Employee Wellness continues to offer a weight loss challenge pitting the six Transportation facilities against each other in “Weigh in on the 8’s.” The “Weigh in on the 8’s” Challenge was designed to help promote team spirit and motivate employees to improve their health by losing unwanted pounds and enhancing healthy behaviors. Each month from September to December, participants would weigh in, get their blood pressure checked, attend class, and be assigned healthy lifestyle homework for points. Participants would also receive points for weight loss over the course of the challenge. Facility points from each activity were totaled and prizes were awarded to the top locations and individuals. The challenge resulted in 90 participants losing over 125 pounds during the course of this four month challenge.

The top three weight loss leaders by facility were:

This program was very successful in providing valuable information and skills needed to make healthy lifestyle changes in a supportive environment.

Each Transportation facility was also given the opportunity to have The University of Florida Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) which teaches nutrition, food preparation and food management to families. This series of free, interactive, eight week classes for 1.5 hours each week taught employees how to make healthy food choices for the whole family; prepare delicious, safe food; and stretch the food dollar. Each week they prepared and tasted new recipes, and all participants received helpful kitchen tools and a certificate upon completion. Over 100 participants completed the lessons in learning how to “Eat Healthy to Stay Healthy.”

Diabetes prevention is possible, powerful, and proven. Did you know that 1 in 10 Palm Beach County adults have been diagnosed with diabetes? Employee Wellness and UnitedHealthcare took action to educate about diabetes by offering one hour informative classes at all the Transportation facilities. The “Taking Control” program allowed participants to better manage blood sugar from a REAL patient, with REAL A1C control, providing REAL inspiration. Over 90 participants attended to learn how to reduce risk of diabetes-related complications, and get information about important Diabetes Health Plan resources from the onsite Nurse at Work.

Employee Wellness, UnitedHealthcare and Jupiter Medical Center teamed up for the 2013-2014 school year “Heart Healthy Lifestyle” Health and Wellness Fair offering vision testing, blood pressure screenings, sleep improvement information, blood sugar screenings, mammograms, nutrition counseling, osteoporosis screenings, and health and wellness information.

Employee Wellness also partnered with local hospitals to offer onsite mammography at any School District location. The best defense against breast cancer is early detection. Studies show that if you are in your forties or older, having a mammogram every 1 to 2 years could save your life. The Jupiter Medical Center Wellness in Motion Bus provided valuable health information and screening mammograms for all Transportation facilities resulting in 41 preventive mammograms.

Focus groups are crucial to gaining information and insight about a particular issue, which is why Employee Wellness and UnitedHealthcare teamed up to administer focus groups at all Transportation facilities. The purpose of these focus groups was to explore the needs and concerns regarding employee health and how Employee Wellness can help support and provide appropriate resources to achieve staff wellness goals. Some of the most popular suggestions among the Transportation facilities were: nutrition classes, creating a Transportation Cookbook, providing exercise equipment and/or fitness classes and incentives for maintaining or improving blood pressure, cholesterol and weight.

Employee Wellness regularly participates in all Transportation In-Services and New Driver Orientations throughout the school year. Poor lifestyles affect health and safety so there is a heavy focus on conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, sleep apnea, stress, and obesity which all can affect the driver’s annul physical exams and dexterity tests. The goal is to promote positive behavior changes that can make a difference.

UnitedHealthcare Nurse Liaison, Gail Diedrick RN works with Employees at the Transportation sites, Facilities and Schools. She provides education and onsite programs, assists members with free resources and programs that are available to members and their families. UnitedHealthcare has programs that provide support and resources for specific diseases such as diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and asthma. The program offers personal support in dealing with these chronic diseases and ensures that you are seeing the right provider to appropriately manage your disease. Here are some of the programs and testimonials that UnitedHealthcare Nurse Liaison Gail Diedrick RN, has facilitated at Transportation:

A1c Champion Events Testimonials

“Thank you for motivating me to better manage my Diabetes.”

“Now I know how important it is to manage my Blood Sugar and control my A1C level.”

Diabetes Health Plan and Health Assessment Workshops Testimonials

“Thank you for helping me to save money, now I can afford my medications.”

“Thank you for helping me to find a MD, my copays are now half the cost under the Diabetes Health Plan.”

“Thank you for referring me to the RN Case Manager I can call her for support and information, she provides tips and calls me to monitor my blood pressure.”

“Thank you for the free Blood Glucose Monitor, I can finally afford the test strips under the Diabetes Health Plan.”

Heart Healthy Wellness Fairs including Diabetes Nutrition Educators, and the MammoVan Testimonials

“Thank you for caring about us.”

“Thank you for the convenience of having the MammoVan onsite.”

Onsite Health Assessment Clinics Testimonials

“Thank you for listening and trying to help us. We appreciate you all taking the time to provide education and program. We like the support from Kim and Team.”

Education and Individual Support on Heart Disease. CAD, High Blood Pressure, Cancer and Diabetes prevention Testimonials

“I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me individually and helping me manage my condition and save money.”

“I am now seeing taking charge of my health; I’m taking my meds and feeling better.”

Employee Wellness looks forward to incorporating each facility’s ideas at all Transportation locations in the coming school year so employees can keep up the good work.

Thanks to all the employees at the Transportation Facilities for making these programs successful!