New Opportunity for All State Agencies and Nonstate Groups

The HealthQuest Wellness Program is excited to announce the development of a “Wellness Champion Network” (WCN) to provide program support and implementation at the “grass roots” level.  Champions should have a personal interest in health and a willingness to contribute to the wellness effort. This could be you or someone else at your agency who is enthusiastic about wellness.

With support from the HealthQuest staff at the State Employee Health Plan, these individuals help promote HealthQuest offerings, schedule programs and events (such as health screenings) and raise health awareness within the worksite. Champions serve as messengers and motivators for the wellness program, helping increase participation rates by influencing their peers to engage, gathering feedback and most importantly helping to create a “Culture of Health in Kansas.”

Through the Champion’s efforts, many employees will adopt healthier lifestyles and habits resulting in an increased quality of life for them. The benefits of increased wellness program participation for the State and for your agency include improved employee health, lower health care costs, increased productivity, reduced absenteeism and improved morale.

An email invitation has been sent to the HR contact at each agency and nonstate group.  We ask each potential Wellness Champion to review the materials at www.khpa.ks.gov/healthquest/wcn.html, sign the Wellness Champion Pledge Form, complete the Wellness Champion Data Sheet and return both documents to Paul Sandburg at their earliest convenience. The Champion for your agency could be an individual or a team (in which case each team member should complete the necessary forms). HealthQuest will be recruiting for the WCN through August 9, 2010, but we will welcome qualified Wellness Champions at any time.

The WCN kick-off meeting  will take place via web and audio conference on Tuesday, August 10 at noon. Future meetings will take place on the first Tuesday of each month. We look forward to working with you. Let’s make a difference!

If you have questions, please contact:
Paul Sandburg, CSCS
Alere Onsite Wellness Program Manager
HealthQuest Program
Landon State Office Building
900 SW Jackson Avenue, Suite 900
Topeka, KS 66612
paul.sandburg@alere.com
785-296-8198

Wellness Champion Network Mission Statement:
To help employees achieve wellness balance and create a culture of health in Kansas.

The other evening while walking on the Kansas levee with Toby, I watched the nighthawks dive bombing for insects. Their wings look like boomerangs.  So when I got home that night, I did a google.com image search to find a picture to see if I was right to call them nighthawks.   My search brought me to a little audio lesson (a few seconds) that tells about the bird and its song.  Here ‘tis:  http://www.birdnote.org/birdnote.cfm?id=198  (click to play the MP3).  Note, the bird is really not a hawk but in the whippoorwill family.

What’s the tie-in with wellness?  Nature.  When we have a strong connection with nature, life is more interesting.  In fact, I drove home from the dentist in torrential rain just now.  Lightning all around me.  My wipers couldn’t keep up.  After a quick prayer of safety for everyone traveling, I anticipated coming home and throwing open my front and back doors so the energy of the storm could move through my home.  Love it!  The temperature dropped 20 degrees or more – a welcome respite from the scorching heat. 

The wind was so fierce the rain blew in both the front and back doors.  So I propped my heavy umbrella in the doorway to keep the rain from the hard wood floors (mostly).  I can think of nothing more relaxing than sitting in my oversized chair enjoying the surround sound of rain and thunder. 

Without a connection to nature we’re more likely to be afraid of bugs and stay cooped up inside our cars, homes, and office buildings.  And if we really lose sight of the benefits of nature, we may start to trash the landscape and use up more than our share of the natural resources.  Without a regular dose of nature, we’re more likely to feel stressed.  Spending time in nature has a dramatic calmative effect.

As I started this description about why it’s important to  have a connection with nature, a loud clap of lightening enlivened me (read: startled me).  What a great way to revive one’s energy.  I was getting a little sleepy on the drive home….until the rain hit.  Now I’m alive, alert, awake, enthusiastic – just like the Girl Scout song says.  I found several renditions of this song on youtube – from many different cultures.  I thought I was the only one who thinks that song is cool!  And fun!

How does nature impact your wellness?  Share at the comment link below.

You get home from a long, tiring day…..open the fridge……see a wall of produce in plastic bags…..shut the door and head to Taco Bell or Applebee’s.  The same thing happens the next day because you’re even more tired and busier.  By day 3 or 4 you get an attitude about it (annoyed with yourself for being lazy, annoyed at your spouse because he/she doesn’t cook, frustrated with your busy family life that gets you to bed by 11 and up by 6 – day after day).  Finally on the weekend you clean out the drippy mess and either put the fruits and veggies in the real compost pile or in the trash and vow to do better. 

