Age Well with WIHA

New Year. New Opportunities.

The start of a new year always brings talk about New Year’s Resolutions. It’s a great time to look back at the past year, take the Healthy Aging Assessment, and set goals for the year to come.

To help you have the best chance of success for your resolution, make sure to set SMART goals! SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. 

• Specific: Decide exactly what you want to accomplish including a “what”, “where”, “when”, and “how (long)”. Avoid general statements like “I want to exercise more.” Instead, be more specific such as “I will walk around the block for 20 minutes twice this week.”
• Measurable: How will you measure whether you have accomplished your goal? Measurements for physical activity might be: minutes walked, laps swam, flights of stairs, holes of golf, etc.
• Achievable: The goals should be challenging, but not impossible. You might ask yourself “Can I accomplish this activity?”
• Relevant: How is this goal relevant to your life?
• Timely: Identify a solid start and end date, or a length of time

SMART goals will help make your New Year’s resolutions achievable! If improving your health is one of your New Year’s resolutions, then check out our evidence-based programs and find a workshop near you.

Connect with Others

One in three adults over the age of 45 years feels lonely. Loneliness is the feeling of being alone, isolated, or not socially connected.

This holiday season, we challenge you to make new connections! Here are a couple of options for you to connect with a friend, family member, neighbor, previous classmate, or other acquaintance

• Start a new hobby or join a club for a hobby you already enjoy – you’re sure to have something in common!
• Contact a local senior center or aging and disability resource center to be a volunteer driver to transport those who can’t drive to doctor’s appointments or workshops
• Bake a plate of holiday treats and bring them to someone new
• Join an exercise class where you can connect with participants and improve your fitness
• Volunteer: a food pantry, humane society, meal delivery – the possibilities are endless! You’re sure to meet new people!
• Sign up for a health education workshop – you’ll learn ways to take control of your health and meet others interested in doing the same!

In this Issue

Brain Health Recap

Thanks to everyone for joining the Let’s Be Optimistic About Brain Health webinar on November 1st. Dr. Carol Van Hulle’s presentation informed us about the modifiable risk factors for brain health and what we can do to prevent dementia. She also discussed things to look for and what you should or shouldn’t be concerned about.

Watch the Recording

Driving Safety

December 4–8 was Older Driver Safety Awareness Week. Did you know there’s a link between falls risk and driving safety?

Falls can increase crash risk by causing injuries like wrist fractures or broken legs that can make it hard for older adults to steer or brake to avoid a crash.

Read More at FallsFreeWI.org

Featured Program: Healthy Living with Diabetes

Research: Healthy Living with Diabetes is researched and shown to improve A1C levels, reduce emergency room visits by 53%, improve how well someone thinks they can manage their diabetes, and improve how healthy one feels.

Who is it for: Healthy Living with Diabetes is designed for people who have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, or who live with someone with diabetes.  

How to participate: You can participate in Healthy Living with Diabetes in-person, virtually, or by phone. Find a workshop near you.