BOISE, Idaho — This week, Area 3 Senior Services Agency is getting ready to start another round of "Living Well" workshops in the Treasure Valley. The Agency acts as a long-term care resource hub, assisting seniors with services like Meals on Wheels, caregiver services, homemaker, adult protection and the long-term care ombudsman program.
Area 3 Senior Services Agency recently received a grant from the Idaho Commission on Aging and the Administration for Community Living to increase health promotion programming in Idaho, specifically in rural and underserved areas. The Agency is looking to help older Idahoans living with diabetes or chronic pain have an alternative resource that supports healthy living.
With adults living longer and life expectancy growing, the incidence of chronic disease also increases, as well as the prevalence of chronic pain. As chronic pain cases rise, there's also a rising opioid prescription rate which can put seniors at risk for addiction and overdose. The Agency is working to provide local seniors with health and wellness workshops structured to provide them with tools to manage their chronic pain and diabetes.
The Agency utilizes volunteer leaders that are trained to facilitate workshops throughout the southwest region. The free workshops meet once a week for six weeks, giving participants the tools needed to be good self-managers of their chronic conditions. These programs are evidence-based and were created at Stanford University.
As part of a peer group, participants learn healthy habits including: healthy eating, the importance of monitoring blood glucose if you have diabetes, medication usage, physical activity, getting good sleep, understanding emotions and communication techniques. In each workshop, everyone gets a chance to learn and practice new skills and work on an action plan for the week.
Workshops are starting October 9 at Horizon Home Health and Hospice in Meridian. For more information, click here or call (208)898-7060. To register, call Natalie Nathan at (208)898-7068 or email her at natalie.nathan@a3ssa.com.
