Programs

A Matter of Balance acknowledges the risk of falling and emphasizes practical coping strategies to reduce this fear. These strategies include promoting a view of falls and fear of falling as controllable, setting realistic goals for increasing activity, changing the environment to reduce fall risk factors, and promoting exercise to increase strength and balance. This workshop is conducted over eight sessions, meeting weekly or twice weekly for two hours per session. The sessions are led by trained facilitators. The program’s goal is to reduce the fear of falling, stop the fear of falling cycle, and increase activity levels and confidence among older adults. For more information, contact the Healthy Living Center of Excellence at 978-946-1211.

Upcoming Workshops

Nov 2024

Jan 2025

The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (My Life, My Health) is a participant education program developed by Stanford University and offered in communities in the United States and several other countries. Participants are adults experiencing chronic health conditions such as hypertension, arthritis, heart disease, stroke, lung disease, and diabetes. Family members, friends, and caregivers can also participate. The program provides information and teaches practical skills for managing chronic health problems. My Life, My Health: Chronic Disease Self-Management also gives people the tools and motivation they need to manage the challenges of living with a chronic health condition. The overall goal of this program is to enable participants to build self-confidence to assume an active role in maintaining their health and managing their chronic health conditions.

This workshop is conducted over six sessions, meeting weekly for two and one-half (2½) hours per session. These sessions are led by two trained leaders. For more information, contact the Healthy Living Center of Excellence at 978-946-1211.

Upcoming Workshops

Oct 2024

Mar 2025

The Diabetes Self-Management Program is a participant education program for people with diabetes. The program was developed by Stanford University and is offered in communities in the United States and several other countries. Family members, caregivers, or friends may also attend. Workshop topics include:

• Techniques to deal with the symptoms of diabetes, fatigue, pain, hyper/hypoglycemia, stress, and emotional problems such as depression, anger, fear and frustration
• Appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength and endurance
• Healthy eating and nutrition
• Appropriate use of medication; and
• Working more effectively with health care providers.

Participants make weekly action plans, share experiences, and help each other solve problems they encounter in creating and carrying out their self-management program and managing their diabetes. This workshop is conducted over six sessions, meeting weekly for two and one-half (2½) hours per session. These workshops are led by two trained leaders. For more information, contact the Healthy Living Center of Excellence at 978-946-1211.

Upcoming Workshops

Oct 2024

Jun 2025

Healthy Eating is a program for older adults who want to learn more about nutrition and how lifestyle changes can promote better health. Based on the USDA MyPlate, the main components of the program include goal setting, problem-solving, group support, nutrition education, self-assessment, and management of dietary patterns. Six consecutive 2½-hour sessions are followed by a Healthy Eating restaurant outing one month after the sixth session

• Session 1: MyPlate, Label Reading, Portion Control and Exercise
• Session 2: Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Water and Exercise
• Session 3: Meat, Eggs, Legumes, Milk and Exercise
• Session 4: Fats, Sweets and Exercise
• Session 5: Grocery Store Outing
• Session 6: Meal Preparation or Cooking Demonstration
• Session 7 (optional): Restaurant Outing (one month after Session 6)

The program is delivered by two trained leaders with the support of a nutritionist or registered dietician. Sessions are highly participatory and include an education component and hands-on activities. For more information, contact the Healthy Living Center of Excellence at 978-946-1211.

Upcoming Workshops

Nov 2024

Powerful Tools for Caregivers is an education program to help family and friends caring for older adults with long-term health conditions (e.g., stroke, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and others) or Grandparents raising their grandchildren. Powerful Tools helps caregivers develop skills and confidence to better care for themselves while caring for others. The weekly topics range from reducing stress to communicating in challenging situations and mastering caregiving decisions. Many caregivers have found this class beneficial, including those caring for a spouse or partner, or adult children caring for their parents. The older adult, the participant is caring for, can be living with them, in a nearby community or across the country. Powerful Tools for Caregivers class participants report they are:

• Better at caring for themselves
• Have fewer feelings of anger, guilt, and depression
• Have increased confidence, and ability to cope with the demands of caregiving; and
• More likely to use community services.

