Resiliency Resources for Long-Term Care Facilities

RESILIENCY RESOURCES

LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES

Introduction

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) is a leader in innovative, student-centered education and geriatric training. LECOM is the core of the only academic health center in Northwest Pennsylvania, LECOM Health. LECOM Health is able to draw upon the wide array of resources offered by their numerous entities to create a rich learning environment for health profession students and employees, innovative patient care delivery systems, and supports for healthcare teams. LECOM Health has established numerous relationships with external community-based organizations. The health system is deeply embedded in the regional community, a feature that has allowed us to gain an understanding and appreciation of the cultural and linguistic variability in the area-among both patients and the healthcare workforce - as well as the impact that unfavorable social determinants of health have on families.

In addition to supporting COVID-19 outbreak response in long term care facilities (LTCF), LECOM Health formed Healthy Employees build Resilient Organizations (HERO) to enhance quality of care and ability to prevent and respond to disease outbreaks including COVID-19 long term care facilities in Northwest Pennsylvania by:

1. Promoting professional development; increasing protective factors in resilience, wellness, and mental health; and decreasing stress and risk of burnout among health professionals through individual awareness and capacity building using evidence-supported, rapid deployment of training, resources and supports to LTCF staff, teams, and leaders

2. Supporting the journey to become Age-Friendly Health Systems and aligning infection prevention and control and emergency preparedness efforts with best practices

3. Building a sustainable outbreak response operation using available resources in the community and region that can be activated when necessary to mitigate future infectious disease outbreaks

LECOM Health has partnered with the Pennsylvania Department of Health to accomplish these goals. Through this funding opportunity, LECOM Health developed the Center for HEROs which is a resource of wellness supports and training initiatives designed to combat the current burnout epidemic among the health workforce by building protective mechanisms in resilience and wellness and stress management to prevent future burnout and establish a healthier baseline. Doing this by leveraging evidence-supported activities and interventions; reducing the stigma of receiving mental health services; providing peer supports and mentoring; unifying resources, policies, and learnings across the system; creating a formal Support Network; designing an enhanced curriculum; and developing individual and worksite wellness plans. LECOM developed a sustainable strategic wellness and resilience plan that is culturally embedded with aligned systems, processes, policies, and rewards that can serve as a model for other health professional organizations. LECOM Health created this resource book as a result of this project to help extend this knowledge to help their communities and beyond.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Each of the following Units is designed to educate you and provide you with tools to use to create a more resilient environment and workforce.

Vocational Wellness

Worksite Health Assessment and Plan.....................................................................................

Workplace Wellness Committee..............................................................................................

Employee Wellness Plan

Trauma Informed Care

Trauma Informed Supervision..................................................................................................

Mental and Emotional Wellness meQuilibrium

Stress Management................................................................................................................

Emotional Intelligence

Template Newsletter

HERO Website Tutorial...........................................................................................................

Phyical Wellness

Buildinga Strong Foundation How to Start Standing atWork.................................................................................................

Ergonomic Essentials..............................................................................................................

Proper Workplace Ergonomics

Tobacco Cessation

Tobacco-Free Workplace........................................................................................................

Chronic Disease Self-Management

Social Wellness

Theraputic Recreation.............................................................................................................

Volunteer Time Off Book Club

Spiritual Wellness.............................................................................................................................

Reflective Pause

Financial Wellness............................................................................................................................

Identity Theft ...........................................................................................................................

Environmental Wellness

Workplace Environmental Wellness

VOCATIONAL WELLNESS

WORKSITE HEALTH ASSESSMENT & WELLNESS PLAN

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Worksite Health Assessment and Wellness Plan Unit. This unit will educate you on the purpose and utility of worksite health assessments and wellness plan. In addition, provided throughout this unit are user friendly resources and tools to create and implement a successful and sustainable program.

PURPOSE

Acoordinated approach toworkplacewellnessresultsinaplanned,organized,andcomprehensive set of programs, policies, benefits, and environmental supports designed to meet the health and safety needs of all employees.

A comprehensive approach puts interventions in place that address multiple risk factors and health conditions concurrently and recognizes that the interventions and strategies chosen influence multiplelevelsoftheorganizationincludingtheindividualemployeeandtheorganization. The use of effective workplace programs and policies can reduce health risks and improve the quality of life for long term care facility workers.

Maintaining a healthier workforce can lower direct costs such as insurance premiums and workers’ compensation claims. It will also positively impact many indirect costs such as absenteeism, worker productivity, and quality of care.

STEP1:ASSESS WORKSITE HEALTH

What is the CDC Worksite Health ScoreCard?

CDC WORKSITE HEALTH SCORECARD

The CDC Worksite Health ScoreCard (CDC ScoreCard) is a tool designed to help employers assess whether they have implemented evidence-based health promotion strategies to improve the health and well-beingoftheir employees.The CDC ScoreCard includes 154 questions across 18 modules (topic areas) and are scored to help employers identify gaps and track improvements over time. Modules in the order they appear in the CDC ScoreCard and the number of questions contained within each module as follows:

1. Organizational Supports (25)

2. TobaccoUse (8)

3. High Blood Pressure (6)

4. High Cholesterol (5)

5. PhysicalActivity (10)

6. Weight Management (4)

7. Nutrition (14)

8. HeartAttack and Stroke (12)

9. Prediabetes and Diabetes (6)

10. Depression (7)

11. Stress Management (7)

12. Alcohol and OtherSubstance Use (6)

13. Sleep and Fatigue (6)

14. Musculoskeletal Disorders (7)

15. OccupationalHealth and Safety (9)

16. Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (7)

17. Maternal Health and Lactation Support (7)

18. Cancer (8)

How do to get started

1. Form a small team representing different organizational units. It is recommended to enlist individuals among the following roles:

• Human resource managers

• Health benefit managers

• Health education staff

• Occupational health nurses

• Medical directors

• Others responsible for Worksite health promotion

2. Access the CDC Worksite Health ScoreCard website via link below to register for one administrator account and one or more worksite accounts

• https://nccd.cdc.gov/DPH_WHSC/HealthScorecard/Home.aspx

• Contact a LTC RISE/HERO team member for additional guidance, support, and inquiries

3. Once registered you will receive an email from the CDC. Log in using the username and other information provided and follow the instructions. Here are some additional resources:

• Informational video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmFqiRDMkFg

• How to use the online system: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amjv8eMJQCg

4. Complete the assessment together to allow for more accurate responses, increase ownership and involvement among the team, and decrease effort for any single team member.

