'Living Well Thurston' gets it right

Kathleen Anderson

Well folks, we have survived another trifecta of holidays — Halloween, Thanksgiving and a multitude of seasonal holidays in December. We have shopped, cooked, eaten and shared our gratitude. 

Now we are presented with a new year — a blank page on which we can write our dreams, hopes and goals. 

Barring unexpected surprises over which we may not have any control and remembering the importance of both short- and long- term goals, this year could be the best one yet. 

Toward the end of the year, I joined several other participants in a program called “Living Well Thurston.” It was a workshop series facilitated by the Public Health and Social Services Department and conducted via seven weekly ZOOM meetings, which made attendance easy.  

This program was originally chaired by Dr. Halsted Holman, Professor Emeritus of the Stanford University School of Medicine, Dr. Albert Bandura, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the Stanford University School of Medicine and father of the self-efficacy theory, and many other medical specialists, who participated in the design and methodology of the program. 

The end goal is self-management skills of chronic conditions for both physical and mental health. Dr. Holman believes health care should be effective, efficient and cost-effective, and that the only way to make this possible is to foster informed, active patients. 

I couldn’t agree more.  

After the initial overview and survey, the sessions introduced tools we can use to manage chronic conditions. Subjects included fatigue, chronic pain management, dealing with depression, communication skills, healthy eating, problem solving, better breathing, the importance of good sleep habits, preventing falls and more. 

At each session we were invited to describe a goal and come up with an action plan on how to achieve our goal. Each session also included a report of our previous action plan — did we meet our goal? If not, why? And if not according to our original plan, did we self-manage another way to succeed? “Pivot” became one of my favorite words. 

We had breakout rooms where we discussed our health problems with other participants and offered ideas, possible resources and support to one another. One of the biggest boosts was learning you are not alone. 

Isolation is one of the biggest hurdles for people who suffer from chronic illness. Finding a safe place where you can feel support from others struggling with the same problems can make a huge difference.  

Breathing exercises and self-guided meditation were introduced as stress reliving methods, and we learned about the results stress can bring about. It can increase your level of pain, set off panic attacks, increase heart and diabetic related problems, as well as weight gain. 

We also spent time discussing fall prevention, the importance of better awareness of our surroundings and in-home safety. We learned how to read food labels and the possible positive end results of healthy eating.  

Other discussions included the importance of good communication with your care team. And the empowering methods of saying “no” when it really should be said. Journaling was encouraged, as was honest communication with family and friends. 

The workbook that accompanied this course was a great asset and continues to be a helpful resource. Another big plus was the guidance of our facilitators, who were very knowledgeable and helpful in directing us to services available in our area. 

There was one other thought that struck me during this learning experience. It was the attitude of the other participants. Everyone participating was struggling with something that was life altering, and yet there was no self-pity evident. There was support, the sharing of resources, and from time to time, laughter. 

It was a pleasure to meet the people in my group and the leaders who kept us on point. 

And my own tool kit now goes with me everywhere, but it’s not quite full because I will always need room to learn more.

To find out when this and other programs will be available next, contact www.co.thurston.wa.us/health.  

Kathleen Anderson writes her column each week from her home in Olympia. Contact her at kathleen@theJOLTnews.com or post your comments.