Leading Aging Organization First to Provide Online Workshop as Employee Benefit; Six Week Program Increases Activity, Improves Health

WASHINGTON, April 22, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Council on Aging (NCOA) today announced it will offer Better Choices, Better Health™, the online version of the internationally recognized Chronic Disease Self Management Program (CDSMP), as a benefit to all of its full-time staff and their families.  

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100615/NCOALOGO)

"We are proud to be the first to offer this unique benefit to our employees and their eligible family members," said Rina Pennacchia, vice president for human resources. "This program will keep our staff healthy as they continue to help all older adults live healthier lives."

Better Choices, Better Health™ is a six-week online workshop that helps people with chronic long term conditions manage their symptoms and take control of their health.

Developed and tested at the Stanford University School of Medicine, the workshop is offered exclusively through NCOA.  Interested people can learn more about Better Choices, Better Health™ and, for a limited time, can even register for a workshop at www.SelfManage.org.

"Millions of working Americans struggle every day with ongoing health conditions," said Jim Firman, president and CEO of NCOA. "In the short term, these problems affect their day to day performance and longer term can lead to disability.  Better Choices, Better Health™ provides a powerful and proven way for our staff—and others around the country—to get the tools they need to feel better and continue to do the important work of improving the lives of older adults."

An Evidence-Based, Six-Week Workshop—Available Online

Rigorous studies have demonstrated that Better Choices, Better Health™ helps individuals decrease their fatigue, exercise more, expand their self-confidence and improve their health.  Often led by trained facilitators with a chronic condition themselves, participants address topics such as fatigue, sleep, pain, shortness of breath, stress reduction, dealing with difficult emotions, planning for the future, locating and using community resources, building communication skills, and asking for help.

Participants log on to the free weekly sessions from any computer with an Internet connection, including dial-up. Sessions are posted on a secure Web site each week for six weeks. There are no set times for workshop sessions; participants log on remotely at their convenience to complete exercises, read posted material, and interact with others.  

In addition to the online Better Choices, Better Health™, in-person community-based CDSMP workshops are provided locally around the country. Through funding from the U.S. Administration on Aging, these offerings are currently promoted to thousands of people in 46 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Information on the community-based CDSMP program can be obtained by emailing CDSMP@ncoa.org.  Or for those attending the Aging in America conference this week in San Francisco, you can find out more by visiting NCOA's booth (#501).

About NCOA  
The National Council on Aging is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC. NCOA is a national voice for millions of older adults—especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged—and the community organizations that serve them. It brings together nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government to develop creative solutions that improve the lives of all older adults. NCOA works with thousands of organizations across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their health, live independently, and remain active in their communities. For more information, please visit: www.NCOA.org / www.facebook.com/NCOAging / www.twitter.com/NCOAging.

SOURCE National Council on Aging