ALTERNATE OR SUPPLEMENTAL ASSESSMENT OPTIONS

An assessment should aim to capture a picture of themany factors that influence employee health including individual lifestyle choices, physical working conditions, social supports, and the organizational culture,policies,and practices. Content gathered informally through conversations, requests for input/opinions (such as a bulletin board, opinion box, email requesting ideas) or, more formally, by using instruments such as an employee survey or environmental audit can influence the assessment. Data related to absenteeism, presenteeism, workers’ compensation claims, insurance utilization, and other benefit utilization can make the assessment more comprehensive.

STEP 2: PLAN THE PROGRAM

Designing an effective workplace health promotion program can be tricky. There is no one-sizefits-all approach; a successful program needs to be tailored to employee health needs and the organization’s culture and environment. To be effective, a wellness program also must be comprehensive, weaving together a coherent set of evidence-based interventions that support a culture of health and safety within the organization.

Well-designedprograms incorporate interventions atthree levels:

• Primary prevention Helping employees stay healthy and reduce their risk ofdisease (e.g., making the most of the food and beverage choices available, offering healthy food items that have visible nutritional information labels).

• Secondary prevention.Providing services aimed atearly detection and prevention of disease (e.g., offering free or subsidized cholesterol and blood pressure screenings).

• Tertiary prevention. Reducing the amount of disability caused by existing disease (e.g., providing health insurance that includes access to therapies and treatment for musculoskeletal disorders).

Use your worksite’s scores as a planning tool. Review your scores to identify potential gaps in your worksite’s health promotion program (that is, topic areas where your organization currently has a low score, which may indicate fewer strategies are in place). The average scores according to worksite size are presented for reference. Your worksite should strive to achieve or exceed these scores, but also consider the averages may not be representative of all employers and not every strategy may be relevant or feasible for your worksite. Use the results from the CDC ScoreCard to identify and prioritize relevant strategies to meet the unique health and safety needs of your employee population.

PRIORITIZE INTERVENTIONS

The CDC ScoreCard will assist in prioritizing strategies as you set both short- and long-term goals for your worksite’s comprehensive health promotion program. Determine and prioritize which strategies yourworksite will implement. Identify the highest impact strategies not currently in place at your worksite. Use this information and your scores to prioritize future strategies that are relevant, feasible, and consistent with your organization and employee needs, health issues, and health promotion budget. Identify which of your priority strategies are feasible for short- or longterm accomplishments.

The Action Planning module of the CDC ScoreCard online system has tools to help employers create a plan for success. This tutorial provides information on understanding and using your ScoreCard results to create an action plan: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGEiSrQxQ10. Consider other HERO resources for your action plan as well.

STEP 3:IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM

Most employers, when they think about improving worker health, think of actions individuals can take. Losing weight, quitting smoking, and exercising more are all examples of individual actions that can result in better health. It is important to realize, however, that improving health requires a broad perspective that also includes the environments in which people work, live, and play. A person’s health is a result of both individual actions and the context or environment within which thoseactions are taken. Employers and employees have many opportunities to influence the work environment to promote health and prevent disease. Changing the environment affects large groups of workers simultaneously and makes adopting healthy behaviors much easier if there are supportiveworkplace normsand policies. Therefore, it is important for theoverall workplacehealth program to contain a combination of individual and organizational level strategies and interventions to influence health. The strategies and interventions available fall into four major categories:

1. Health-relatedPrograms–opportunitiesavailable toemployeesattheworkplaceor through outside organizations to begin, change or maintain health behaviors

2. Health-related Policies – formal/informal written statements that are designed to protect or promote employee health. They affect large groups of employees simultaneously

3. Health Benefits – part of an overall compensation package including health insurance coverage and other services or discounts regarding health

4. EnvironmentalSupports–referstothephysicalfactorsatandnearbytheworkplace that help protect and enhance employee health

It is important to remember that a successful program does not necessarily incorporate all potential workplace health strategies. A truly successful program is one whose components are carefully selected, implemented efficiently, and is suited to the employee population. It may be more prudent to focus on one or two policies/programs at first and build on early successes rather than poorly implement several interventions at the beginning.

STEP 4: MEASURE IMPACT

Worksites should plan to evaluate the programs, policies, benefits, or environmental supports implemented by completing the CDC ScoreCard annually among any other selected evaluation activities. It is important to assess how well the workplace health program can be sustained over time, how it is received by employees and management, and its return on investment. The evaluation should focus on questions that are relevant, salient, and useful to those who will use the findings and that the evaluation process feeds into a continuous quality improvement loop to improve and strengthen existingactivities; identify potential gaps in currentofferings; anddescribe the efficiency and effectiveness of the resources invested.

REFERENCE

1. Workplace Health Promotion. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Division of Population Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Updated May 13, 2016. Accessed September 1, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/model/index.html

2. Sorensen G, Stoddard AM, LaMontagne AD, et al. A comprehensive worksite cancer prevention intervention: behavior change results from a randomized controlled trial (United States). Cancer Causes Control. 2002;13(6):493-502. doi:10.1023/a:1016385001695

3. Sorensen G, Barbeau E, Stoddard AM, Hunt MK, Kaphingst K, Wallace L. Promotingbehavior change among working-class, multiethnic workers: results of the healthy directions--small business study. Am J Public Health. 2005;95(8):1389-1395. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2004.038745

WORKPLACE WELLNESS COMMITTEE INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Workplace Wellness Committee (WWC) Unit This unit will educate you on the purpose and utility of Workplace Wellness Committee with various user-friendly resources and implementation tools as well as strategies to develop a successful and impactful program.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Workplace Wellness Committee is to create and maintain “Joy in Work” which supports a healthy workforce and healthy work environment that ultimately leads to better resident outcomes and improves the quality of life for both staff and residents. The committee serves as a channel to engage, involve, and empower your employees to participate in various activities and is responsible to address and remove barriers associated with wellness initiatives and participation. The program will also help form and/or strengthen lasting relationships between you, the administrative team, and your valued employees, that is built on trust, by showing your commitment to supporting their needs.