It is a six-week series led by two trained facilitators using a standardized curriculum. Classes are held for 2 hours once a week for 6 weeks. For more information, contact the Healthy Living Center of Excellence at 978-946-1211.

Upcoming Workshops

Oct 2024

Savvy Caregiver is recognized nationally as a leading evidence-based dementia family caregiver training program.

Savvy programs are designed to provide the most relevant dementia knowledge, skills, and mastery to support family members as they provide care for their relatives or friends living with dementia. Savvy Caregiver programs have been proven to decrease family caregiver distress, burden, and depression while increasing caregivers’ sense of competence and confidence in their care role.

Savvy Caregiver provides person-centered, active-learning programs in a variety of formats that integrate core principles and insights from gerontology, nursing, family systems, and occupational therapy. Families learn strategies to enhance their self-care as well as day-to-day time with their person.

With the vast majority of daily long-term care provided by family members, Savvy Caregiver programs offer an array of programs across the U.S. Culturally sensitive adaptations and translations continue to be developed and tested to serve families in diverse communities.

For more information, contact our Healthy Living Center of Excellence at 978-946-1211.

Resources:

http://www.rosalynncarter.org/caregiver_intervention_database/dementia/savvy_caregiver

Telesavvy

http://alzheimers.emory.edu/patients-caregivers/caregiver-role/index.html

http://license.umn.edu/technologies/z08156_the-savvy-caregiver-program-for-alzheimer-caregiver-training

Upcoming Workshops

The Better Choices, Better Health Program is the online version of the internationally recognized Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (My Life, My Health), developed and tested at the Stanford University Patient Education Center. This six-week online workshop helps participants reduce their pain and anxiety and manage their symptoms. This workshop is led by two trained facilitators, many of whom live with chronic conditions themselves. Participants discuss reducing stress, dealing with stressful emotions, planning for the future, locating and using community resources, building communication skills, and asking for help.

Participants can log onto the free sessions from any computer with an Internet connection, including dial-up, at any time. At their convenience, they can complete exercises, read posted materials, and interact with others who are also coping with a chronic condition. For information, call 978-946-1211.

Upcoming Workshops

The Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) is an evidence-based lifestyle change program that can help prevent or delay the onset of diabetes for those who are at risk.

You’ll learn how to eat healthier, how to add physical activity to your day, and how to manage your stress. Groups of 8 to 15 people start the program at the same time. The groups are led by a trained Lifestyle Coach who motivates you to make sustainable lifestyle changes that are right for you.

By enrolling in the Program, you’ll get one full year of support! The first six months you’ll meet once a week with your peers and lifestyle coach to get you started. Then for the next six months, you’ll meet one time each month to stay on track. Some programs may vary on how many times you get together as a group.

People who complete the program lose weight, eat better, and see other positive health changes like:

• Lower blood sugar
• Lower blood pressure and
• Reduced cholesterol levels

Cost

• Some insurance companies will cover the fee for the program, which ranges from $400-$500. Contact your insurance company to find out. Most programs also have lower fees based on your annual income. Contact the DPP provider directly to see if you qualify for reduced fees.

Many studies have shown that programs like DPP can help people meet their long-term health goals and lower their risk for diabetes.

Healthy IDEAS (Identifying Depression, Empowering Activities for Seniors) is an evidence-based program that integrates depression awareness and management into existing case management services provided to older adults. This program addresses depression in older adults often occurring with chronic illness and other losses later in life. Depression can negatively affect older adults’ quality of life and ability to function. Healthy IDEAS ensures older adults get the help they need to manage symptoms of depression and live full lives.

Healthy IDEAS improves participants quality of life by:

• Screening for symptoms of depression and assessing their severity
• Educating older adults and caregivers about depression
• Linking older adults to primary care and mental health providers
• Empowering older adults to manage their depression through a behavioral activation approach that encourages involvement in meaningful activities

For more information, visit www.healthyideasprograms.org or call 978-946-1211.

