Korth Center to host program to help older adults live well

Are you interested in learning how to live well with challenges such as high blood pressure or diabetes? If so, Care Connection for Aging Services has just the class for you.
Care Connection’s Korth Center in Stockton is hosting a “Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Disease” class beginning at 9 a.m. on June 7. The course consists of six weekly sessions of two and a half hours each. The classes will be at the center, 309 W. Englewood, in Salisbury. Certified facilitators Shery Fogle and Kristin Fisher will lead the classes. The sessions are free, but registration is required by calling Care Connection Lifestyles Specialist Shery Fogle at 1-800-748-7826.
Regina Haynie recently finished a six-week CDSMP class in Clinton, and says she would “absolutely” recommend the course to people who have chronic conditions.
Haynie lives with two chronic conditions, both diagnosed just after the death of her husband.
“People with chronic conditions feel isolated and alone,” Haynie said. “By getting us together in a group, we were able to share some of our concerns, open up about concerns, and learn how others deal with it. Then you know you are not alone.”
The proven practices for self-management are based on an ongoing series of studies conducted at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Topics 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.
–Evaluation of new treatments.
Sharon and Walter Johnson, of Warsaw, also attended the Clinton class.
“For the two of us, it was more reinforcement we were doing the right thing,” said Sharon, who has lived with chronic pain for 31 years. “There were a lot of good resources.”
Materials, including the book “Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions,” will be provided. The book contains information and tips to help people manage chronic conditions daily while doing the things they need and want to do.
Participants make weekly action plans, share experiences, and help each other solve problems they encounter in creating and carrying out their self-management program.
“Doing the weekly plans made us stop and think about what you are doing right and what you need to improve on,” Sharon Johnson said.
Walter Johnson lives with diabetes and high blood pressure. He said the course “made you be honest with yourself. You had to make yourself stick to the plan. It’s easy to set up a plan, for your own health, and your own future health, but it’s harder to stick to it and be honest with yourself.”
The Stockton Korth Center is one of 23 locations served by Care Connection for Aging Services, a non-profit area agency on aging serving people 60 and older operating in 13 counties, including Cedar. The agency mission is to provide opportunities to create positive aging experiences.