MO Arthritis

New MOArthritis.org Feature! Self-Management Toolkit

Many people are affected by one or more chronic health condition, such as arthritis, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure.  There are also many family members who act as a caregiver for individuals affected by a chronic disease.  Actively engaging in one’s health, through self-management techniques and physical activities, can help to improve quality of life.

The Missouri Arthritis and Osteoporosis Program has put together an online toolkit of resources that may be helpful to individuals with chronic health problems and their caregivers.  Participants of the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program offered in Missouri will recognize some common themes toward self-management: understanding emotions, engaging in healthy eating, managing pain, and problem-solving.  These are just a few of the tools found in our self-management toolkit.

Take a look at this resource and see if there are one or two resources that are especially helpful for you or someone you know who is either an individual with chronic health problems or their caregiver.  This Self-Management Toolkit is an ongoing resource and will be updated regularly with new resources.  If you would like more suggestions on specific activities or techniques for self-management and physical activities, please contact your Regional Arthritis Center Coordinator or the Missouri Arthritis and Osteoporosis Program.  If you have additional resources you think could be helpful to other individuals with chronic health conditions or their caregivers, please contact the Missouri Arthritis and Osteoporosis Program.

Virtual Advocacy Summit - March 4-6

If you weren't able to make it to Washington D.C. this week for the Arthritis Foundation's annual Advocacy Summit (2013 - Talk About Arthritis Face to Face), you can join in virtually!

Specifically, join in tomorrow, Tuesday, March 5, from 7:30-11 am CST for an Arthritis Advocacy 101 session.  Click here to find out more information about this session. 

For more information about the Virtual Advocacy Summit overall, please visit the Arthritis Foundation's website here.

Join a Rheumatoid Arthritis Conference from Work or Home!

Register now for an allied health professionals conference near you - no matter where you are!  A conference on Rheumatoid Arthritis will be held in Kirksville, Missouri on March 23.  One great thing about this conference is that it is also being broadcast live as a webinar so you can participate from your home or work.  Whether you attend in person or on-line, continuing education credit hours for health professionals are being offered.  For more information on this great opportunity, please see contact information for the hosting Regional Arthritis Center (RAC) below.

 

Joint Efforts for Optimizing Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis and its Co-Morbidities

Saturday, March 23, 2013; 9 am - 1:45 pm
Gutensohn Clinic (Mehegan Classroom) or ONLINE WEBINAR!
Kirksville, Missouri

To find out more information, click here to download the conference brochure.  You can register by mail using the conference brochure; by phone at 660-626-2232 or toll-free at 866-626-2878 (x2232); or register online by clicking here. If participating via webinar, be sure to note that on your registration.

Contact Doris Fountain or Barbara Stone, Northeast Missouri RAC, with questions or for more information.

Rheumatoid Arthritis conferences for allied health professionals

Register now for an allied health professionals conference near you!  Three conferences on Rheumatoid Arthritis will be held around the state of Missouri during the month of March.  All conferences offer continuing education credit hours for health professionals.  For more information on any of the three conferences, please contact the hosting Regional Arthritis Center (RAC) using contact information below.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Professional Conference 2013

Saturday, March 2, 2013; 8 am - 2 pm
St. Francis Conference Center
Cape Girardeau, Missouri

To find out more information and to register online, click here. 

Contact Heidi Dunn, Southeast Missouri RAC, with questions or for more information.

 

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Past, Present, Future

Friday, March 8, 2013; 8 am - 1 pm
Kauffman Foundation Conference Center
Kansas City, Missouri

To find out more information, click here to download the conference brochure.  To register, please call 816-932-5100 or Toll-Free at 855-932-5100; you can also register online by clicking here. 

Contact Orvie Prewitt, Kansas City Area RAC, with questions or for more information.

 

Joint Efforts for Optimizing Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis and its Co-Morbidities

Saturday, March 23, 2013; 9 am - 1:45 pm
Gutensohn Clinic (Mehegan Classroom)
Kirksville, Missouri

To find out more information, click here to download the conference brochure.  You can register by mail using the conference brochure; by phone at 660-626-2232 or toll-free at 866-626-2878 (x2232); or register online by clicking here. 

