Even throughout the pandemic, the Area Agency on Aging District 7 (AAA7) has been providing valuable wellness programs over a telephone conference call. These include programs focusing on: Chronic Disease Self-Management, Diabetes Self-Management and Chronic Pain Self-Management.

The telephone format allows our agency to connect with and support class participants while helping them learning valuable tools to manage their chronic conditions. Calls are facilitated by AAA7 staff and other trained community leaders, with each program running six weeks, one hour per week. Classes are at no cost to participants.

Residents age 60 and older who reside in Adams, Brown, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Pike, Ross, Scioto and Vinton are welcome to participate.

Those who are registered receive a special kit in the mail with helpful information needed for the class including a book they can keep and handouts to help them follow along through the program. Currently, classes being offered over the telephone or virtually concentrate on chronic disease self-management, diabetes self-management, chronic pain self-management, falls prevention and caregiver support.

In addition to telephonic and virtual wellness programs, the AAA7 has also been featuring “Wellness Wednesday” on the agency’s Facebook page.

Each broadcast features a new wellness topic for discussion which gives the AAA7 the opportunity to expand its outreach.

This format helps the agency share information about the valuable programs available to help with chronic disease self-management, diabetes self-management, chronic pain self-management, falls prevention and caregiver support.

The goal is to increase knowledge about these programs and help more people learn to live with their chronic conditions and/or embrace helpful tips that can help individuals live healthier.

For more information about wellness programs or to pre-register for a class that interests you, please call the AAA7 at 1-800-582-7277 or e-mail info@aaa7.org. The AAA7 also keeps a calendar of upcoming classes on its website at www.aaa7.org.

Nina Keller is executive director of Area Agency on Aging Distirct 7