Archive for May, 2009
Exercise Programs
Participatory exercise programs should include education on benefits of regular exercise and risks of a sedentary lifestyle, its effect on cardiovascular health and diseases, its relationship with weight control and stress management, and aerobic exercise options. Discussion and practice of safe principles of exercise – warm up, cool down, frequency, intensity, duration, flexibility and strength [...]
Weight Control
Program provided is consistent with scientific and medical recommendations for weight loss, reflects a multi-disciplinary approach which offers four components: behavioral, exercise, diet, and maintenance, and is in accordance with the document Guidance For Treatment Of Adult Obesity. It includes:
• Screening to verify that the colleague has no medical or psychological conditions which would make [...]
Cholesterol Measurement and Education
A program is required to support appropriate interpretation of cholesterol evaluation results, including a caution that a single measurement neither excludes nor establishes a diagnosis of their blood cholesterol.
Follow national ground rules:
Total Cholesterol
Desirable cholesterol < 200 mg/dl
Borderline cholesterol 200 – 239 mg/dl
High cholesterol > 240 mg/dl
HDL
Desirable HDL > 35 mg/dl
Low HDL < 35 [...]
Blood Pressure (BP) Measurement and Education
Appropriate medical or allied health professional trained in measurement of Blood Pressure (BP), referral protocols, and delivering educational messages to colleague delivering Blood Pressure (BP) programs. These programs are required to follow national ground rules.
• National ground rules for Blood Pressure (BP) protocols:
o Calibration of Blood Pressure (BP) calculating equipment
be done at least each year.
o [...]
Employee Health Screening Programs
Health risk evaluation programs should be carried out on a one-on-one basis by trained medical professionals. Health risk measures should include the following:
• Blood Pressure (BP) measurements – at least two Blood Pressure (BP) measurements taken during the evaluation episode, using a mercury sphygmomanometers or regularly calibrated aneroids.
• Blood Pressure (BP) treatment status – ascertain [...]
Effective Programming/General Recommendations
Program directors or providers should have a background in wellness programming and a professional health-related degree or certification. They should have expertise in content areas, planning, promotion, administration, evaluation, and ability to grow a program and tailor the program to the workplace.
Program providers should have a quality assurance program for evaluating the performance of service [...]
Incentives
Incentives can be used to expand participation rates, help with completion or attendance at programs, and to help people shift or adhere to healthy lifestyles. The purpose of the incentive is to encourage employees to adopt positive behaviors or maintain an existing positive behavior. Everyone who achieves a objective or maintains a behavior should receive [...]
Marketing
A major concern in wellness programming is attracting employees to participate and maximizing participation. When introducing a program, a letter briefly explaining the program signed by the president or CEO is a great endorsement.
Utilizing posters, newsletter articles, and flyers are great means of promoting the program. Other promotional methods to consider are e-mail and announcements [...]
Selecting a Provider
When staffing your wellness program you need to consider whether to hire a wellness employee or contract with wellness professionals from outside your business.
Small and medium size worksites do not usually have a wellness professional on employee. If your worksite is in this category, you will need to contract with providers outside your business.
Large corporations [...]
Program Structure
When selecting a program from a vendor you should ask the following questions:
• How many worksites have done the program?
• What types of employee population was the program provided?
• What educational materials are used?
• Will the program meet the needs of employees?
• What are the techniques used to help alter behaviors?
• Does the program help [...]
