May 2022
WIHA Office Hours
A Focus on Physical Activity, Sedentary Lifestyles and Mental Health
Thanks to all who joined us for Office Hours on May 17th as we discussed the correlation, impact and benefits of physical activity and reduced sitting time on mental health and sedentary behavior in older adults - particularly as a result of the pandemic. Special thanks to Dr. Kelli Koltyn, a professor in the UW-Madison Department of Kinesiology and developer of the Stand Up and Move More program, and WIHA's physical activity program lead Erin Eggert for a great discussion.

What we learned: With fewer opportunities to be active and fewer places to socialize, older adults have experienced physical and mental health consequences. Pre-pandemic, just 13.9% of older adults were meeting Physical Activity Guidelines. Physical activity levels decreased by 18% in this cohort during the pandemic while depression increased by 22%.

Today, with reduced restrictions and improved community safety, facilities are opening up but many older adults don’t know how to start or re-join their exercise classes or routines and may feel like they’re not fit enough anymore. Now, more than ever, we encourage program providers to offer physical activity programs to reduce sedentary behavior and increase physical activity. Stand Up and Move More, Physical Activity for Lifelong Success (PALS), and Walk with Ease are great options.

Visit our Become a Facilitator page to learn more about each program, including dates and fees for upcoming Leader trainings. Questions? Please contact Erin Eggert.

If you missed Office Hours in May (or our March or January sessions), we hope you'll catch up by checking out the recordings below.
WIHA Joins the Healthy People 2030 Movement
WIHA is proud to be recognized by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as a Healthy People 2030 Champion! We're now part of a diverse group of public and private organizations that impact health outcomes at the state, tribal, and local level - all working toward healthier people and healthier communities. Click the link below to learn more.
Healthy People 2030 Champion is a service mark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Used with permission. Participation by WIHA does not imply endorsement by HHS/ODPHP.
WIHA Consumer-Insight Survey
Breaking Down Barriers to Program Participation
As reported in the last issue of the WIHA Update, understanding and breaking down barriers to program participation is a major priority for WIHA as we work with program providers to support workshop delivery. To that end, we have begun distributing a survey to older adults across the state (with nearly 250 responses collected to date) as a means of better understanding attitudes toward and perceptions of evidence-based health promotion programs. The survey will be open from May 1st through July 31st. Then, a team will analyze the responses, identify solutions to address barriers, and both share and apply what we have learned.

If you would like to assist with this effort, click the link below.
WIHA Program News
And the Winner is...
Bonus Session Challenge Connects HLWD Participants to DSMES
We recently asked Healthy Living with Diabetes (HLWD) program providers to consider offering a bonus session to encourage people to access the clinical Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support Services (DSMES) intervention. As an incentive, we entered providers who offered a bonus session (and 12 did) into a drawing for a free Leader training in 2022.
 
The winner of the HLWD bonus session challenge drawing is the ADRC of Southwest Wisconsin - Green County! Thanks to all who participated!
 
Why offer a bonus session?
While participating in HLWD is an important step in the self-management journey, offering an optional-for-participants 7th (bonus) session (or a separate add-on after session 6 activities are done) is a GREAT way to encourage participants to continue using their self-management skills. During a 7th session you can invite a local certified diabetes educator (CDE) to answer clinical or individual questions and provide information on DSMES offered in your community. To learn more about the DSMES clinical intervention, find services in or near your community, or even to find a video you can use in your 7th session, click the button below.
Diabetes Intervention Overview

We recently developed an overview document (click the image above to download) that provides an overview of: 1) the National Diabetes Prevention Program (for people with prediabetes), 2) our Healthy Living with Diabetes program, and 3) the clinical DSMES intervention. We encourage you to use and share with potential referral sources to ensure that as they encounter individuals or patients with prediabetes or diabetes, they can find the most appropriate intervention.
WIHA Leader/Facilitator Training
Need a Program Leader?
If you're ready to start a new program or need an additional leader for an existing program, it's a great time to check out our program Leader/Facilitator training schedule. Find a full training list at the link below and apply for the training that matches your needs.
Before You Cancel . . .
If you've scheduled a workshop but are having trouble filling it or have other challenges that have you worried you may need to cancel - call us first! We're here to help!
Questions? Contact the WIHA staff lead for the program in question:
PROGRAMS:
*Living Well w/
Chronic Conditions
*Healthy Living w/
Diabetes
*Healthy Living w/
Chronic Pain
PROGRAM:
*Physical Activity for
Lifelong Success
(PALS
*Stand Up, Move More
*Walk With Ease
PROGRAMS:
*Stepping On
*Mind Over Matter:
Healthy Bowels,
Healthy Bladder


PROGRAM:
*Powerful Tools for
Caregivers"



Thank You, WIHA Leadership Circle!
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Thanks for all you do to support healthy aging in your community. If you're interested in making a contribution to the work of the Wisconsin Institute for Healthy Aging, please visit the link below.