YMCA News:
A new program is coming to the community.
The Family YMCA in conjunction with the Los Alamos Retired and Senior Organization and the Los Alamos Cooperative Extension Service is offering a series of community-based workshops to help those with chronic conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, chronic pain, anxiety, heart disease and more.
The Manage Your Chronic Disease (MyCD) Program, also known as Stanford University’s Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, brings people with chronic diseases, family members and caregivers together in a community setting to learn healthier ways to live and gain confidence, and motivation to manage their health and feel more positive about life.
The six-week workshop is highly interactive and provides the tools needed to manage symptoms, work with health care professionals, set weekly goals for behavior change, problem-solve, use relaxation techniques, handle difficult emotions, eat well, and exercise safely and easily.
The workshop is not disease-specific, but it is designed to support and enhance disease-specific education.
“We are excited to bring this successful program into Los Alamos,” said Linda Daly, CEO of The Family YMCA.“Our community members want to be armed with tools they can use to live a better life and this program provides them with those life-skills.”
Topics include Getting a Good Night’s Sleep, Feedback and Problem solving, Dealing with Difficult Emotions, Pain and Fatigue Management, Better Breathing, Healthy Eating, Medication Usage, Making Informed Treatment Decisions, Dealing with Depression, Positive Thinking and Working with Your Health Professionals and the Health Care System.
The goal of this workshop is to allow participants to set their own goals and make a step by step plan to improve their health-and their life.
The MyCD Workshop will be held once a week for six weeks from 1:30-4 p.m., beginning June 4 through July 2 at the Town Hall in White Rock.
The health coaches for the class are Pauline Schneider, Executive Director of the Los Alamos Retired and Senior Organization and Paula Roybal Sánchez, Extension Home Economist at the Los Alamos Cooperative Extension Service – trained volunteer leaders with health conditions themselves.
The workshop is free but pre-registration is required. To register or for more information, call LARSO, 662-8920 or contact Melanie Chapman, the Family YMCA Wellness Director at mchapman@laymca.org or 662-3100.
