What's in Your Toolbox for Living Well?

iving well while aging, a desired state of being we all wish for. Yet, living well requires a commitment to healthy lifestyle choices many of us push to the side. “I’ll do that tomorrow,” or “I don’t have control over the outcome, it’s in my genes,” are statements heard fairly frequently. This type of thinking will never yield the desired results.

Much of how we age is based on what we have inherited from our parents. This is our genetic makeup. And while we can’t change this (yet), we can take an active role by making healthy choices. Committing to this daily process will put you on the road to success, thus creating healthy habits.

I like to refer to my healthy habits as tools. These tools are my “go to resources” when I find myself needing to refine my state of well being. Whether it’s a tool I use for my physical needs, emotional or mental needs, I know that this tool is, as my husband says, “the right tool for the job.” For example, I know that the “tool” physical activity can help me in many ways. It’s a tool that has many functions. Physical activity can help alleviate stress, manage blood sugar, strengthen muscles, balance and help with flexibility. You can use it as a means to connect with others or use it during a time when you may want to be alone and gather your thoughts quietly. The tool of managing emotions can help with stress management and tactics for effective communication. It can also reduce fatigue.

The Anne Arundel County Department of Aging and Disability offers workshops called the Living Well Series. These workshops focus on chronic

CURRENTLY BEING OFFERED:

Living Well with Chronic Caonditions

Living Well with Diabetes

Living Well with Chronic Pain

Living Well with Hypertension Walk with Ease

Tai Ji Quan:Movement for Better Balance

Powerful Tools for Caregivers

To register for a class, visit our website on the Living Well page www.

aacounty.org/departments/aging-and-disabilities/forms-publications/living-well-series

or call Penny Tilghman- 410-222-0268 to find out when our next workshop begins. conditions like heart disease, arthritis, depression and fibromyalgia. There is also a specific workshop which focuses on diabetes. These are called self management programs, designed to help participants find the tools they need to help manage the symptoms of their condition. Finding the tools for self management is important for avoiding or delaying complications related to the disease process. Wouldn't it be a good feeling to know what YOUR tools were for Living Well?

Has the COVID pandemic left you overwhelmed and unsure about how to get back to that state of well being? Maybe it motivated you to want to learn more about your health conditions. There is no question about it, there has never been a better time to take the first step forward and learn what you can do to help yourself live well.

Living Well doesn’t need to be an unreachable vision. Taking one of our evidence based programs and creating your tool box, will bring you closer to making that vision a reality.