Contact Doris Fountain or Barbara Stone, Northeast Missouri RAC, with questions or for more information.

https://adobeformscentral.com/?f=dKKdnobIbhpZbouh7Y76Kw#

Heart Healthy February!

Raising awareness of chronic health conditions is one of the main goals of an individual who has been diagnosed with a chronic disease. The more that people know about the symptoms and causes of a chronic disease, the more they can focus on more preventative measures. Since many people suffer from multiple chronic conditions, any information that can either help to prevent or alleviate some of the symptoms of these conditions is valuable. For example, according to the Missouri Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) 2011 survey, 64.1% of Missourians with heart disease have also been diagnosed with arthritis. February is American Heart Month with the goal of spreading awareness about cardiovascular problems. Even though heart disease is both preventable and controllable, it is still the leading cause of death in men and women. If an individual has both heart disease and arthritis, the condition with symptoms that cause more immediate concern, in this case heart disease, often take precedent. We all have the time and opportunity to think more about overall ways to treat multiple health conditions now, as opposed to waiting until we are confronted with serious health crises.

The good news is small steps can be taken to help lead people to better heart health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is providing a tip a day throughout February that encourages healthy heart behaviors. They have also made a list of 8 things a person can do year round to help decrease their chances of suffering from heart disease:

• Eat a healthy diet. Healthy meal and snack choices can help prevent heart disease and the complications that come with it.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of heart disease.
• Exercise regularly. Regular exercise can help keep weight healthy as well as lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
• Monitor your blood pressure. Be sure to have this checked on a regular basis as high blood pressure often has no symptoms.
• Don’t smoke. Smoking greatly increases your risk for heart disease.
• Limit alcohol use. Drinking too much alcohol can increase your blood pressure.
• Have your cholesterol checked. This should be done by your health care provider at least once every 5 years.
• Manage your diabetes. If you have diabetes, keep a close eye on your blood sugar levels.
• Take your medicine. If you take medication for high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes, follow your doctor’s instructions carefully.

These are just a few easy lifestyle changes that you can make to reduce your risk of heart disease. Besides organizations like the CDC, national initiatives like The Million Hearts campaign (whose goal is to help prevent one million heart attacks and strokes by the year 2017) also provides information and tools that you can utilize to get your heart in the best shape possible!

5 Ways to Help Manage Diabetes and Better Choices, Better Health - Diabetes

Learning how to manage your diabetes can be a lot of work and may often seem overwhelming. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) recently posted an article (read in entirety here) describing five things you can do to make living with diabetes seem a bit more manageable.

1. Know your ABC’s. Discuss the numbers with your health care provider so that you keep track of your A1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol.
2. Seek Advice. Work together with your health care provider to create a schedule and individual goals for how often you check your blood sugar and the ideal numbers. There are online tools that may be helpful for tracking these numbers, or your health care provider may have suggestions for tools to use.
3. Think before you eat. Eat foods that you enjoy which are also good for managing diabetes in order to make eating healthy easier.
4. Get Active. Any kind of physical activity you can think of can be good for fitness and stress management, as well as just plain fun. 
5. Laugh and relax. Taking the time to seek out humor, as well as ways to relax, can be very beneficial to your mental well-being.

If you want to build a stronger social support network, NCOA is offering an online workshop called Better Choices, Better Health – Diabetes. This six-week online workshop provides more tips and tools to stay healthy, allows you to discuss any problems you’re having with other participants and come up with solutions today and celebrate your successes. Enrollment for this workshop is free through March 31st, so don’t miss your chance to participant in this exciting new opportunity that has been proven to help individuals with diabetes improve their health!

Missouri Medicaid Forums - Coming Soon!

