UWs Center on Aging Offers Virtual Workshops for Chronic Health Conditions, Caregivers

The Wyoming Center on Aging (WyCOA) at the University of Wyoming is offering a free public virtual Healthy U workshop series for people with chronic health conditions and their caregivers.

Healthy U focuses on chronic conditions, such as diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, depression, heart disease, chronic pain, anxiety, multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia -- all conditions that affect residents on a day-to-day basis.

The workshop series begins Thursday, May 28, and will take place every Thursday from 9-11:30 a.m. An informational session is scheduled Thursday, May 21, at 9 a.m. To register for the workshops, visit www.healthyuwyoming.org.

In the past, the program was offered throughout Wyoming in a variety of settings, including senior centers, public health organizations, hospitals and rural health clinics.

“We are excited that we can now offer this program in an online format so that we can continue to provide these much-needed services to the residents of Wyoming,” says Catherine Phillips Carrico, a clinical assistant professor and the WyCOA associate director. “Now, more than ever, it is important for individuals to be proactive about their health.”

During the workshops, participants receive support from trained leaders and other workshop participants; learn practical ways to manage their pain and fatigue; learn about nutrition and exercise options; understand new treatment choices; and learn better ways to communicate about their conditions with doctors and family members.

The goal of Healthy U is to help people better manage their health conditions and deal with the frustration, fatigue and pain that can accompany a chronic disease, Phillips Carrico says.

“Participants benefit from meeting other people with ongoing conditions and learning how they cope while gaining a sense of camaraderie and understanding they are not alone in dealing with the challenges of managing a chronic health condition,” says Dr. Emma Bjore, from Laramie.

Past participants report increased energy, reduced stress, more self-confidence and fewer doctors’ visits because of taking the Healthy U workshops, Phillips Carrico adds.

For more information, call Dominick Duhamel, WyCOA project coordinator, at (307) 766-2765 or email dduhamel@uwyo.edu.