Healthy U Workshops Scheduled at UW Nov. 1

The Wyoming Center on Aging (WyCOA) is partnering with the University of Wyoming Wellness Center for “Healthy U,” a six-week chronic disease self-management workshop. The free public sessions will be in Room 002 of the Wyoming Union.

The workshops will be held Tuesdays (except for the week of Nov. 22 during the Thanksgiving holiday) from 5-7:30 p.m. The first workshop is Nov. 1, and the sixth and final session is Dec. 13. Participants are expected to try to attend all six workshops. Dinner and a raffle will be provided during each session.

Catherine Carrico, WyCOA associate director, and Dominick Duhamel, WyCOA senior project coordinator, will lead the “Healthy U” workshops.

To enroll in the workshop or for more information, contact Duhamel at (307) 766-2765 or dduhamel@uwyo.edu.

UW’s “Healthy U” is modeled after Stanford University’s evidence-based Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP). The workshops are a resource for people with one or more chronic diseases, caregivers, friends and family of those with chronic disease and anyone interested in learning how to better manage their own health.

The subjects covered in the program include: techniques to deal with problems such as frustration, fatigue, pain and isolation; appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength, flexibility and endurance; appropriate use of medications; communicating effectively with family, friends and health professionals; nutrition; decision making; and how to evaluate new treatments.

“’Healthy U’ does not focus on any particular illness or symptoms, and will not conflict with existing programs or treatment,” Duhamel says. “It is designed to enhance regular treatment and disease-specific education.”

The program sessions are highly participative. Mutual support and success build participants’ confidence in their ability to manage their health and maintain active and fulfilling lives. This mutually supportive format makes the program especially effective and helps participants develop lasting support networks, Duhamel adds.

All “Healthy U” workshops are led by certified master trainers or leaders. Master trainers are typically health education professionals who receive one week of training delivered by staff at the Stanford Patient Education Research Center. Leaders are typically volunteers, church members, senior center staff, patient educators or wellness advocates and receive four days of training delivered by experienced Stanford-certified master trainers.

CDSMP has been extensively studied, widely published and peer-reviewed. In its initial evaluation, more than 1,000 participants with chronic diseases were enrolled in a three-year, randomized, controlled study. According to data, those who participated demonstrated a significant improvement in exercise, cognitive symptom management, communication with physicians, self-reported general health, health distress, fatigue, disability and social/role activities limitations. They also spent fewer days in the hospital, and had fewer outpatient visits and hospitalizations.