STEP 1: KICK OFF MEETING

GET STARTED (Forming)

• Send out Workplace Wellness Committee kick off meeting invitations to your employees

o Disperse at least two weeks prior to meeting date

o Plan for initial meeting to last 30-45 minutes

• Review the purpose and benefits

• Define committee objectives that align with organizational needs

• Present potential wellness program activities

o Health Challenges - walks, weight loss, smoking cessation

o Instruction Sessions - disease self-management

o Educational Series - mindfulness, meditation, stress management

• Discuss role assignments and responsibilities, champion recruitment, and task delegation

• Develop a plan to solicit employee feedback from all departments

STEP 2: EXPLORE “WHAT MATTERS”

DEFINE/REDEFINE EXPECTATIONS, TASKS, BEHAVIORS & OVERALL GOALS (Storming)

• Further explore potential wellness program activities

• Determine the degree of commitment of members

• Foster friendly competition for desired assignments

• Manage conflict by encouraging communication that allows information sharing, rather than suppression of ideas or opposing viewpoints

• Acknowledge the strengths and weakness of self, others, and the organization through SWOT analysis and reflection (Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats)

STEP 3: SHARE THE VISION

TEAMWORK AND COLLABORATION (Norming)

• Finalizeselectionofawellness program activity

• Determinemeasures, timelines, and rewards for participation/achievement

• Encourage team buildingefforts to enhance group identity and strengthen camaraderie

• Presentand promote a mutually shared vision and mission (i.e., create flyers, emails)

STEP 4: STRIVE FOR SUCCESS

ACTION AND ACCOMPLISHING TASKS (Performing)

• Implement the wellness program activity

• Support the vision and mission, support one another

• Measure and monitor progress to evaluate a need to redesign for program enhancement

1. Utilize employee surveys or polls

2. Question “why” and “what more can be done”

• Maintaina safe learning environment to enhance contributions

STEP 5: INFLUENCE THE FUTURE

DISBANDMENT (Adjourning)

• Wrap up the wellness program and group activities

• Celebrateaccomplishment ofgoals and personal achievements

• Recognize challenges andobstacles faced individually and as a team

• Reflecton positive influences on employee health and well-being and resident care

REFERENCE

1. AmeriHealth. (2022). “How to” Implement a worksite wellness program.

https://www.amerihealth.com/worksite_wellness/how_to_implement/index.html

2. Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company. (2013). Creating a workplace wellness committee: A toolkit foremployers.https://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/resources/6663.pdf

3. Konopaske,R., Ivancevich, J.M.,&Matteson, M.T. (2018). Organizational behavior & management (11th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. Perlo, J., Balik, B., Swensen, S., Kabcenell, A., Landsman, J., & Feeley, D. (2017). IHI framework for improving joy in work [White Paper]. Institute for Healthcare Improvement

http://www.ihi.org/resources/Pages/IHIWhitePapers/Framework-Improving-Joy-in-Work.aspx

WORKPLACE WELLNESS COMMITTEE COVER LETTER TEMPLATE Team,

We (name the group) are deeply invested in creating a positive work environment focused on wellness for you as an individual as well as us as an organization.

Working with leadership across the system, we are implementing several action items to encourage wellness and prevent burnout.

What does that mean, exactly?

You will begin to see well-being and connectedness promoted in our handbooks, orientations, training manuals, meetings and more. In addition, you will soon have access to skill-building opportunities and resources addressing all dimensions of wellness.

The first resource is our new Workplace Wellness Committee (WWC), which will raise awareness of wellness opportunities, help us communicate better, and determine some steps to take toward well-being.

We will be developing our WWC together to help create a positive and healthy workplace where we all can thrive.

Please submit any contributions of ideas, suggestions, or questions to your team leader prior to our first committee meeting on (DATE/TIME/LOCATION).

I hope you’re looking forward to this as much as I am. If you’re winning, we’re all winning.

(Personal closing if desired)

(Supervisor Name)

EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PLAN

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Employee Wellness Plan (EWP) Unit. The Employee Wellness Plan is a tool to raise awareness, create intentional communication, and advance action around well-being. This unit will educate you on the benefits of an employee wellness plan and implementation of best practices, various resources, tools, and strategies to assist you in developing a successful and sustainable program tailored to your employee’s needs

PURPOSE

To show dedication to advancing and sustaining resources and opportunities to strengthen the wellness and resilience of your employees. Also, to demonstrate commitment to reducing the barriers associated with seeking help and/or support to address any dimension of wellness, including physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, financial, environmental, social, and vocational.

BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES

• Opportunities for expanded support

• Improved health outcomes

• Reduced burnout

• Better workplace relationships

• Increased job satisfaction

• Recognition and prioritization of the whole person

• Contributions to positive and healthy workplace culture

BENEFITS FOR SUPERVISORS

• Insight on how to approach and support employees

• Gauge for recognizing employee thresholds and well-being

• Opportunity to enhance workplace culture

• Strategy to build healthier and more resilient teams

• Better workplace relationships

• Increased job satisfaction

• Improved retention of workforce

STEP 1: ASSESS WHO, HOW, and WHEN

PARTICIPANTS

All employees are encouraged to participate in the development of an EWP with their supervisor. There are several essential sections of the plan; the level and extent of participation can vary based on each person's preference. The crucial sections of the plan are clearly marked in the EWP template that follows by **double asterisks.

IMPLEMENTATION

The EWP and any related updates or progress on the plan are separate from performance monitoring and annual performance reviews.

The information discussed during Employee Wellness Plan development and/or review will be used to determine individualized ways to support employees' needs and to build relationships between employee and supervisor.

Employees will keep the original plan. A copy of the plan will be maintained by the Supervisor to reference and support employees in implementing their individualized strategies.

FACILITATE PLAN DEVELOPMENT

Existing Employee Wellness Plan Development

Initial Wellness Plan should be developed on or around the employee's hire anniversary date when possible. All other existing employees should be scheduled within 3 months of Wellness Plan launch.

Do not schedule the Employee Wellness Plan development in the same meeting as a Performance Review.

New Employee Wellness Plan Development

The EWP is part of the onboarding process and meant to contrive opportunities for relationship building, burnout prevention, and health system culture of wellness and resiliency in action.

• Recommended: complete within first two weeks of employment

• Encouraged: complete within first 45 days

• Note the EWP should be developed outside of the 30, 60, 90-day review process since it is not related to performance

Employee Wellness Plan Review

Employees determine the frequency of plan reviews. At minimum, the plan will be reviewed annually and should occur on or around the employee's hire anniversary date. There is a field at the end of the EWP template to designate the frequency of review.

Recommendations:

• Supervisors reference elements of the Employee Wellness Plan in discussions with the employee often, especially during any recurring meetings with individual employees, including but not limited to clinical supervision, monthly check-ins, etc.

• Leaders and supervisors leverage existing meetings and communication platforms to reference Employee Wellness Plan and language from the plan. Examples: staff meetings, department meetings, newsletters, memos, etc.

STEP 2: MEETING PLANNING

Send the Employee Wellness Plan template to your employee(s) in advance of the EWP development meeting to provide opportunity to review, reflect, and share their preferences.

Recommendations:

• Attach the cover letter template to the EWP Plan inviting the employee to share their preference(s) with instructions to bring the provided packet to their scheduled meeting

o Solicit employee input on the duration of the meeting

▪ 20-30 minutes should be sufficient pending the employee and their preference and communication style

o Solicit preference(s) for how the EWP is developed

▪ Does the employee want to discuss each item and complete it together?

▪ Does the employee prefer to only discuss and complete the crucial fields?

