Registration under way for 6-week chronic disease program

University of Missouri Extension Pettis County has scheduled a Chronic Disease Self-Management Program workshop at First United Methodist Church (Celebration Center) , 1701 W. 32nd Street in Sedalia, every Wednesday afternoon from March 16 through April 20, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.

The free course was developed by Stanford University's Patient Education Research Center, based on the assumption that people with chronic diseases have similar concerns and challenges.

The six-week course interactive workshop will discuss with participants problems caused by chronic disease and introduce principles and, potentially, new approaches to chronic disease self-management.

The course will allow workshop participants to discuss strategies to take care of their chronic health condition, communicate better with health care providers and family members, and incorporate healthful tools into their life.

Over the course of six weeks, instructors will help class participants learn more about healthy eating, physical activity, decision making, understanding emotions and stress management, problem-solving, action plannings, and communicating and working with health care professionals.

Although this course is not taught from a medical standpoint and instructors will not be able to provide information on medical care, course participants will learn more about ways to discuss medications and care options with their health care providers and family members.

Each course registrant will be provided a free copy of Living A Healthy Life With Chronic Conditions as a reference for additional study and health care planning.

This free course is also perfect for caregivers, too.

The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program workshop is free and interested individuals can register for the six-week course by calling the University of Missouri Extension – Pettis County Center at (660) 827-0591 or by emailing PettisCo@missouri.edu.

The course is limited to 10 participants, so call to register right away.