Starting Tuesday, a unique six-week course will be provided to help those with a chronic disease.

“Live Like Your Life Depends On It: A Chronic Disease Self-Management Program,” is sponsored by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services’ Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program, the Newton County Health Department, Family Pharmacy and Advantage Health Care.
The event will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. or 1-3 p.m. for the next six weeks at Advantage Health Care, 1009 Neosho Blvd. Program dates are Jan. 6, 13, 20, 27, and Feb. 3 and 10.

“It is just to help people better manage their own chronic condition or to help family members,” said Newton County Health Department Public Health Educator Casey Himmelsbach. “We received a grant from the state for this program.”

Classes are highly participative, where mutual support and success builds confidence in participants’ ability to manage their health while maintaining active and fulfilling lives.

Chronic diseases covered in the program are heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema.

Participants will receive a book and CD to go along with the workshop.

“Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions” is the book.

“The book has some information about each chronic condition and a lot of the techniques that we are talking about in the classes, such as healthy eating and exercising properly,” said Himmelsbach.


Program goals

n Improve your knowledge of living a healthy life with a chronic condition;

n Identify and learn the latest pain management approaches;

n Learn to manage fatigue and stress more effectively;

n Find solutions to problems caused by your condition;

n Identify ways to deal with anger, fear, frustration, depression;

n Discuss the role of exercise and nutrition in chronic disease management

n Learn new ways to communicate with family and friends

n Learn how to form a partnership with your health-care team

Himmelsbach and Patti Yates, nursing supervisor for the health department, will conduct the workshop.

Himmelsbach said this is the first time for the program offered and is free of charge. For information, contact Himmelsbach at 451-3743.