I’ve done this myself so I know what I’m talking about.

One secret to success is to keep a list of everything perishable that’s in your refrigerator so you can plan meals.  Take the list to work with you and while on break or enjoying  your morning tea, ponder the list for meal ideas.

Another secret is to better manage your fridge, and do it on the weekend or whenever you feel you have the most time.  It doesn’t sound appealing, but it’s very satisfying to take everything out, see what you have, and then put it back in an orderly way.  If you have a few extra minutes, prep as many of the fruits and veggies as you think you’ll eat in the next few days. 

I just did this and I feel very virtuous.  Now I can start the week with a hopeful attitude about cooking and eating at home.  In fact, while I was cleaning and organizing my fridge, I made a salad for tomorrow and bagged up snack baggies of cherries and grapes. 

I’m not always successful, but I like to get the week off to a smooth start by getting the following chores done on the weekend:

• getting groceries
• planning meals for the week
• cleaning and organizing the refrigerator
• doing laundry
• changing the bed sheets
• mowing the lawn
• calling friends and family (not really a chore but it’s on my mental list each week)
• cleaning, dusting, and vacuuming

And if I really want the week to go smoothly, I spend several hours doing whatever I want to do relaxing and having fun.  If all I did was chores, I would soon see the corners of my mouth droop – and no one wants to see that.  So I have plenty of fun too.  This weekend I lounged on my deck for hours working on a writing project, had a wonderful brunch with my Lawrence “family,” and bowled for the first time in decades.  Thankfully they now have automatic scoring.  My first game was 112 and the second was 165.  Then we celebrated with a snow cone – another thing I haven’t done for decades.  So it was a great weekend and I’m ready for the week ahead. 

How about you?  Leave your comments and stories at the comment link below.

Over the next several days, I will share stories and interviews about the journey my siblings and I are taking with our aging parents.  I’ll post several short video interviews of my mom and dad.  Many of you are currently on this journey.  And many have already completed this journey.  I welcome your comments at the end of each post.  Just click on the comment link.

HealthQuest provides a wide variety of free services through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP).  Did you know you can receive 4 free, confidential sessions with a counselor near your home?   Just call the toll-free number:  1-888-275-1205 (option 7).  For more information, visit the website.

As we live increasingly longer lives, more and more of us are finding that our loved ones need ongoing and long-term care. This care often falls to grown children, individuals in their forties, fifties, and sixties who are busy with work and often times have children still at home. Most of us have heard of “getting caught in this care-giving sandwich,” but it can be a real emotional and financial burden.  This is especially true if you are new to the responsibility.

If you are about to become a caregiver, here are a few things that you might want to consider. First, you’ll need to think about some legal and financial matters. To provide good care for an elder loved one, it may be necessary to deal with care facilities, insurance, powers of attorney, and many more complex issues.

Figuring Out What Needs to Be Done

The following is a checklist that can help you determine what your loved one may need. Don’t let it overwhelm you. Simply use it to make your own list of things to do or to research, if necessary. Then you’ll be in a better position to ask others for help with the short and long-term tasks.

Remember also, there may be many terms or phrases used in the information below that you are not familiar with.  Again, don’t be overwhelmed.  A simple call to the HealthQuest EAP can be a real “clarifier,” and a great place to start.  You can get an eldercare expert to help at no charge!

Type of Care Needed

To determine the types of care your loved one may require, ask yourself the following questions:

• What kind of care does my loved one need now and how will that change in the future?
• Could my loved one be taken care of at home if he or she had help from a skilled nurse and/or a health aide?
• Would assisted living be appropriate for my loved one?
• Will he or she require a skilled nursing facility now or in the future?
• Does my loved one’s mental condition require him or her to have special care and housing?

Health Insurance and Medicare

The following questions will help you understand what kind of health care coverage your loved one has or may need:

• What are the likely costs of the care my loved one will need?
• What do Medicare & Medicaid cover?
• What kind of health insurance does my love one have, and what does it cover?
• What if my loved one doesn’t have long-term care insurance? Does he or she need it?

