Free workshops on “Living Well with Chronic Conditions” are offered in April and May by the Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disabilities and Anne Arundel Medical Center. Adults with chronic conditions of any age are welcome to participate, as well as caregivers of individuals with chronic conditions.
“These conditions can be anything from high blood pressure to diabetes, arthritis, COPD, and/or chronic pain,” says Pam Toomey, coordinator of the program at the county department who is certified by Stanford University’s Patient Education Research Center. “A chronic disease is a medical condition that can cause suffering and loss of physical abilities over many years. Any one of these can be difficult to manage, and a lot of people are managing several chronic conditions at one time.”
Registration is underway now for the six-week self-management workshop series where “you learn how to manage the symptoms that go along with a chronic disease. You will learn techniques to help you manage pain, fatigue, depression, stress, and anxiety,” Mrs. Toomey says. “You meet once a week and re-gain control of your life. This is a wonderful way to start this Spring with feeling better. People who have taken this workshop series are so pleased with the results.”
Participants will learn:
• Appropriate exercise for maintaining strength, flexibility, and endurance.
• Appropriate use of medications.
• How to communicate effectively with health professionals and family members.
• How to eat healthier.
• How to evaluate new treatments, and planning for the future.
Workshops will be held on Tuesday mornings from 9:30 a.m. to noon April 3, 10, 17, and 24 and May 1 and 8, and on Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 8 p.m. April 5, 12, 19, and 26 and May 3 and 10. Both series will be held on the 7th floor of the hospital’s Health Sciences Pavilion, 2000 Medical Parkway, Annapolis.
Workshops space is limited. To register, contact Mrs. Toomey at 410-222-4366, Ext. 3057, or e-mail her at [email protected] or go online to www.aacounty.org/aging and scroll down to the workshop series information.