"Have you heard? Missouri has to make a decision about whether to expand its Medicaid program. There are arguments on both sides: Some believe we should not expand Medicaid because we can’t afford it; others believe we must expand the program or give up billions of federal dollars and the health of our fellow citizens." - Missouri Foundation for Health

Forum Schedule

• Hannibal – Monday, February 18 (Hannibal High School, 4500 McMasters Ave)
• St. Louis – Tuesday, February 19 (Missouri History Museum, Lindell and DeBaliviere in Forest Park)
• Cape Girardeau – Monday, February 25 (Osage Center, 1625 N Kingshighway St)
• Springfield – Monday, March 4 (Community Foundation of the Ozarks, 425 E Trafficway St)
• Rolla – Tuesday, March 5 (Rolla Lions Club, 1061 S Bishop Ave)
• Columbia – Monday, March 11 (Activity & Recreation Center – ARC, 1701 W Ash St)
• St. Peters – Tuesday, March 12  (St. Peters Cultural Arts Centre & City Hall, One St. Peters Centre Blvd)

Get informed on Medicaid expansion at free, public community forums, hosted by the Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH).

For more information, and to register, please click on the event invite here.

Looking for a Pain Reliever?

If you are an individual who is affected by one of the more than 100 types of arthritis, has chronic pain, contends with one or more chronic health condition (not limited to arthritis, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease), or are a caregiver for an individual with any of the above listed conditions, you may be looking for a way to relieve pain.  One way you can relieve your pain is through physical activity.  This may seem counter-intuitive; why fight pain with more pain?  Physical activity should not equal pain.  There are many resources you can ask for help in developing a personalized plan to increase physical activity. 

• Talk with your health care provider.
• Ask an employee at a fitness center for assistance in developing a plan.
• Learn how to use fitness equipment appropriately.
• Work with other health care staff, like physical therapists, as needed.

Additionally, there are many great organizations who recommend an increase in physical activity.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends we Be Physically Active in the New Year, and staff from the Arthritis Foundation recently published a public policy article that encourages Increasing Physical Activity among Adults with Arthritis.  There is an even a push through the Affordable Care Act to support healthy lifestyles by improving our workplace wellness.  You can read more on this push in the December issue of Preventing Chronic Disease here.

It can be easy to say "I'll start tomorrow" or "I just don't feel like it today".  If that is how you are feeling, perhaps one of these two success stories for behavior change can help motivate you to start making positive changes today, even if it's just for 10 minutes of physical activity!

    Seniors Learn to 'Walk with Ease'

    Weight Loss Helps Ease Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis

 

Step into 2013 on the right (or left) foot!

As 2012 comes to an end and we look for 2013 to begin, there is again a lot of talk about making a resolution for the new year.  If you are a person who makes New Year's resolutions, or if you think you'd like to try, have you considered taking steps to have more positive health in the new year?  Many well-known organizations and individuals are touting the positive impacts that physical activity can have on your health. 

• The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Regina Benjamin, has announced a call to action on walking recently. 
• First Lady Michelle Obama has put a lot of effort into promoting her Let's Move! campaign for the young and, I like to think, the young at heart. 
• The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends moving to improve your health in their latest issue of NIH News in Health.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tout Physical Activity as the Arthritis Pain Reliever and support a whole host of evidence-based physical activity interventions.

In Missouri, we offer several physical activity courses in areas near you to get you started, including the Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program and Walk With Ease, a walking program that starts where you are at in terms of physical ability.  Regardless of whether or not you choose one of our programs, physical activity can make a big, positive difference for your health. 

Consider SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound) goal-setting this year.  It's okay to start with a small goal that you feel confident you can accomplish, and to add additional goals throughout the year as you complete one and are ready to move to another! 

Happy New Year!

New Online Program for People with Diabetes

If you have heard of or participated in Stanford University's Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP), you may also be aware that Stanford also has a Diabetes Self-Management Program.  Both of these programs are delivered over six weeks in 2-2.5 hour sessions in group, in-person settings. 

A new course opportunity is available in an online, group format for people with diabetes.  An online version of the Diabetes Self-Management Program, Healthier Living with Diabetes is available through Stanford.  The program, more commonly known as Better Choices, Better Health Diabetes, is being pilot tested currently by the National Council on Aging.  Participants are able to enroll for free.

To learn more about Better Choices, Better Health Diabetes, please view a promotional flyer here.  If you would like to sign-up to participate in this program, please go to the sign-up page here.