Taking Over Finances and Decisions

The time may come when you or family members need to make basic financial and health care decisions for your loved one. Be sure to get answers to these questions:

• Does my loved one have a living will (advance health care directive) or power of attorney for finances? If not, how can I help get the necessary documents?
• Is my loved one no longer capable of making his or her own decisions or consenting to a power of attorney?  

End-of-Life Issues

Finally, here are some important issues to consider about wills and other arrangements at the end of life:

• Does my loved one have a will? If not, how can I help them create a legally binding will?
• Has my loved one communicated any wishes for final ceremonies and the disposition of his or her body?
• Has my loved one shared information on where to find important documents and passwords regarding bank accounts, retirement accounts, safe deposit boxes, stocks, life insurance policies, and wills or trusts?

The HealthQuest EAP Can Provide Personalized Help

After you’ve reviewed the list above and have an idea of the tasks and issues involved, take a deep breath and remember that you can get the help you need.  To begin, you can encourage your loved one to be as involved as possible in his or her care. Avoid taking control of tasks that your loved one can still perform. The more your loved one is allowed to do, the longer he or she will be able to maintain a sense of ownership over the course of his or her own life.

Then, make a call to the HealthQuest Employee Assistance Program at 1-888-275-1205 (option 7).  The EAP is an excellent resource that offers a number of very useful tools that can help with your task.

• You can partner with a licensed geriatric care specialist that will answer questions, help sort out the issues and concerns, and help you develop an individualized plan.  The specialist will conduct an in-depth evaluation of the family’s needs–screening for urgency, assessing the current situation, offering options of available eldercare facilities, and identifying additional community resources and support groups.
• If needed, your specialist will also assist in contacting the identified licensed facilities or services for up-to-date information regarding service specifics, registration parameters, costs, contact person, and availability verification.
• Your specialist can provide help and guidance with Medicaid/Medicare eligibility and other payment options.
• You can utilize the EAP’s legal consultation service for help with the legal aspects of your loved one’s situation. Remember too, if you need to retain an attorney, you can receive a 25% discount.
• Face-to-face sessions with a caring EAP counselor in your community are also available to deal with those emotional concerns associated with care giving.

And lastly, remember that caring for an elder relative is not easy, and you deserve all of the support you can get. During the hard times, it might help to remember that what you are doing is noble and generous. Whether or not your loved one is able to express it, he or she is fortunate to have someone who is willing and able to do the job you’ve taken on.

This article was provided by our HealthQuest EAP partner, AlternativesEAP.

With much flurry, I emailed my blog subscribers that the Spring Clean Your Body series would be extended through June….then I got the call that my mother had colon cancer.  After several nights of tossing and turning about the tossing and turning events of life, I headed to Sanford, North Carolina to the Parkview Retirement Community.  The day after arriving, I got mom out of the hospital (no easy task) and into a rehab hospital one hour away in Pittsboro (also no easy task).  After a Dairy Queen treat with my dad, we settled down for a few wellness moments of story telling.  With my handy Flip video camera I pressed the red record button and dad reminisced.

Even though he has dementia, he can recall old stories with a good deal of accuracy.  But at this stage in life, accuracy is less important.  In fact, if someone asks what he had for lunch and he doesn’t remember, he’ll make something up.  That’s pretty smart.  An accurate account of life is over rated when you have dementia or when you’re listening to a story you’ve never heard before. 

The next day I took him to the emergency room for congestive heart failure.  After a stay in ICU, he was released – so glad to go home—read the paper, take a nap, read Time magazine, take a nap, watch Larry King or CNN, take a nap, eat dinner, take a nap, and then go to bed.  It gets simple for old folks.  And complicated for their kids.

So here’s a peek into my dad’s life the day before hospitalization.  He tells stories about his 44 years of selling on the road. 

Reprinted with permission from AlternativesEAP (provider of the HealthQuest EAP services)

Simplify Your Life

Life today can be very complicated. Many of us are pulled in multiple directions every day by commitments to work and family. Many have responded to the pressures of modern life by seeking ways to consciously simplify their routines and attitudes at home and work.

“The goal of living a more simple life is not to arrive at a static point in your life, but to become skilled at balancing your personal relationships, workplace issues, finances and other demands,” says Heather G. Mitchener, coauthor of The 50 Best Ways to Simplify Your Life. Here are four suggestions that may help

Slow Down
If you feel like you have too much information in your life take a few steps to decrease the “info overload.” Stop subscriptions to magazines, newspapers or e-mail newsletters you rarely have time to read. Leave the radio and TV off unless it is something that really matters to you. Turn off your cell phone unless you’re making a call or waiting for one that is important. And remember, texting is not a “life requirement.”

