Living Well Alabama Modified in Response to COVID-19
The Area Agency on Aging will begin to offer the Living Well Alabama health education program, also known as the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP), in a home study format combined with telephone conference calls once a week for 6 weeks.
Participants will be mailed a CDSMP Tool Kit, which includes a book entitled Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions, a Relaxation CD, an Exercise CD, and a guidebook designed to assist individuals to use the materials more effectively for their particular needs. The guidebook includes a self-test, tip sheets, and an exercise guide.
Participants will engage in self-study, exercise, and relaxation, as well as applying the principles they will learn from the book. All of this will be done on their own, at home. However, the participants will also connect weekly with other participants via a telephone conference call, which will last about one hour. This group call will be facilitated by a certified trained CDSMP Leader, who will guide the group activities and interaction. The groups will consist of 4 to 6 participants.
The program, Tool Kit, and conference calls are all free to participants. They will need to have a willing spirit, the ability to study and use the materials on their own, and a phone so they can attend the weekly calls for support and comradery. They can use a landline or a cell phone, and will need to have a quiet, undistracted, private environment for the duration of the one-hour weekly phone meetings.
During this time of closings and restrictions, we at the Area Agency on Aging are eager to begin offering this new format. It will allow us to continue to provide this powerful program, which has been tested and proven to be effective in improving the lives of people with chronic health conditions. In addition, we believe that the social support provided by weekly telephone contact will be helpful to those who may be feeling isolated, depressed, and/or afraid by the threat of COVID-19 and the current necessity to avoid contact with others.
We hope this will be a light to those with chronic health conditions seeking ways to be healthier, live better, and have meaningful contact and support from others in the safety of their own home. "
