Ruby Watson, 73, is firm but diplomatic during a role-play exercise when her classmates start talking on cell phones and not paying attention: They are here to learn about chronic disease self-management, period.
The exercise was part of a week-long master trainer workshop sponsored by Texas Health Resources in which the participants learned to train other volunteers — part of the ongoing effort to live the Texas Health Vision of partnering with consumers for a lifetime of health and well-being.
Ruby (picture below on the right), a volunteer, and 22 others will use what they learned to teach community volunteers, who will in turn teach community members about chronic disease self-management.
“Diabetes and other chronic conditions are often perplexing to patients upon initial diagnosis and even years into management of the condition,” said Catherine Oliveros, DrPH, Texas Health’s vice president of Community Health Improvement. “Our evidence-based classes serve as a resource that empowers consumers with practical, non-clinical coaching that helps them stay on top of their disease and build the skills to live healthier lives. This is just one way that we are working to reach out into the community to help people improve their health.”
(Pictured right: Julie Wright, program manager of Community Health Improvement for Denton and Wise counties, works with other students in a master trainer class.)
Building a volunteer base
Texas Health decided to offer the workshop this year because more qualified volunteers are needed in the communities it serves, particularly in rural areas, said Laurie Long, Community Health Improvement program director (top left photo, at left). The collaborative effort to reach people includes local Area Agencies on Aging, public health departments, faith communities and other nonprofits, such as Sixty and Better.
“We are targeting communities where we don’t have enough volunteers,” Laurie said. “Using data from the system’s Community Health Needs Assessment and Community Impact reports we’ve identified high-need ZIP codes. If there are no certified leaders who serve the area, we can’t offer these educational programs. For example, some of our counties only have one trained program manager. You need two certified leaders to teach the programs.”
The graduates of the Master Trainer workshop will be able to provide leader trainings within Texas Health’s 16-county service area.
High need drives training
The need is huge, said Julie Wright, program manager of Community Health Improvement for Denton and Wise counties.
For example, in 76119, in southeast Fort Worth, nearly half of residents suffer from high blood pressure and almost a quarter have diabetes.
Bobbie Stott of Jasper, who has been a master trainer for nine years, said she’s seen the results from workshops. One man lost 100 pounds over the course of a year after attending a six-week self-management workshop taught by trained volunteers.
The man told the class he suddenly realized he was eating himself to death, Bobbie said. “His a-ha moment touched the whole class,” she said.
The master trainer candidates attended the workshop for five or six days before becoming certified as master trainers. The Master Training for Chronic Disease Self-Management took place June 10-14 and a diabetes cross-over master training was offered June 14 and 15.
Over the course of six weeks, using nationally recognized programs originally developed at Stanford University on chronic disease and diabetes self-management, the participants will cover problem solving, decision making, action planning and other self-management skills for topics such as weight management, proper nutrition, pain management and more.
Helping others inspires attendees
Class members included community volunteers, faith community nurses, staff from Texas Health Resources and members from collaborating Area Agencies on Aging, local public health departments, and other nonprofits. Some attendees came from as far away as Wichita Falls, Austin and Houston.
Ruby, of Richardson, has been volunteering one way or another since she retired. She took the class because it will help reach more people in need.
“I love what it helps people do,” she said.
Monica Ventura (left), a Community Health Worker for Texas Health, also took the class. She is part of the Mobile Health team that helps coordinate scheduling of mobile health units for mammograms and wellness screening in communities.
“It’s fun to be able to provide for people in need,” she said.
By Judy WIley • Posted July 2, 2019