Get organized
Begin by sizing up the problem areas in your home or workplace and making a plan of attack. If you’re easily discouraged, start with a small, confined area, such as a single drawer. Otherwise, target an area that gives you the most grief. Your goal should be to clear out clutter that causes you to waste time, for example, a hall closet that has become a catchall for everything from clothes to sports equipment.

To reduce the amount of “stuff” in your home, ask yourself these questions before you buy something: Do I really need it? How often will I wear or use it? Where will I store it? Is there a reason why I must buy it?

At work, learn to focus. Multitasking can be an asset, but often the lack of focus it requires means you actually get less done in a day, or less done well. To increase your focus and break free from distractions:
• Begin each day by setting priorities on what you want to accomplish.
• Check e-mail at set times, rather than letting each new message interrupt you.
• Set aside a time to retrieve voice mail and return calls.
• Keep a calendar of your deadlines and obligations.

Be in the Moment
One way to simplify your life is to practice mindfulness — to slow down and recognize and appreciate the simple things in life. To be mindful is to simply stay in the moment and be conscious of what you’re doing. Don’t think too far ahead or keep looking back. “When we look ahead constantly, we not only rush through the less pleasant tasks, we also tend to hurry through the things we love to do, because we’re always thinking or worrying about what we have to do next,” says Ms. Mitchener.

Consider a Call to HealthQuest EAP
The HealthQuest Employee Assistance Program (EAP) specializes in confidential assistance for just about any of life’s concerns, especially resources and strategies designed to simplify your life. Call confidentially 24/7: 1-888-275-1205 (Option 7).

Summary of HealthQuest Employee Assistance Services (formerly called LIFELINE)
Call the HealthQuest EAP toll-free at 1-888-275-1205 (option 7) – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for confidential help handling life’s stresses. State of Kansas benefits eligible employees and their family members living in the same household can receive the following services at no cost:

Short-term counseling (1-4 face-to-face sessions per issue) with an EAP counselor for a wide variety of concerns. A few of the most common examples why employees use the EAP are:
• Day-to-day stresses
• Depression and anxiety
• Life transition concerns
• Problems with co-workers or supervisor
• Stress due to layoffs or furloughs
• Loss of a loved one
• Marital and Family issues
• Drug and Alcohol problems

The following EAP services are also available:
• Elder care consultations with an elder care specialist
• Child care referrals from a child care specialist
• Legal consultation with an attorney
• Financial consultations with a professional
• Extended benefit for employees and immediate family members for 6 months after any layoff action
• Life Coaching Programs (employee only)**

**To sign up for FREE life coaching or get more information about EAP services, visit: http://www.khpa.ks.gov/healthquest/eap.html

Take advantage of this valuable employee benefit at no cost to you. For help with the day-to-day stressors of life, simply call the EAP at 1-888-275-1205 (option 7) any time, day or night, 7 days a week. That’s all you need to do. Just pick up the phone. Your call will be completely confidential.

Spring Clean Your Body

Any cleansing cleansing program can be amplified by a cleansing of negative thoughts and feelings.  Angry or stressful thoughts can wreak havoc on our health and well-being.  The Loving Kindness Meditation as taught by Buddha has been practiced for decades to great effect.  Try it for a few days and watch how it works in your life to bring peace and calm.

Close your eyes and imagine people you love (or just one person) as you mentally recite these words (slowly):

Breathing in, I breathe in the world’s pain.

Breathing out, I send it healing love.

May all beings be happy.

May all beings be peaceful.

May all beings be kind.

May all beings be free.

Next, visualize people (or a person) you do not know well – a neutral person (e.g., check out clerk, someone you see in your building) and recite these words slowly again:

Breathing in, I breathe in the world’s pain.

Breathing out, I send it healing love.

May all beings be happy.

May all beings be peaceful.

May all beings be kind.

May all beings be free.

Finally, visualize someone in your life who you feel is difficult to be around or someone you are having conflict with.  Repeat the following words with this person in mind:

Breathing in, I breathe in the world’s pain.

Breathing out, I send it healing love.

May all beings be happy.

May all beings be peaceful.

May all beings be kind.

