DUBOIS – A Health and Wellness Fair coming to DuBois is designed to showcase free programing available to older adults in the area that can help them to maintain health and manage a variety of conditions. The event is planned for 9:00 a.m. until Noon on Tuesday May 30, 2023, at Parkside Community Center, 120 West Park Ave., DuBois.
Mature Resources Area Agency on Aging’s (MRAAA) offers a variety of Health and Wellness programs that are free and open to the public. The programs are aimed at helping seniors stay healthy, safe, and active.
“At the core of our mission at the Area Agency on Aging is our objective to help seniors live active, fulfilling lives,” said Health and Wellness Coordinator Bobbie Johnson. “These programs offer the knowledge and tools older adults can use to manage certain conditions, allowing them to focus on enjoying life.”
Three programs offered this spring included A Matter of Balance, Chronic Disease Self-Management, and Diabetes Self-Management.
A Matter of Balance is designed to reduce the fear of falling and increase activity levels among older adults. The program is designed to benefit older adults who are concerned about falls, have sustained falls in the past, restrict activities because of concerns about falling, are interested in improving flexibility, balance, and strength, and are age 60 or older.
Participants learn to view falls as controllable, set goals for increasing activity, make changes to reduce fall risk at home, and exercise to increase strength and balance.
Chronic Disease Self-Management is proven to improve the health status of individuals with chronic health conditions. It is an interactive workshop for those living with one or more physical or mental chronic health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, or depression. Participants learn skills to manage their conditions on a day-to-day basis including exercise, healthy eating, management of symptoms such as pain, fatigue, sleep issues, shortness of breath, stress and depression, weight loss, and communication skills. Core self-management skills taught include action planning, problem solving, and decision making.
The Diabetes Self-Management program provides information and skills for people to manage their diabetes and related conditions. Participants will learn how to eat healthy, be physically active, monitor blood sugar levels, take medication, problem solve, reduce risk for other health conditions, cope with the emotional side of diabetes, and improve health and quality of life.
For more information on all Health and Wellness programs offered, visit https://www.mraaa.life/_files/ugd/716c47_8f0550d56a214cee94971216aa0bd70d.pdf .
To register for courses, contact Bobbie Johnson at the MRAAA at 814-765-2696, ext. 360, or bjohnson@matureresources.life.