The EnhanceWellness Program is an individual program where people receive personalized health action plans that identify a person’s health risks and the steps needed to improve health and well-being. The goal is to promote positive behavior change and to minimize health risks while maintaining or increasing. A trained EnhanceWellness Coach conducts home visits and follow-up phone calls to help the participant reach their personal goals.

How EnhanceWellness works:

• The Screening – The participant completes a detailed health questionnaire that helps identify their strengths and risks focusing on health issues, social activities, lifestyle, feelings, physical activity, falls, and nutrition. Together, the EnhanceWellness Coach and the participant review the results and explore health goals.
• The Plan – The Health Action Plan is developed by the participant with the support of the EnhanceWellness Coach. The Health Action Plan highlights areas of health risk the participant chooses to work on. The EnhanceWellness Coach is ready to assist the participant in clarifying goals and addressing motivational changes.
• The Action – The participant moves to action with the support of the EnhanceWellness Coach who offers encouragement, feedback, and monitoring. The EnhanceWellness Coach helps with problem-solving, health education, and referral to support groups. After the 6-month mark, participants complete a second health questionnaire. Responses are compared, and new feedback is given to the participant. The participant can choose to graduate from the program or re-enroll and work on another health action plan.

For more information, call 978-946-1211.

The Chronic Pain Self-Management Program is a participant education program developed by Stanford University and offered in communities in the United States and several other countries. Participants are adults experiencing chronic pain. Subjects covered include:

• Techniques to deal with problems such as frustration, fatigue, isolation, and poor sleep
• Appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength, flexibility, and endurance
• Education about the appropriate use of medications
• Learn how to communicate effectively with family, friends, and health professionals
• Strategies for healthy eating and nutrition
• Pacing activity and rest; and
• How to evaluate new treatments

The overall goal of the program is to enable participants to build self-confidence to assume an active role in managing their chronic pain. This workshop is conducted over six sessions, meeting weekly for 2½ hours each session. The sessions are led by two trained leaders. For more information, contact the Healthy Living Center of Excellence at 978-946-1211.

Upcoming Workshops

Oct 2024

May 2025

Positive Self-Management Program (PSMP) is an evidence-based program, developed by Stanford University, for people living with HIV. This program includes integrating medication regimens, learning to cope with emotions such as fear and isolation, incorporating daily exercise, better nutrition, and more. PSMP is designed to enhance regular treatment and HIV-specific education. Volunteer Workshop Leaders teach those living with HIV the skills to coordinate all the things needed to manage their health as well as to help them keep active in their lives. Each participant in the workshop also receives a free copy of the companion book, Living Well With HIV and AIDS, 3rd Edition. This free workshop is held weekly in 2-1/2 hour sessions for seven consecutive weeks. For more information, contact the Healthy Living Center of Excellence at 978-946-1211.

Upcoming Workshops

Tai Ji Quan: Moving for Better Balance® (TJQMBB) is a research-based balance training regimen designed for older adults and people with balance disorders. Fuzhong Li, Ph.D., a Senior Scientist at Oregon Research Institute, developed the program.
Although its origin can be traced to the contemporary simplified 24-form Tai Ji Quan routine, TJQMBB represents a significant paradigm shift in the application of Tai Ji Quan, moving the focus from its historical use as a martial art or recreational activity to propagating health by addressing common, but potentially debilitating, functional impairments/deficits.
This workshop meets twice a week for 1 hour each week for 24 weeks. For more information, contact the Healthy Living Center of Excellence at 978-946-1211.

Upcoming Workshops

This evidence-based workshop focuses on preventing falls and improving balance through the regular practice of Tai Chi. Participants will learn eight single forms, all of which are derived from the traditional, well-known, 24-form Yang Style Tai Chi. The forms are tailored to older adults who wish to improve balance and mobility, and consequently reduce the risk of falling. The performance of Tai Chi movements is also closely coordinated with natural breathing and stress reduction. This workshop meets for 1 hour twice a week for 12 weeks. For more information, contact the Healthy Living Center of Excellence at 978-946-1211.

Upcoming Workshops

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