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World Health Day: April 7, 2021

Like the World Health Organization, the Healthy Living Center of Excellence has always believed that healthcare should be accessible to all. We celebrate World Health Day on April 7, but we offer beneficial programs to those age 18 and up throughout the year. We know aging is a journey, not a number, so our goal is to help people practice healthy habits as early as possible. Through the Center, adults can partner with medical providers and community-based services to improve their health outcomes and reduce their likelihood of acquiring chronic disease. To get people into healthy habits, we have programs focused on five areas: chronic disease; caregiver support; nutrition; fall prevention; and one-on-one programs. All are free and emphasize proactive self-management so individuals can take thoughtful charge of their health.

Chronic Disease: The course My Life, My Health: Chronic Disease Self-Management has been proven to help adults cope successfully with chronic disease, enhancing their well-being and boosting their confidence. Participants meet once weekly for six weeks to learn about problem solving, managing emotions, reducing pain and fatigue, medication and depression, weight management, and future planning. Other programs focusing on chronic disease include: Diabetes Self-Management; Chronic Pain Self-Management; Cancer: Thriving & Surviving; and Positive Self-Management for HIV.

Caregiver Support: We offer the Savvy Caregiver Program, which is six weeks of training for family and friends who are active caregivers of people living with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia. It trains caregivers to understand the impact of dementia on themselves and the person they are caring for. Participants learn the skills to manage daily life; how to take control and set goals; how to communicate more effectively; strengthen family resources; feel better about caregiving; and, crucially, ways to practice self-care. Other related resources include the Powerful Tools for Caregiver Workshop as well as caregiver support groups and Memory Cafes.

Nutrition: One of our most popular nutrition programs is Healthy Eating for Successful Living in Older Adults. It stresses the importance of self-management and the role nutrition plays in reducing the development of chronic disease. Participants learn skills such as goal setting, problem solving, self-assessment, and how to recognize and track dietary patterns. They are encouraged to follow the federal MyPlate U.S. Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines and to set achievable goals on a weekly basis.

Fall Prevention: Many older adults are injured as a result of falls. So, avoiding such accidents is an important factor in keeping people living safely at home. A Matter of Balance is an eight-week course that encourages participants to see falls as controllable if they increase their physical activity and become aware of the hazards in their environment that can trigger falls. Participants are also taught exercises to improve their balance, flexibility, and overall strength. Our other fall-prevention programs include Capable: Community Aging in Place: Advancing Better Lives for Elders; Tai Ji Quan; and Walk with Ease, which prompts people with arthritis to get moving again.

One-on-One Programs: Some people may shy away from enrolling in a course that gathers in a group, whether in person or via Zoom. To accommodate them, we have adapted programs that allow participants to meet one-on-one with a counselor. Healthy IDEAS is designed to detect and manage symptoms of depression among older adults and their caregivers. Participants work one-on-one with whoever provides their case management—their case manager, social worker, or care coordinator—in a short-term, focused intervention. The Enhance®Wellness course uses a personal health and wellness coach to improve the physical, emotional, and social well-being of participants.

As you can see, our offerings are many and varied. Why not celebrate World Health Day by enrolling in a program that fits your needs? Find out more about our healthy living programs at: https://www.esmv.org/programs-services/healthy-living-center-of-excellence/