Dust Off Your Swimsuit for Muscle Strength

The Walk With Ease Program

In 1999 the National Institute of Arthritis developed a program to help their beneficiaries suffering from arthritis, pain and stiffness. The program was a means to get them up and moving safely and effectively without increasing their symptoms. As time has gone by, the program has been expanded to serve a broader audience, such as people with chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease, people with disabilities and people who are focused on weight management. The program so far has made a positive impact on many individual’s lives being raved as a mood booster, a tool to fight depression, decrease pain and stiffness and enhance mobility and balance. Our Quality Improvement Manager, Sheryl Marshall decided to learn more about the program by hosting an informational podcast based around the program with Community Health Partner’s Executive Vice President and CHO, Trina Radske-Suchan and Walk With Ease participant Marilyn Jones. Be sure to join us in the future as we continue to give tips on how to maximize your life well into your golden years. New Episodes are available on the third Thursday of each month until 2019. For more information regarding Healthy Aging, you can visit Telligen’s Care Coordination Page and Resources. You can also stay up to date on health-related news, workshops and webinars by following Telligen QIN on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Dust Off Your Swimsuit for Muscle Strength

Tai chi has been touted as a means to improve balance and avoid falls in older adults by countless media organizations such as Harvard Health, WebMD, AARP, and many more. In fact, if you type "Tai Chi" into Google's search engine, the first result to auto-populate is "Tai Chi to prevent falls". Given Tai Chi's rise in popularity, a new and similar movement known as Ai Chi has emerged as well -- the only difference, Ai Chi is water-based. That's right, Ai Chi is practiced while submerged in waist or chest-deep water due to additional benefits gained. Our two Quality Improvement Managers, Kate LaFollette and Sheryl Marshall decided to investigate whether the hype surrounding Ai Chi was worth it and what other benefits aquatic exercise offers by deep diving with Iowa Department of Health's Executive Officer, Diane Williams and Community Health Partners' Aquatic Program Director, Mary LaBane.