▪ Would the employee rather fill in the plan on their own and bring to the meeting with you to review with them?

➢ Note that preparation is not required and should be driven by employee preference

STEP 3: MEETING IMPLEMENTATION

1. Review thepurpose and benefitsof an EWPwith theemployeeemphasizingyour commitment to improved wellness and support.

2. Share that the EWP information discussed is separate from performance monitoring and does not go in their HR file.

3. Review EWP cover letter to adhere to the employees selected preference(s) and begin to complete the plan with review and discussion.

o Given that this is a new endeavor, staff may initially feel wary about this task.

o Recommendations:

▪ Use a conversational approach to the discussion

▪ Ask open-ended questions, avoiding forced yes/no questions

▪ Encourage the opportunity for questions (“What questions do you have”)

▪ Remind staff that they may opt out of answering a particular question if it is uncomfortable for them

o At minimum, review each of the crucial fields with the employee and ensure that the plan is being filled in (either by the employee or you).

4. Once the plan is completed, reviewed, and discussed, review the commitment to wellness statement, and collect signatures if the employee is willing to sign the commitment portion

o If the employee is unwilling to sign the commitment section, the employee and/or supervisor will initial that the plan was created/reviewed and date the document

o For employees that may be unwilling to sign, initial, or engage in the EWP process, ensure that it will not be held against them

▪ The EWP is meant to be a supportive resource.

5. Make a copy of the completed plan to keep in your files and give the original to the employee

6. Schedule next review using the frequency preference identified in the plan

o Monthly, quarterly, other, but at least annually

STEP 4: FOLLOW UP AND IMPACT

FOLLOW-UP

• Periodically reference, check-in, and solicit feedback on employee status of EWP efforts

• Keep scheduled meetings with employees that elect to review their EWP outside of the annual expectation

• Leverage existing opportunities and communication platforms to reference EWP efforts frequently including, but not limited to, staff meetings, department meetings, newsletters, emails, memos, etc.

IMPACT

• Celebrate individual and team accomplishments and achievements

• Recognize challenges and barriers

• Gather feedback for potential solutions using various methodologies and strategies to combat and overcome

• Reflect on positive influences on employee health, well-being, and resident care

EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PLAN COVER LETTER TEMPLATE

Team,

We (name the group) are deeply invested in creating a positive work environment focused on wellness for you as an individual as well as us as an organization.

Working with leadership across the system, we are implementing several action items to encourage wellness and prevent burnout.

What does that mean, exactly?

You will begin to see well-being and connectedness promoted in our handbooks, orientations, training manuals, meetings and more. In addition, you will soon have access to skill-building opportunities and resources addressing all dimensions of wellness.

The first resource is your new Employee Wellness Plan (EWP), which will raise awareness of wellness opportunities, help us communicate better, and determine some steps to take toward well-being.

You and I will develop your EWP together so your contributions will help create a positive and healthy workplace where all people, teams, and organizations can thrive.

We recognize this may be the first time for some of you to experience this type of invitation or forum for these conversations to take place. Don’t worry! I’m here to partner with you to ensure we’re striving toward a wellness strategy that works for you.

Please review the attached EWP, select any preferences you may have in its development (listed below), and let me know by (DATE) when you would be available to continue this discussion.

I hope you’re looking forward to this as much as I am. If you’re winning, we’re all winning.

(Personal closing if desired)

(Supervisor Name)

EWP Development Preferences/Considerations:

Meeting Duration (circle one): 20-30 min 30-45 min 45-60 min No Preference

Select one of the following:

 Discuss each item and complete the EWP together at scheduled meeting

 Only discuss and complete crucial fields(**) together at scheduled meeting

 Complete EWP on your own prior to scheduled meeting for review and discussion

 No preference

EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PLAN(EWP)

Employee Name: Supervisor:

(Your Facility Name) is dedicated to advancing and sustaining resources and opportunities to strengthen the wellness and resilience of our employees. We are also committed to reducing the barriers associated with seeking help and/or support to address any dimension of wellness including physical, mental, emotional spiritual, financial, environmental, social, and vocational. The Employee Care Plan is a tool to raise awareness, create intentional communication, and advance action around wellness.

SELF-AWARENESS

1. ** Why do I do my work or why am I in my field?

2. How important is joy at work for me?

3. What are the kinds of things that bring me joy at work?

4. ** What do I value at work? (Please choose top 3)

Belonging

Growth Resilience Happiness Respect

Other(s):

5. Am I comfortable sharing the things that bring me joy outside of work?

6. What motivates me personally and professionally?

7. **When I envision a healthy workplace for me, the 3-5 qualities present are:

STRESS MANAGEMENT

8. How stressful is my work?

9. ** What brings me stress at work?

10. What are my warning signs that stress is becoming overwhelming (forgetful, low frustration tolerance, etc.) ?

WORKPLACE WELLBEING STRATEGIES

11. ** What current strategies for maintaining my own wellbeing am I using throughout my workday? (Meditation, stretching, scheduled breaks, etc.) List top 3 strategies.

12. As you think about the stress you experience, have you considered whether additional strategies are needed to help manage your workplace stress?

** Consider each of the following resources and/or strategies and determine if they would be helpful in establishing a happier and healthier you. Check all that apply.

Daily self-check-ins

What do I need?

How am I caring for myself in this moment?

What is within my control right now?

Are my actions getting me closer or farther away from my values?

Does my compassion include myself?

Establish a transition routine: I start each shift by... I end each shift by...

Schedule breaks in my day to care for my basic needs (meals, bathroom, etc.)

Schedule time off

• When was the last time I had off?

• What keeps me from scheduling time off?

• My next time off will be:

Take time off when sick

Make connections

Who I can check-in with while I'm at work:

Who I can speak to when I am feeling stressed or overwhelmed by work:

Courage to ask for help

I will give myself permission to lean on my work support?

Who I can ask for help:

Time management

Identify my prime work hours for complex tasks and appointments:

Remove distractions (shut phone down, donot“live” in your emails,etc.)

Organize myself (email, OneNote, etc.)

Remove non-essential tasks/activities

Schedule my tasks into my calender

Get back to basics

Invest in enough sleep

Explore ways to optimize my nutrition (eat regularly, eat healthy)

Be active or consistent with exercise

Get regular medical care (prevention)

CONTINUED) ** Consider each of the following resources and/or strategies and determine if they would be helpful in establishing a happier and healthier you. Check all that apply.

