Register now for free chronic health conditions workshop
Faced with a chronic health condition and the challenge of living a healthy life?
There are still spots available in a seven-week program that will be offered in Concordia to address those challenges.
The registration deadline for the Kansans Optimizing Health Program — or KOHP, pronounced “cope” — is Aug. 24.
The workshop, which is limited to 20 participants, begins Thursday, Aug. 27, at Neighbor to Neighbor, 103 E. Sixth St., Concordia, and will be from 9 to 11:30 a.m. for seven Thursdays. Caregivers, family and friends are encouraged to attend with the person living with a chronic health condition.
There is no charge to take part, and each participant will receive a free copy of the textbook “Living a Healthy Life with a Chronic Condition.”
To register, call Neighbor to Neighbor at 785/262-4215.
KOHP was developed at Stanford University and designed by the Kansas Health Department. It specifically addresses living with arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and lung disease, but includes all other chronic health issues as well.
Leading the discussion will be Pat Gerhardt and Sister Jean Befort, both of whom live with chronic conditions and who have completed the Health Department training to serve as KOHP facilitators. Both women live in Concordia, where Gerhardt is an extension agent with the River Valley District and Befort is co-director of Neighbor to Neighbor.
Topics that will be discussed include:
- Becoming more physically active safely
- Making healthy food choices
- Communicating with family, friends and the health care team
- Dealing with difficult emotions, frustration and anger
- Setting and achieving weekly action plans
- Identifying and solving problems caused by having a chronic condition
People who are interested in the workshop but unable to attend this session should call for more information. Another workshop may be scheduled later in the year, but no dates have been set yet.