Diakon Community Services has been proudly serving Schuylkill County since 1990 by offering a wide range of programs from delivering Meals on Wheels to health insurance counseling for people with Medicare, managing senior centers, to specialized clubs and fitness programs.
They’re now offering an opportunity for volunteers to make a positive impact in the lives of seniors and to those who are living with chronic conditions by leading their Health & Wellness programs.
The Health & Wellness programs provide education, camaraderie and fun to adults on a variety of topics.
Walk with Ease teaches adults how to safely make physical activity part of their lives by improving self-management of arthritis via a safe and comfortable physical standard of living. The benefits include reducing pain and discomfort of arthritis; increasing balance, strength and walking pace; building confidence in the ability to be physically active and improving the potential for overall health. The program consists of three one-hour weekly sessions for six weeks. Leaders are required to take a three- to four-hour online training and have or get a CPR certification.
The Matter of Balance program can help people age 50 and older improve their quality of life and remain independent by reducing the fear of falling and increasing activity levels. Participants learn to set realistic goals to increase activity, change their environment to reduce fall risks factors and to learn simple exercises to increase strength and balance. The program has eight two-hour sessions. Leaders need eight hours of training.
Living a Healthy Life and Healthy Living with Diabetes are six weekly workshops by Stanford University, designed for adults age 50 and older who are living with chronic conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, COPD and heart disease. The program has been proven to improve healthful behaviors, health status and reduce hospital stays. Five-day training for leaders is required.
Healthy Steps raises knowledge and awareness, introduces steps to reduce falls and improve health for people age 50 and older. The workshop measures fall risk through a variety of screenings and shows participants ways to reduce risks. The program can be run as one four-hour session or two two-hour sessions. Training for leaders includes three online modules and a one-day classroom seminar.
Leaders commit to facilitating at least one program per year and completing required trainings and certifications.
If you’d like to help Diakon in their efforts to promote healthy lifestyles to adults in our communities, call Jenny Wagner, community wellness coordinator, at 570-624-3017. The Health & Wellness program is managed by Diakon under a contract with the Schuylkill County Office of Senior Services with funding by the state Department of Aging.
Art in the Park will take place Saturday at Bubeck Park in Schuylkill Haven, rain or shine. There will be homemade crafts, music, food and more. The event is sponsored by the Schuylkill Haven Recreation Department, Walk In Art Center and Healthy Haven.
A spring bird walk will be held 9 a.m. Saturday at Sweet Arrow Lake, Pine Grove. Locate and identify from sight and song, resident and migratory species that inhabit the park during the free two-hour walk. Meet in waterfall parking lot. In event of rain, walk is canceled. Call 570-345-8952 for details.
Sweet Arrow Lake will host a Photo-Safari at 6 p.m. May 16. Bob Evanchalk will lead you to some of the best areas in the park for photos, then the group will review and choose the best. This is a great way to improve your techniques and gain pointers. Bring your digital camera, download cable and an empty memory card. Advance registration is requested. The program, that is suitable for teens and adults, is held rain or shine. Call 570-391-6400 to register.
Community Volunteers in Action is the volunteer center for Schuylkill County. Search listings on our website at www.schuylkill.us/cvia. Find us on Facebook. Call us at 570 628-1426 or email jjohnston@co.schuylkill.pa.us.