Recognize & engage with the benefit resources available to me (including, but not limited to):

meQ wellness app

Employee Assistance

Preventative health care Home at Host Site

Medical Fitness and Wellness Center

Financial Health Seminars (offeredbyBank)

Others (See Resource Guide)

Tap intoyour creativity, senses, and/or spirituality more often

Journal

Listen to or create music

Meditation/Prayer Volunteer

SETTING YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS **

Read or listen to Podcast (unrelated to work)

Spend time in nature

13. How will I determine whether I'm making progress with my Wellness Plan?

14. What barriers might prevent me from taking care of myself?

15. The plan I have for preventing barriers from getting in my way of taking care of myself:

16. In addition to the required annual review, I'd like to review my plan and progress with my supervisor:

Monthly At every scheduled supervision

Quarterly

Other

Nothing additional, one per year is enough

COMMITMENT TO WELLNESS

I agree to focus on my wellbeing and to take better care of myself as of _________(Date)

I acknowledge the importance of being mindful of my wellness and that it is an ongoing life process. As it is indicated in this plan, I am committed to practicing self-care and promoting overall wellness in my life.

Employee Signature: Date: Supervisor

Signature:____________________________________________ Date:

If you choose not to sign, you may initial below to signify that you participated. If you signed above, you do not need to initial.

I participated in the development and discussion of this plan.

Employee Signature:_______________________________________ ___ Date:_______

Supervisor

Signature:______________________________________________Date:_______

TRAUMA INFORMED-CARE

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Trauma Informed-Care Unit. This unit will educate you regarding trauma informed-care and provide tools to creating a trauma informed environment.

PURPOSE

To understand a patient’s life experiences in order to deliver effective care that has the potential to improve patient engagement, treatment adherence, health outcomes, and provider and staff wellness.

• Reduce the likelihoodofand prevent people from beingre-traumatized

• Changing from “What is wrong with them?” to “What happened to them?”

• Recognize that people frequently experience a variety oftraumas throughout their life

• Provide emotional and physicalsafety environments

• Build trust amongresidents and staff

• Foster peer support

• Create partneringand levelingofpower

• Give a voice and a choice

BEFORE

• Support a culture of staff wellness

• Create a safe physical, social, and emotional environment

• Review power point available in link provided: Trauma Informed Care ppt

• Prepare real life examples from your facility to present

DURING

• Present power point available in link provided: Trauma Informed Care ppt

• Ask questions/present real-life experiences from the facility

• Actively listen to your staff and their concerns and needs

• Havestaff share experiences they have had withresidents;supervisorand peers to offer support and advice

AFTER AND ONGOING

• Promoteflexible ways of communicating

• Offer supportive check-ins and debriefs

• Plan regular self-care and mindfulness training

• Create opportunities for staff tocome together

BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES

• Helps torespond to signs and symptoms oftrauma

• Trauma-informed environments show the staff that they are cared for and have support

• Decrease the number of adverse events and encounters

• Increasedjob satisfaction

• Increased success

• Increased self-esteem

BENEFITS FOR SUPERVISORS

• Increase the effectiveness ofservices rendered

a) Engagement

b) Retention

c) Outcome

• Cost effective

• Enhances staff moral and skills

• Reduces vicarious trauma

• Reduces staff burnout

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the definition of Trauma Informed Care?

Trauma-informed care is a strengths-based framework that is grounded in an understanding of and responsiveness to the impact of trauma, that emphasizes physical, psychological, and emotional safety for both providers and survivors, and that creates opportunities for survivors.

What are the steps to becoming atrauma-informed organization?

Thereare manyways tobecomea trauma-informedorganization andthe process does not have to be a burden to adopt. Foundational steps organizations can take to move toward fully adopting a trauma-informed approach to care include:

1. Building awareness and generating buy-in for a trauma-informed approach

2. Supportinga culture of staff wellness

3. Hiringa workforce that embodies the values oftrauma-informedcare

4. Creatingasafe physical, social, and emotional environment

How can health care providershelp patients addresstrauma?

Individuals can build trauma-informed health care organizations that create safe, caring, inclusive environments for all residents. There are several trauma-informed strategies that organizations can adopt to help people overcome the effects of trauma, ranging from organizational changes in the culture and atmosphere of a health care setting to full adoption of practices to address trauma at the clinical level.

Learn how trauma affects persons served

Staff who have a basic understanding of how trauma affects an individual’s mind and body will be more likely to approach their work with a trauma-informed lens. Understanding concepts such as triggers can help staff identify ways to prevent or reduce the likelihood of re-traumatizing a person served. Direct support professionals and peer supports can even learn how to facilitate grounding exercises and other calmingtechniques with their residents when they recognize signs of distress.

Pay attention to your language

What kind of language does your organization use to describe the behavior of persons served?

Acknowledge that there may be barriers to their being able to attend an appointment. Direct support staff may document an individual’s behaviors as “noncompliant” or “resistant,” when these are actually behaviors that reflect a trauma response. Pay attention to these terms and promote language that removes judgment from the individual’s behavior.

Practice a strengths-based approach to care

A trauma-informed model of care asks not “What is wrong with you?” but rather “What happened to you?” Withhold judgment about residents’ behaviors and instead focus on how the behavior may be an adaptation to deal with traumatic stress. Focus on the individual’s strengths, talents, and gifts.These strengths are ultimately part of the tools that willhelp clients begin to move toward recovery from traumatic stress.

Focus on building relationships

All work within health and human services is built on a foundation of trusting and therapeutic relationships. It is just as important that nonclinical staff at the organization foster healthy and respectful relationships with persons served as the clinical staff. Consider what helps versus what hurts a trusting relationship being dismissive, impersonal, or critical toward the persons served will break down trust. Active listening, empathy, and patience will help a relationship thrive and make interactions with residents more successful.

Practice crisis de-escalation and prevention

While many organizations will focus on training related to crisis response, they may gloss over or exclude training focused on preventing a crisis from occurring in the first place. Understanding precursors to behaviors that can be destructive or maladaptive, and preventing these precursors from happening or from getting worse is a trauma-informed approach to care. Many of the traditional methods of crisis response can re-traumatize persons served. Interventions such as these should be avoided and only used as a last resort to maintain the physical safety of the person served.

Remember to be person-centered

Education and training should be offered to both residents and their families. Ultimately, the person served is theexpertof their own life. Person-centeredpractices keep theindividual’sgoals, choices, and self-determination at the core of their treatment, and person-centered plansareoften carried out by nonclinical or paraprofessional staff. Being person-centered contributes to a resident’s ability to use empowerment, voice, and choice – that is to say, their treatment is based on thepersonhavingshareddecision-makingandinput into their own goal setting. This is a critical element of trauma-informed care.

TRAUMA INFORMEDSUPERVISION

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Trauma Informed Supervision Unit. This unit will educate you regarding trauma informed supervision and provide tools to creating a trauma informed environment.

PURPOSE

Trauma-informed supervision is a simple but powerful tool. It models healthy relationships between supervisees and supervisors, its effects are far-reaching and transformative.

