Health and Wellness
The Mifflin-Juniata Area Agency on Aging receives state and federal funding through the Older Americans Act to provide disease prevention and health promotion services. These programs are free of cost to seniors 60 years of age and older, and are held in local senior centers and other sites within the community.
The Health & Wellness program priority areas include exercise, nutrition, chronic conditions, incontinence, mental health, injury and disease prevention, medication management, and substance abuse.
It is never too late to make lifestyle changes to maintain or improve your health! Watch our events calendar for current program and class offerings.
The Mifflin-Juniata Area Agency on Aging offers several health promotion programs to help older adults age well. Below are some of the Health & Wellness programs offered.
“Live Your Best Life” – Learn How to Manage Chronic Health Conditions
“Live Your Best Life,” also known as Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, is an evidence-based program from Stanford University. The program teaches older adults and their caregivers practical skills for managing chronic health conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, or any other health problem that alters your lifestyle.
Participants gain the confidence and motivation needed to positively manage the challenges of living every day with a chronic health condition. Topics that are covered during the program include managing pain and fatigue, improving psychological well-being, nutrition and exercise, and communicating with family, friends, and health professionals.
This program is proven to be effective in helping people to manage their chronic health conditions. A study found that participants who took the program improved their healthful behaviors, improved health status, and decreased their days in the hospital. The program runs for six consecutive weeks with each weekly session lasting 2 ½ hours.
“Live Your Best Life” is offered through a partnership of the Mifflin-Juniata Area Agency on Aging and Geisinger Health Plan. You do not have to be enrolled in Geisinger insurance or receive your health care through Geisinger to attend this program.
Healthy Steps for Older Adults
Are you concerned about falling? Is a fear of falling keeping you from doing things you used to enjoy? Are you not getting out as much as you used to?
Healthy Steps for Older Adults is a falls prevention program for older adults 60 years of age and older. The program is designed to raise awareness of falls, introduce steps on how to reduce falls, improve overall health, and provide referrals and resources. The classes are led by certified instructors and are presented in one 4 hr session or two 2 hr sessions.
The Healthy Steps for Older Adults workshop includes a physical falls risk screening, referrals to health care providers, follow-up evaluations and a free take-home guide. Participants learn what hazards to look for around the house and what changes to make in their homes to reduce the risk of falling.
Healthy Steps in Motion
Healthy Steps In Motion (HSIM) is an exercise program designed for people of all fitness levels. HSIM includes education and exercises. The group learns the right way to do an exercise as they are guided through the exercises together. It incorporates warm-up, balance, weight resistance/strength training and cool down segments as the program foundation.
The goals of HSIM are that participants will:
- Reduce their risk of falling
- Learn new exercises
- Learn the parts of an exercise routine
- Build strength, especially in the lower body
- Increase their flexibility to improve movement
- Improve their balance
HSIM promotes regular physical activity, which provides many benefits for older adults. Research has shown that older adults who practice weight resistance training can improve balance and coordination, which may decrease their risk of falls. Exercise can also reduce the risk of heart disease and certain types of cancers, increase bone density, strengthen the heart and lungs, reduce stress, and boost energy levels.
Walk With Ease
Walk With Ease is an evidence-based exercise and health education program that was developed by the Arthritis Foundation. Whether you need relief from arthritis pain or just want to be active, the Walk With Ease program can help. If you can be on your feet for 10 minutes without increased pain, you can have success with Walk with Ease.
Walk with Ease can teach you how to safely make physical activity part of your everyday life. The program offers support, information, and tools to help you succeed and is designed for people with arthritis and other chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension.
Each Walk With Ease workshop runs for a period of six to eight weeks and meets two to three times per week. Each class lasts about an hour and is led by a trained instructor.
Walk With Ease will help you:
- Motivate yourself to get in great shape
- Walk safely and comfortably
- Improve your flexibility, strength, and stamina
- Reduce pain and feel great
Health Education & Blood Pressure Screenings
A variety of health education and wellness topics are presented monthly at our local senior community centers. As a part of these programs, free blood pressure screenings are often available for those in attendance.