Living Healthy Workshop

Put life back into your life!

HVCS’ Kingston office is pleased to introduce a new peer-led support group for Ulster County residents living with complex chronic illnesses.

Living Healthy workshops help you:

• Feel better. By heling you increase your energy and get relief from pain, fatigue, and difficult emotions.
• Take control of your life. Helps you do the things you want to do each day.
• Get connected. Gives you the opportunity to learn from others who have similar health issues.

The Living Healthy workshop is a six-session peer-led health education program for people with any type of ongoing health condition and compliments the health care that person may already be receiving. The purpose of the Living Healthy workshop is to enhance one’s skills and ability to manage their health and maintain an active and fulfilling lifestyle.

In addition, participants learn or enhance their problem-solving and decision-making skills which enable them to confront the ever-changing challenges of living with an ongoing health condition. The course is facilitated by two leaders, one or both of whom are trained volunteers who themselves have an ongoing health condition. Participants are invited to bring a family member or friend.

The program includes:

• Developing decision-making and problem-solving skills
• Developing and maintaining a safe and long-term physical activity program
• Fatigue management
• Dealing with anger, depression, and other difficult emotions
• Cognitive management of pain and stress
• Communicating effectively with family, friends and health professionals
• Using prescribed medication appropriately
• Healthy eating
• Making informed treatment decisions
• Planning for future health care

RESULTS:

Stanford’s Patient Education Research Center conducted a randomized, controlled test of the program with 1,000 class participants and found many to have the following outcomes for up to three years after attending the class series:

• Better communication with physicians
• Better coping strategies and symptom management
• Increased physical activity
• Reduced health distress

The Healthy Living workshops will be facilitated by two trained people in the Living Healthy NY program. This is a free workshop for Ulster County residents who have a chronic illness. The classes will be held in the conference room at 138 Pine St., Kingston from 2:30pm-4:30pm. The dates are Nov. 12, Nov. 19, Dec. 3, Dec 10, Dec 17, and Dec 23.