TIC SUPERVISION

• Supervision is a partnership between the supervisor and the supervisee.

• Trauma informed supervision offers workers empathy, supportand care.

• Supervision is not done to one person, but done with a person, having active participation from both involved people.

THREE MAJOR COMPONENTS OF SUPERVISION

1. Administrative

• Provides thesuperviseewiththestructure and theresources needed to do their job well

2. Educational

• Helps to developskills and knowledge to grow as aprofessional

• Provides strategies and skills needed to reach opportunities for development

3. Supportive

• Aims to reduce job related stress and to provide resources for emotional health

• Increases motivation, satisfaction, and commitment to their jobs. Recognize achievements, show appreciation, and validate feelings

PUTTING TIC SUPERVISION IN PLACE REFERENCE

Hold regular supervision ataplace and time that works for both ofyou.

• Collaboratively create an agenda together. Ask, “What would you liketo discuss today?”

• Outsideofregularsupervisionsessionsbesure tosetboundaries.Supervision is not therapy

Listen non-judgmentally, openly, and empathetically

• Be sure to validate struggles and successes as well Work with supervisee to arrive at solutions and work together to create goals and find the best way to meet them

Relias

Trauma-Informed Care Training&Education |Relias

MENTAL & EMOTIONAL WELLNESS

MEQUILIBRIUM WELLNESSTOOL

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the meQuilibrium Wellness Unit. This unit will introduce you to a wellness tool referred to as meQ. It is an easy to use whole body wellness tool that is in a mobile app form.

PURPOSE

Offer a resiliency building and wellness app that provides tools and simple techniques to help conquer thechaosoflife’s demands

BEFORE

• Secureand review all meQuilibrium resources – contact your HERO LTC RISE team

• Determine best delivery approach and prepare for program introduction and rollout – present meQuillibrium at staff meetings

• Review and prepare customizable meQuilibrium resources: letters, emails, flyers, posters, presentation (power point) – contact your HERO LTC RISE QI team for additional resources

• Assistemployees with enrollment

DURING

• Encourage, request or require supervisors and team leaders that have enrolled, to lead by example, share experiences, provideinstruction,andoffertestimonials downloadandutilize app to become familiar with meQuilibrium – become meQ champions

• Introduce to andinform allemployeesaboutmeQuilibriumvia supportingresourcesandutilize enrolled supervisors/ team leaders and their experiences

o Provide directionand enrollmentinformation: website,code,employee number

o Request/Require enrollment

o Assureno personal datawill be shared

• Getquick access to daily stress-busting tips and inspiration

• Continue to promote utilization ofthemeQuillibriumApp

• Encouragethe sharing ofpositive experiences and utilization techniques

• Incorporatenew insights and techniques into daily activities

• Explore additional features of meQ like TEAM participation and activities

WHOWILL PARTICIPATE?

• Allemployees

• Supervisors

AFTER AND ONGOING

• Repeatand compare results ofemployee survey ofstress and stress management

• Re-visitto encourage/request/require all employees participate

BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES

• Amobileresiliency building and wellness app with provenmethods of success

o Simpletechniquestohelpbuildresilience and wellness

o Personalized program with over 20 years of research

o meQuilibriumis HIPAA compliant and all information is confidential

• Reduced stress

• Increased resilience

• Improved quality of life and work

• Increased productivity andquality ofwork/care

• Emotional and physical support foundation

• Focus and control

• Positive approach to life and work

BENEFITS FOR SUPERVISORS

• Less employee burnout

• Less absenteeism and turnover

• Less stressed, more focused employees

• More resilient staff and working environment

• Improved productivity and quality of work/care

• Less conflict intervention – more resolution

• Improved overall wellbeing

• More positive approach and attitude

• Introduceto and inform supervisors/team leaders aboutmeQuilibrium

o Whatit is and how it works

o Supporting/informational resources

o Enrollment information and direction

o Request/Encourage enrollment to lead, share experiences, provide instruction, and offer testimonials

• Introduce to and inform all employees – with supporting resources and enrolledsupervisors/team leaders - contact your HERO LTC RISE QI team for additional resources

o Flyers,Presentations, Letters – email/paper

o Provide enrollment website and code information

o Request/Encourage enrollment

• Contact your HERO LTC RISE team for enrollment information and URL

• Completea10–15-minute personalassessment

• Download the meQuilibrium App to you phone or electronic device

• Getquick access to daily stress-busting tips and inspiration

• Incorporatenew insights and techniques into daily activities

DISCOVER HOW CHANGING YOUR THOUGHTS AND HABITS HELPS YOU BUILD RESILIENCE IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:

• Positivity

• Focus

• SelfConfidence

• Emotional Control

• Emotional Intelligence

• Mindfulness

• Engagement

• Support System

• Purpose

• Problem Solving

• Empathy

• StressManagement

• Work-Life Balance

• Energy

• Physical Activity

• Eating Habits

• PainProtection

• Sleep

FREQUENTLYASKEDQUESTIONS

Q: HOW DOIACCESS MEQUILIBRIUM?

A: Simply type the following website addressinto the browserofyourcomputer,tablet, or smartphone and set up your account: https://mymeq.com/register/lecom.

Contact your HERO LTC RISE Tream for Enrollment Information and URL

•

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: WILLANYONESEETHEINFORMATION IPROVIDE TO MEQUILIBRIUM?

A: Your information is completely private and confidential. Your employer does not have access to what you write or any of your individual data. Your employer will receive a population level report to understand how your organization is making progress on building resilience.

Q: HOW DOES MEQUILIBRIUMWORK?

A: MeQuilibrium is a resiliency building and wellness app designed to help you feelmore resilient and focused on what's important to you.

After you enroll you will:

• Complete the assessment: Immediately gain insights, into your stress personality, thinking patterns, and lifestyle habits that cause you to feel overwhelmed. It takes 1015 minutes!

• Start your personalized program: You’ll be guided step-by-step through the program to learn new skills through activities and short videos.

• Download the meQuilibrium app: Get quick access to daily stress-busting tips and inspiration whenever and wherever you need it.

Q: HOW DOYOU KNOWTHE PROGRAMWORKS?

A: meQuilibrium was created from over 20 years of research in positive psychology, resilience training,and integrative medicine spearheaded by psychologist Andrew Shatte, Ph.D. and Adam Perlman, M.D.

Q: HOWDOESTHE MOBLIEAPPWORKANDHOWMUCHDOESIT COST?

A: Theappispaid for by the HERO LTC RISE Grant andavailableforiPhoneandAndroid devices. It gives you quick access to your personalized program and daily doses of inspiration.

