be related to health, they have a greater impact on our health outcomes than what happens at the hospital or doctor’s office.”
“As the local health care provider, we recognize that safe and affordable quality housing plays a critical role in the health and well-being of our community and is key to our ability to live up to our promise to improve health and health equity,” said Lynn Todman, PhD, vice president, health equity and community partnerships, Corewell Health.
Registration and more information about this free event can be found at //spectrumhealthlakeland.org/housing-summit.