My Life, My Health: Living with Chronic Conditions, a six-week evidenced-based workshop, will be offered by the Marion Council on Aging and Coastline Elderly Services of New Bedford from April 23 through May 28. Certified leaders, Ellen Keogh and Beth Lederman, will facilitate the program. The participants will meet weekly from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm at the Marion Police Station. The workshop uses a supportive problem solving approach to develop techniques for managing symptoms related to chronic conditions.
This workshop is available to elders with a chronic illness or their caretakers.
Participants who complete the six-week course will receive a $50 Market Basket gift certificate.
To register for this free program or for more information, please call the Marion Council on Aging at 508-748-3570 or Jacqueline Medeiros of Coastline Elderly Services Inc. at 508-742-9151.
My Life, My Health helps people with chronic conditions and their caretakers regain control of their lives and do the things that matter to them. Participants feel empowered and more confident in managing their health. They meet new people, share what they know and learn new ways to actively manage their symptoms.
The program topics include: physical activity and exercise; dealing with difficult emotions; pain and fatigue management; healthy eating; communication skills; medication usage; making informed treatment decisions; and working with health care professionals and the health care system.
A five-year study of 1000 workshop participants revealed that after six months, people demonstrated increased exercise, better coping strategies and symptom management, improvement in self-rated health, increased social interaction and fewer visits to the doctor.