It is simple to use:

1. SearchformeQuilibrium intheAppStoreor GooglePlay.

2. Downloadtheappto your phoneor tablet.

3. UsethecredentialssetupduringyourinitialmeQuilibrium enrollmentandyou’rein!

SAMPLE COMMUNICATION [DATE] [SUBJECT LINEOPTIONS]

Respond to Uncertainty with Personal Resilience. Feeling overwhelmed? Find relief with meQuilibrium. IntroducingmeQuilibrium–Yournewtool tobuildresilience

[EMAIL BODY]

I’m writing to tell you about meQuilibrium, a resilience-building app designed to put you on the path not just to handle the demands and challenges of the workplace but to thrive and do your best work in it. I have found meQuilibrium to be a great way to build self-awareness and personal growth.

Here’s the thing: We live in a world of disruption, where the only constant thing is change. Both professionally and personally, we push ourselves every day to have the perspective to see opportunities, and to grow our ability to adapt and advance quickly. Resilience is a skill that allows us to do just that: face change head-on and come out in a better place. And the good news is, science has proven that resilience can be learned and refined.

• Resilientpeople are60%lesslikelytosuffer burnout.

• Resilientpeopleare5X aslikelyto have very good health orexcellent health.

• Resilientpeopleare66%morelikely to havehigherlife satisfaction overall.

Join meQuilibrium today, to get your personalized action plan with interactive lessons designed to help you create new habits and ways of thinking. Topics like Sharpen Your Focus, Master Work Life Balance, and Thrive Under Pressure are all especially relevant right now.

HERE’SHOWTO GET STARTED:

1. Contact your HERO LTC RISE Team for enrollment information and URL (getmeq.com)

2. Complete your assessment. You’ll Immediately gain insights into your lifts and drags, stress personality and thinking patterns. It takes 10 -15 minutes.

3. Download the meQuilibrium app. Using the credentials set up during initial meQuilibrium registration, you can take meQuilibrium anywhere and anytime.

TrymeQuilibrium andbereadyforwhatevercomesyourway.

(LEADER CLOSING)

STRESS MANAGEMENT INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Stress Management Unit. This unit will provide you with insight and a better understanding of the importance of stress management, the impact of stress, how to identify stressors and tools to help manage stress.

PURPOSE

Excessive stress is associated with poor physical and mental health, three of the main risks associated with stress are:

• Burnout is a result of prolonged stress, 8 out of 10 employees experience burnout at least some of the time. While we tend to associate burnout with work, it can also be caused by other extended stressful situations.

• High blood pressure and heart disease – According to the American Heart Association, stress can have serious long-term health consequences. When your stress response activates, your heart rate is higher than normal. This increase is not a problem if it only lasts a brief time, but when stress dominates your everyday life, it can put pressure on your heart.

• Poor physical health – Being in a state of fight or flight reduces your body’s capacity to function properly. It detracts vital energy from processes and systems, such as the digestive and reproductive systems. It can also affect your endocrine system, which is responsible for your hormonal health. This can create imbalances in your body that lead to health problems and disease.

Keep an eye on coworkers for behavioral changes such as: withdrawing from responsibilities, procrastination, self-isolating and unhealthy coping mechanisms.

BEFORE

Stress management starts with identifying the source of stress in your life. While it’s easy to identify major stressorssuchaschangingjobs,moving, or goingthrough adivorce, pinpointingthe source of chronic stress can be more complicated. It’s easy to overlook how your own thoughts, feelings and behaviors contribute to your everyday stress levels.

You may know that you’re constantly worried about work deadlines, but maybe it’s your procrastination, rather than the actual job demands, that is causing the stress.

Identify the true sources of stress, look closely at your habits, attitude, and excuses:

• Do you explain away stress as temporary (“I just have a million things going on right now”) even though you can’t remember the last time you took a breather?

• Do youdefine stress as an integral part ofyour work or home life (“Things are always crazy around here”) or as a part of your personality (“I have a lot of nervous energy, that’s all”)?

• Doyou blameyour stress onother peopleor outside events,or view itas entirely normaland unexceptional?

Until you accept responsibility for the role you play in creating or maintaining it, your stress level will remain outside your control.

DURING

Ways to deal with stress quickly

• Take a walk – Exercise of any kind can be effective stress reliever, taking a short walk has the advantage or removing you from the source of your stress and allows you to clear you head, calm down and approach the situation from a different perspective.

• Breathe deeply – Taking a few deep breaths can help instantly relieve stress. Make sure you breathe into your belly as shallow breathing signals to the body that the stress response is still required.

• Use aromatherapy – Research suggests that certain scents, such as those found in essential oils can decrease the levels of stress hormones in our bodies. Whether you prefer a scented candle, a diffuser or fresh flowers try using scent to calm you when feel stressed.

Long-termstress managementtechniques

• Exercise regularly – Physical activity is a powerful short-term stress reliever. It releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones that give us natural stress relief, but in the long- term, exercise keeps your heart healthy and improves your overall levels of wellness.

• Eat well – Eating a poor diet can aggravate your stress response. Stress can cause us to reach for highly addictive, highly processed foods loaded with salt, sugar and fats, but these foods cause your blood sugar to spike. These release more cortisol, the stress hormone,makingyoufeel moreanxious and stressed. Eatinga balanced diet has a variety of health benefits, including mitigating the effects of stress.

• Practice mindfulness – Mindfulness practices such as meditation are proven to be effective stress management techniques. Practicinggratitude is another effective technique formanagingstress long- term. It helps you transform negative thoughts into positive ones

• Try relaxation techniques – Relaxation techniques such as guided imagery and progressive muscle relaxation can lower stress. These techniques activate the parasympathetic nervous system. This is a part of your nervous system responsible for the relaxation response

AFTER AND ONGOING

Start a stress journal to realize:

• What caused your stress?

• How did you feel both physically and emotionally?

• How did you act in response to stress?

• What you did to make yourself feel better?

Provide new employee training as well as annually reoccurring training on how to identify burnout/stress signs and symptoms and how to mitigate the responses.

Create a stress management committee to conduct activities for the staff that will help them destress.

• Including quieting your mind

• focusing on gratitude

• practice forgiveness

• establish and practice healthy habits

• dedicating time to destressing

BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES

• A stronger immune system – Stress weakens the immune system and makes you more vulnerable to illness. Relaxation and stress reduction helps strengthen your natural defenses.

• It is easier to maintain a healthy weight – Stress can cause us to eat or drastically reduce our appetite. This reaction to stress cancause weight gain butreducing your stress levels canhelp control your appetite and cravings.

• Better sleep – Stress makes it difficult to sleep due to the excess adrenaline it releases into the bloodstream, causing muscle tension. Stress management can increase endorphins, which help with muscle relaxation and promote sleep.

