Creating a Healthier Maine: Healthy Living for ME’s Evidence-Based Programs

A Matter of Balance

A Matter of Balance emphasizes practical strategies to reduce fear of falling and increase activity levels. Participants learn to view falls and fear of falling as controllable, set realistic goals to increase activity, change their environment to reduce fall risk factors, and exercise to increase strength and balance.

Tai Chi for Health and Balance

Tai Chi is an enjoyable exercise that can improve balance, relieve pain, and improve health and ability to do things. It is a slow exercise. It is easy to learn and good for all ability levels. The essential principles of Tai Chi include mind and body integration, fluid movements, controlled breathing and mental concentration. Tai Chi is one of the most effective exercises for the health of mind and body. It helps people to relax and feel better.

Bingocize®

Bingocize combines a bingo-like game with exercise and health education. The program has been shown to increase older adults' functional fitness, health knowledge, and social engagement.

Tai Chi for Health and Balance 2

Tai Chi for Health and Balance 2 is the sequel to Tai Chi for Health and Balance (TCHB). Successful completion of TCHB is required prior to participating in this program, as this is a more challenging course built on the movements and skills learned in TCHB.

Living Well for Better Health

This program is designed to help participants deal with chronic conditions. Topics include: techniques to deal with frustration, fatigue, pain and isolation, appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength, flexibility, and endurance, appropriate use of medications, communicating effectively with family, friends, and health professionals, nutrition, and how to evaluate new treatments.

Living Well with Diabetes

Living Well with Diabetes is designed to help people with type 2 diabetes learn how to live well. Topics include: techniques to deal with the symptoms of diabetes, fatigue, pain, hyper/hypoglycemia, stress, depression, anger, fear and frustration; appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength and endurance; healthy eating, appropriate use of medication; and working with healthcare providers.

Living Well with Chronic Pain

This workshop is designed for people who have a diagnosis of chronic pain, offering strategies for dealing with their symptoms. Topics include: techniques to deal with frustration, fatigue, isolation, and poor sleep, appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength, appropriate use of medications, communicating effectively with family, friends, and health professionals, nutrition, pacing activity and rest, and how to evaluate new treatments.

National Diabetes Prevention Program

The National Diabetes Prevention Program is for adults who are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes or who have pre-diabetes. The program provides participant's access to a free lifestyle coach in a one-hour group setting for this year-long program. The program consists of 16 weekly sessions followed by every other week for the remainder of the year-long program. The focus is on gradual lifestyle changes, resulting in fat and calorie reduction and increased physical activity.

Social Connect

Social Connect is a facilitated, small group online gathering. In the 45-minute sessions, you'll do gentle movements, learn about ways to reduce stress and feel your best, and connect with others. Managing stress and taking time to notice and reflect upon positive experiences will help you feel more alive, sleep better, be more compassionate, and even have a more robust immune system. Social Connect is not an evidence-based program.

Better Health Now!

Better Health Now is Healthy Living for ME's Chronic Disease Self-Management workshop presented via a mail order toolkit. After a participant is registered, they are mailed an inclusive and complete toolkit consisting of the Better Health Now! workshop materials. Participants work with a workshop leader via telephone or ZOOM at predetermined times. This process allows the participant all of the educational benefits of the Living Well for Better Health workshop and equips them with tools to effectively manage their ongoing condition(s), all while maintaining social distancing from their home.

Better Health Now with Diabetes

Better Health with Diabetes is a free mail order toolkit for those who have or are at risk of diabetes and/or their caregivers. Participants must pre-register to receive their toolkit workshop materials and work with a certified leader via telephone or ZOOM at predetermined times either by yourself or in small groups. This process allows the participant all of the educational benefits of the Living Well with Diabetes workshop and equips them with tools to effectively manage their ongoing condition(s), all while maintaining social distancing from their home.

