Living Well with Chronic Conditions
Social relationships have significant effect on health outcomes. Klamath County’s local Coordinated Care Organization (CCO), Cascade Health Alliance (CHA), supports the value of creating social connections through bringing community members together to combat chronic disease. In partnership with members of the health care industry, CHA has been working towards increasing connections and educational opportunities for people living with chronic conditions.
| 53% | 84% |
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Of community members have one or more chronic conditions. Chronic conditions include diabetes, heart disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, stroke, and more. |
Of the Klamath Community has one or more risk factors for chronic disease, including obesity, limited exercise, tobacco use, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
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Through partnerships with Sky Lakes Wellness Center and Klamath Tribal Health and Family Services, CHA hosts a series of Living Well with Chronic Conditions workshops geared to creating connections with people living with similar conditions and training them on ways to effectively self-manage their symptoms.
Each workshop is designed to help you live healthier and happier with chronic disease. These free workshops are one day a week for six weeks. Classes are two and a half hours long. Workshops are designed specific to individual chronic conditions. CHA just concluded a workshop specific to diabetes. The Diabetes Self-Management workshop started on January 29th and ran through March 4th.
During this workshop, participants were able to create social connections with peers living with diabetes, work to better manage their own diabetes, and support and encourage other participants through the ups and downs of their conditions. Participants also connected with trained volunteer leaders who are living with chronic conditions themselves.
During each workshop, participants learned how to:
- Manage symptoms and medications
- Work with a health care team
- Set weekly goals
- Problem solve effectively
- Improve communication
- Decompress and relax
- Handle difficult emotions and learn about eating well and exercising safely