May all beings be free.

Let us know how this stress reduction practice works for you.  Do you practice other stress reduction exercises?

Spring Clean Your Body

I’m a lazy cook and I don’t really like fish.  With that disclaimer out of the way, let me tell you what a delight I cooked up in one pan – it involved fish and cooking and I lived to tell the story.  Though I did die and go to heaven when I ate it.

I really don’t know what I’m doing half the time when I’m cooking but I’m a risk taker and follow my intuition.   My intuition is a powerful tool – thankfully I listen to it now and then.

I wish I had a video to show you how I made this meal, but it was so tasty I didn’t want it to get cold while I fooled around.  Speaking of fooling around, let me get to the point.

My one pan meal….

I added olive oil and a splash of sesame oil to the skillet.  Next I added the following chopped veggies:

• fresh pea pods (from the farmers’ market)
• fresh asparagus (ditto)
• zucchini – quartered and chopped
• minced fresh ginger and garlic

Then…now this is the genius part…I cleared a spot amongst the veggies and added a 4 ounce slab of cod.  Why dirty two pans?  The lazy cook in me got creative and started thinking…hey the veggies and fish would take about the same amount of time to cook, why not use one pan?  I was right!  I love it when that happens.

Next, I added a splash of tamari (you can use soy sauce) and a touch of water because the pan was starting to get dry. 

After about 4 minutes I added a large handful of fresh spinach around the edges of the fish.  It got too complicated trying to stir the spinach around the fish so I chunked the fish up and gently stirred.

Then, I added a half cup or so of brown rice prepared the night before (for just such an occasion). 

Finally, I squirted about a quarter of a fresh lemon over the works, added a bit of salt and pepper,  and heated it all through.  In less than 10 minutes I was eating a fabulous one pan meal. 

Look at all the amazing things here:  I don’t like fish, yet I loved this meal.  I am a lazy cook, but I prepared this delightful meal in 10 minutes.  I don’t like cleanup and had just one pan and wooden spoon to wash.  The bowl and fork went into the dishwasher leaving plenty of time for my 45 minute walk with Toby.   Life is good!

How do you speed up the process of cooking…..as you make delightful, healthy meals?

Spring Clean Your Body

On my way to the farmers’ market this morning, I asked a colleague if he was headed there too.  “No, it’s too green for me.  I’ll wait for the corn.” 

I know that’s the way a lot of people feel.  Heck, I used to feel that way myself.  When my mother asked us kids what vegetable we wanted for dinner, I always hollared out CORN.  My loud, quick, standard response annoyed my sister, now a vegetarian, because she wanted to eat different kinds of vegetables.   Not me!  She was a budding vegetarian way back then and I was a full blown carnivore.  I’ve since learned to like vegbetables.  If you don’t like vegetables, there’s hope.  But you’ll need some help. 

I’ve got two suggestions that can change the way you look at fruits and vegetables.

1. The Produce for Better Health Foundation has listed their “Top 10 Healthy Ways to Cook Fruits & Vegetables.” The list is fabulous, not the usual boring suggestions. 
2. In the Fruit & Vegetable Video Center on the same site, Michael Marks, The Produce Man, stars in 101 wonderful, short videos.  He shows you how to shop for produce, prepare it, and make it taste great – all in less than a minute per video.  He’s funny too.  He also provides recipes and other tips.  Check out these super short videos.  You can watch  a handful on your break. 

Do you like veggies?  Why?  Why not?  Any yummy veggie tips to share at the comment link below? 

Spring Clean Your Body

I made a wonderful, quick, healthy meal to start my Memorial Day weekend celebration and I made a super short video to share with you.   If the space below is blank, that probably means your employer is blocking youtube.com.  If that’s the case, you can watch it on your home computer.  The “recipe” is below the video.

Egg Stir Fry

Sautee a combinations of veggies (your favorites) in a little olive oil.  Here’s what I put in my version:

Pea pods

Mushrooms

Asparagus

Garlic

Green onion

Spinach

Cilantro

Avocado

For one serving, use 1-2 eggs whisked with a little milk or nondairy milk (almond milk, soy milk, etc.)

Cucumber Salad

Peel cucumber and slice or chop cucumber into a small dish.  Add a small amount of cilantro (optional) and salad dressing.  I added fresh squeezed orange to mine and a little salt and pepper.  Very flavorful.