Issue link: http://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/213306
8 R E P O R T TO O U R CO M M U N I T Y 2 0 1 3 Invested in a Healthier Community WHEN A 2012 COMMUNITY NEEDS ASSESSMENT REVEALED A HIGH LEVEL OF CHRONIC ILLNESS IN THE CHIPPEWA VALLEY, SACRED HEART HOSPITAL LAUNCHED SEVERAL INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO OFFER COMMUNITY MEMBERS THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO CHANGE THEIR LIFESTYLES. THROUGH THE CENTER for Healthy Living at Sacred Heart, community members have access to multiple educational classes and support groups, including the Metabolic Syndrome Series and Tar Wars, a smoking education series held at local elementary schools. With the launch of GO Chippewa Valley—a Center for Healthy Living initiative that stresses the importance of physical activity— residents also have access to online resources that allow them to track their daily exercise and calorie intake. GET UP AND GO An important tool in combating chronic illnesses, such as heart disease and diabetes, is physical activity. In January 2013, Sacred Heart launched GO Chippewa Valley, which encourages people to engage in 15 minutes of exercise each day on their own time and in their own way. Participants can do whatever activity they enjoy—from taking three fiveminute walks each day to swimming 15 minutes in the pool to using an interactive video game, such as Wii Fit, for 15 minutes in the comfort of their living rooms. The goal of GO Chippewa Valley is to improve overall community health and reduce the prevalence of chronic diseases by making 15 minutes of daily activity a habit for Eau Claire residents. In October 2013, Sacred Heart took its commitment to helping people achieve an active lifestyle one step further by launching GO myWay, an interactive website and mobile app that allow users to log their daily exercise time and calorie intake, access a wide variety of educational resources, register for community classes, and create and monitor their own personal fitness goals. COUNTERING METABOLIC SYNDROME In addition to revealing a high level of chronic illness among Chippewa Valley residents, the 2012 needs assessment also identified a lack of information about metabolic syndrome, which encompasses a variety of factors that can increase heart disease and Type 2 diabetes risk. These factors include your waist size, cholesterol and triglyceride levels, fasting blood sugar, and blood pressure. If you have three risk factors that exceed healthy limits, you may have metabolic syndrome. To better educate the community about this preventable syndrome, Sacred Heart launched the Metabolic Syndrome Series in January 2013. The program invited women and consisted of eight sessions, as well as a pre- and post-series screening. During each session, a different speaker from the community presented information and tips. Women were also invited to take part in the "Recharge, Refocus, and Reenergize Your Life" wilderness retreat