Workshops to help those with chronic disease live well

Local residents living with chronic disease have an opportunity to join a free Alberta Health Services (AHS) program designed to help them take control of their health and improve their quality of life.

Better Choices, Better Health is a sixweek series of workshops designed to support Albertans living with ongoing health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, high blood pressure, obesity, chronic pain, fibromyalgia, cancer, HIV, Crohn’s disease, colitis, Celiac disease, and depression and anxiety.

The Better Choices, Better Health workshop sessions are led by trained volunteers, many of whom live with a chronic disease. This approach ensures an understanding of the challenges participants face and provides a supportive and welcoming environment.

Because those living with chronic conditions often face the same day-to-day challenges, Better Choices, Better Health focuses on teaching tools and techniques common to all chronic conditions rather than any one specific disease or condition.

Topics include:

· Solving problems and setting goals.

• Handling pain, fatigue and stress.

• Managing medication.

• Dealing with difficult emotions.

• Eating healthy and increasing activity.

• Communicating with healthcare providers.

Workshops will run from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on six consecutive Mondays starting April 8 at River Heights Professional Centre in Medicine Hat. Advance registration is required. Call 403-529-8969 or toll free at 1-866-795-9709.

Better Choices, Better Health workshops are one of many services provided by the Alberta Healthy Living Program, which supports chronic disease management throughout the