Better Health Now with Pain

Better Health with Pain is a free mail order toolkit for those who experience long-term pain and/or their caregivers. Some of the topics include pacing & planning, medication management, and the Moving Easy Program, among many others. Participants must pre-register to receive their toolkit workshop materials and work with a certified leader via telephone or ZOOM at predetermined times, either by yourself or in small groups. This process allows the participant all of the educational benefits of the Living Well with Chronic Pain workshop and equips them with tools to effectively manage their ongoing condition(s), all while maintaining social distancing from their home.

Living Well with HIV+

This program was designed for individuals managing HIV and their caregivers/natural supports. Topics include: medication management, techniques to deal with frustration, fear, fatigue, pain and isolation, communicating effectively with family, friends, and health professionals, sex, intimacy, and disclosure, nutrition, evaluating symptoms, advanced directives, and decision-making. Program participants make weekly action plans, share experiences, and help each other solve problems they encounter in creating and carrying out their self-management program.

HealthMatters™ Program

HealthMatters™ Program is a health promotion program for all Mainers. It’s curriculum was developed for successful delivery and can be used by individuals with developmental disabilities (I/DD), and their supports in health-friendly communities. Through exercise, nutrition, and health education activities, this workshop can help participants become stronger and healthier, improve self-advocacy skills and confidence, and connect with peers. Through this engaging, hands on curriculum, participants gain the knowledge, motivation, and skills needed to create healthy habits that last a lifetime. Session topics include: exercise, nutrition, health education, improve self-advocacy skills and confidence.

EnhanceFitness

EnhanceFitness is a low-cost, evidence-based group exercise program that helps older adults at all levels of fitness become more active, energized and empowered to sustain independent lives. A full hour of fun, EnhanceFitness focuses on dynamic cardiovascular exercise, strength training, balance, and flexibility - everything older adults need to maintain health and function as they age.

American Red Cross First Aid, CPR, AED Certification

Be prepared to act when emergencies arise! Whether you need First Aid, CPR, and AED training that satisfies OSHA, workplace, or other regulatory requirements, or you just want to know how to keep your loved ones safe, the American Red Cross is your "go-to" source of emergency and safety training for more than a century. Sign up today to get certified in First Aid, CPR and AED.

EnhanceWellness

EnhanceWellness connects participants with a personal health coach to improve physical, emotional and social well-being. EnhanceWellness happens in three steps – Screen, Plan, and Action. The initial screening interview identifies the participant's personal strengths and risks through a detailed health questionnaire with their Coach. The participant and Coach then craft an individualized Health Action Plan, focused on areas the participant chooses to work on. The participant moves into action with the support of their Coach, who offers ongoing encouragement, feedback, and monitoring over the next six-monthly phone check ins.

Savvy Caregiver

The Savvy Caregiver Workshop is a six session training series for informal caregivers. For most family caregivers, caregiving itself is a new role, one for which training is needed, just as a person would receive training for any new job. The Savvy Caregiver Program helps caregivers better understand the changes their loved ones are experiencing, and how to best provide individualized care for their care recipients throughout the progression of Alzheimer's or dementia.

Building Better Caregivers

This program was designed for family caregivers of people with an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), dementia, and/or any other condition that affects memory. Topics include: caregiver stress, dealing with difficult care partner behavior, finding help, making decisions about treatment, housing, etc., communicating effectively with family, friends, and health professionals, dealing with caregiver and care partner difficult emotions, planning for future needs, and legal issues related to caregiving. Program participants make weekly action plans, share experiences, and help each other solve problems they encounter in creating and carrying out their self-management program.

Dealing with Dementia

People living with dementia need answers, and so do their caregivers. Dealing with Dementia was created to provide answers needed throughout the caregiving journey. Workshop topics include insights and guidance shared by caregivers; basic information on how dementia affects the brain and the four most prevalent types of dementia; best practices in creating a dementia friendly home and lifestyle; problem solving technique and strategies to manage behaviors such as agitation, refusing to eat or bathe, and depression; healthy stress management, mood management, sharing the caring, and the diverse type of services available to caregivers.