According to the 2016 National Health Interview Survey, 50 million American adults had chronic pain in 2016. Pain is defined as being chronic when it lasts longer than three to six months or beyond the normal healing time of an injury.
Living Well with Chronic Pain is an evidence-based workshop developed by Stanford University. The workshop provides helpful information, teaches practical skills for self-managing pain and helps people maintain a more active and fulfilling life. The workshop is free and open to anyone over the age of 18 years old experiencing chronic pain.
Living Well with Chronic Pain is a seven-week interactive workshop led by two trained peer leaders in a group setting. Topics include appropriate physical activity including flexibility, balance and strength; managing medication and making treatment decisions; healthful eating and weight management; and how to communicate more effectively with friends, family and healthcare providers.
There are two Living Well with Chronic Pain workshops being offered this September – one in Hamilton and the other in Canastota.
The workshops start Thursday, Sept. 26. The Canastota group runs from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Madison County Office for the Aging, 138 Dominic Bruno Blvd., Canastota; the Hamilton workshop runs from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the Bassett Healthcare Hamilton-Madison Specialty Services Primary Care office at 1055 Madison Marketplace in Hamilton.
Each participant will receive a copy of the Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Pain and an audio relaxation CD, “Relaxation for Mind and Body.”
Register by phone at 315.454.2108 or email henry.s@mcruralhealthcouncil.org.