As our parents, loved ones, and we continue to grow older in age, we are worried about their/our safety, especially when living alone. In particular, falls are a huge risk for older people with physical and mobile problems. With risks for bone fractures, breaks, and possible death, we need to go to great lengths to prevent falls from happening. September is Falls Prevention month, and Missouri has events going on for caretakers, elderly, and those who are concerned about their loved ones well-being.
Research shows that every 15 seconds, an older adult is seen for a fall-related injury in the emergency room. The National Council of Aging has released an educational flyer about the 6 steps individuals can use to help prevent falls.
With temperatures across much of Missouri being in the mid-upper 70s for the high tomorrow, Saturday, September 14, and scattered rain holding off until the early part of next week, it's the perfect weather for walking!
Watch the video below from Everybody Walk! to find out great reasons for finding a space to walk (indoors or outdoors) on a regular basis each week.
Take some time this weekend to walk around your block, down the street, at a local school track, in a park, on a nature trail, or in a mall. Then, let us know why you walk!
Have you graduated from one of the self-management programs that the Missouri Arthritis and Osteoporosis Program and its seven Regional Arthritis Centers (RACs) provide throughout Missouri? Participants who have completed 4 of 6 sessions for Living a Healthy Life (Chronic Disease Self-Management Program); Arthritis Self-Management Program; Diabetes Self-Management Program; Better Choices, Better Health; Better Choices, Better Health - Arthritis; or Better Choices, Better Health - Diabetes are welcomed to join a new online alumni community!
The Healthier Living Alumni Community is a free online group that allows members to access tools for self-management, participate in discussion forums, get support from others, and share resources to better manage their chronic health conditions. Current features of the online community include discussion forums, chat events, an internal messaging system, and a resource section. Click here to sign-up to be a member of the online community.
If you or someone you know has arthritis, you may know all too well the impact that pain can have. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one of the main focuses of treating or managing arthritis is in fact to control that pain. While there are many different forms of treatment for arthritis pain, there have been some studies which have shown the benefits of massage. The Arthritis Foundation (AF) provides some information behind these studies and discusses the benefits of massage. For some people with arthritis, massage can be used as a natural or alternative treatment for pain.
Next Wednesday, September 18, the Arthritis Foundation and Massage Envy Spa are partnering together for their annual event - Healing Hands for Arthritis. $10 from every one-hour massage and facial session on this date will be donated to the Arthritis Foundation. Request an appointment here or click here to learn more about the event.
Adults with arthritis may respond to this question that their social life is limited. If you are trying to think about how you would respond to this question, there are several things you may want to think about. When friends or family invite you to attend a gathering, are you able to attend? Do you still do shopping on your own? When is the last time you went to a movie, sporting event, or public festival? How often do you visit friends and family members? Are you still an active participant in social and service organizations?
Many people who suffer from chronic long term conditions like arthritis have symptoms like pain and weakness, and may one day experience disability. People with long-term health conditions are alsolikely to suffer from depression and anxiety. For anyone who has been diagnosed with these conditions this may come as no surprise. Research shows there may be a link between inflammation from arthritis causing or contributing to depression. There are ways you can manage arthritis and depression/anxiety while learning to live with them successfully. First, let’s look at why the two conditions appear to be linked.
Sonya Hodges, of the Douglas County Health Department, Ava, Missouri, has been involved in chronic disease self-management education programs for a few years now. Hodges has been a leader for CDSMP programs for five years and is also trained in the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program. Hodges, Suzanne Cooney and Angie Fletcher, held the CDSMP course at the Missouri Ozarks Community Health center and seven participants ranging in age from their late 40s through their late 60s attended. Hodges stated that the “group bonded almost instantly the first night”. As the course continued over the six weeks, the participants maintained their support for one another.
New classes for the Better Choices, Better Health(R) program are starting now! The Missouri Arthritis and Osteoporosis Program began offering this new self-management program for Missourians in March 2013. Better Choices, Better Health(R) is an online program developed by Stanford University. This program is the online version of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP).
To learn more about Better Choices, Better Health(R) in Missouri and/or to register for the new courses, please view our on-line course registration website here.
During the summer months, many people take vacations, either staying at home or traveling to a new or favorite destination. It can be difficult while traveling to maintain a work-out routine and/or to get physical activity. If you're on the go this summer, there are still ways that you can engage in physical activity.
June isn't just the month of Father's Day, it's also a month to bring awareness to issues of health for all boys and men. National Men's Health Month, started as part of a Congressional health education program in 1994, encourages us all to pay extra attention to the health of important men in our lives. Men's Health is an important topic, and there is a lot we can learn about how to take care of ourselves and our friends/family members.
Arthritis resources are available throughout Missouri. Whether you're a patient, family member or volunteer, this site will help you understand and locate those resources.
Contact Us
Watch this for suggestions about which pages to visit on this website.
Dr. Wendell Bronson talks about why the MAOP is a good fit for many of his patients.
CEMRAC Leader, Amber Phelps, talks about the many ways participants can benefit from classes.
Class participant, Suzanne Pfeffer, explains why she's stayed with the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program for a decade.
Orvie Prewitt went from participant to leader to program coordinator.
Margaret Lindsey discusses the many benefits of participating in physical activity and self-management classes.
Doris Fountain reveals the newest arthritis program, The Arthritis Toolkit.
Learn How CDSMP Works - If you are interested in learning more about a CDSMP workshop in Missouri, please contact your local Regional Arthritis Center or email us at moarthritis@gmail.com!