• Improved mood and relationships – Stress can cause you to be moody and irritable. These attitude changesaffectthewayyoureacttothosenearestyou. Asaresult,itcanputastrainon your relationships. Reducing your stress levels can help restore balance.

Stress management techniques can help you improve every area of your life, from your health to your work, to your relationships. Daily acts of self-care can lead to reduced stress, improved sleep and better overall health and well-being.

BENEFITS FOR SUPERVISORS

• Moreproductivity

• Positive attitude

• Less employee burnout

• Less employee absenteeism

PARTICIPANTS

• Allstaff

• Allsupervisors

REFERENCES

https://www.stress.org/

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/basics/stress-basics/hlv-20049495

https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/about/copingwith-stresstips.html

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/burnout-prevention-and-recovery.htm

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Emotional Intelligence Unit. This unit will provide you with insight and a better understanding of the importance of emotional intelligence, its impact and tools to improve emotional intelligence

PURPOSE

Emotional intelligence in the workplace is one of the most critical leadership skills, as it helps workers understand and manage their own emotions when around their coworkers. The workplace can be a volatile environment filled with stress, pressure, anxiety and even drama from time to time. It can also be a place of happiness, contentment and excitement. All these can play a role in how someone feels at any given moment, and managing those feelings indicates their level of emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence contributes to how people handle their professional relationships. An office filled with even one person with low emotional intelligence management may suffer from an increase in workplace conflict, decreased performance and high turnover.

BEFORE

• Understand many things are out ofyour control

• Relieve stress with hobbies or meditation exercises

• Take a moment to pause before responding to criticism

• Call out toxic environments in a constructive manner

DURING

• Take the time to see a situation from another person’s point ofview

• Listoutthe potential outcomes ofa decisionand how it affects team members

• Getto know your employees

• Recognize employees input and thank them for voicing an opinion

• Regularly praise employees’ work

AFTER AND ONGOING

• Talk with employees and listen to what they have tosay

• Assess emotional weakness

• Create a morningroutine that ensures work gets done ahead oftime

• Avoid makingdecisions at theheightof an emotional moment

• Create adaily schedule that ensures work gets done ahead oftime

BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES

• Focus on the positive

• Followwhatyour passionate about

• Practice having an optimistic attitude

• Avoid chasing material reward

BENEFITS FOR SUPERVISORS

• Employees will perform better

• Haveincreased job satisfaction

• Experience better employee retention rates

PARTICIPANTS

• All staff

• All supervisors

IMPLEMENTATION

• Enroll employees in and implement meQ (see meQuillibrium Resource Section)

• New Hires should be educated by the Human Resources Department on emotional stress managementupon the hiringprocess whether itis via online videos thatare self-paced or during orientation/onboarding

• Annual training should be conducted with all staff upon their work anniversary. Training should be completed and recorded with the Human Resources Department and reviewed to ensure appropriate tools and recources are reviewd and made avaible to each staff member.

REFERENCES

https://www.health.harvard.edu/topics/mind-and-mood

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/6406-emotional-stress-warning-signs-managementwhen-to-get-help

https://blog.dce.harvard.edu/professional-development/how-improve-your-emotional- intelligence

https://www.asana.com/

ISSUE NO.3 | JULY26, 2022

Areyou practicingforgiveness?

Forgiveness is hard! Understanding forgiveness is the first step to getting better at practicing it and experiencing greater psychological wellbeing. Now is a great time to start while you have a little assistance from the sunshine and warmth!

Useful tips to when practicing forgiveness: Start with an "Uncovering Phase" – examine and gain a deeper understanding of how a certain offense compromisedyour life and clarify for yourself who did what andtowhom. Then make an inventory of how not forgiving someone has affected you.

Think about forgiveness as somethingyou’re doing for you– shift your thinking aboutforgiveness as afavor you’re doing for the other person to considering all the ways you might feel free if you’re not angry all the time.

Engage in some thinking exercises – reframe the incident, thinking about the one who wronged you from their perspective. Developing empathy and compassion by standing in the other person’s shoes can help facilitate forgiveness.

Do something good for the person who wronged you – taking action is a way to acknowledge forgiveness.

Remember that forgiveness can take time – it’s a process that doesn’t happen all at once, so be patient and kind with yourself. Move at whatever pace feels most comfortable

Tip

Haveyouregisteredforthe9thAnnual LECOM 5K?

Thegreat news is you don't have to be a runner! You canchoosetoparticipateinthe1-MileWellness Walk instead. Sign up now for the Aug. 20 event and

makeyour selection:www.livefitrace.com/lecom5k

PreventativeCare Tip

Protection from the sun should include a broadbrimmedhat,broad-spectrumsunscreenthat blocks bothUVA and UVB light(reapply every few hours, and especially after swimming or sweating), and

sunglasses with 100% UVprotection.

"Forgiveness does not change the past but itdoes enlarge the future."– Paul Boose

Changeyourresponseto stress

Stress may be universal, but your response to it is highly personalized the sum of not only whoyou are, but where life has taken you, what you’ve learned, and how you feel the moment stress hits.

meQuilibrium has identified five ways people respond successfully to stress. Each type has unique strengths and weaknesses, knowingyours canhelpyouappreciatethethings you dowell and point you towardtheskills you needto cultivate. Get started with meQuilibrium and discover your Stress Personality today.

Featured Recipe

FORTHESALAD

2cups water

1 cup quinoa

Pinchofsalt

2 cups grape tomatoes, halved

1 English cucumber, chopped

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, halved

1/3cup dicedredonion

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

FORTHEDRESSING

1/3cupoliveoil

2tablespoonsredwine

vinegar

1tablespoonfreshlemonjuice

1 teaspoon honey

1clovegarlic,minced

1/4teaspoonDijonmustard

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Koshersalt andblack pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Using a strainer, rinse the quinoa under coldwater.Addquinoa,water, andsalttoa medium saucepan and bringto a boil over medium heat. Boil for 5 minutes.

Turntheheatto low andsimmer for about 15 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Removefromheatandfluffwithafork.Let quinoa cool to room temperature.

Tomakethedressing, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, honey, garlic, mustard, and oregano in a small bowl. Seasonwithsaltandpepper,totaste.

In a large bowl, combine quinoa, tomatoes, cucumber, kalamata olives, red onion, and feta cheese. Drizzle the salad with dressing and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Enjoy!

GreenQuinoaSalad Resource: two peas & their pod

HERO WEBSITE TUTORIAL

HERO WEBSITE TUTORIAL

THE WEBSITE FOR LECOM HERO IS: https://lecom-hero.mykajabi.com/

1. https://lecom-hero.mykajabi.com/

2. Scroll up on the webpage to get the Free Wellness Offer. Click on the Wellness Package Image.

3. Fill out the form with your contact information and click to Subscribe to our email list. Then click on the “Sign up for free” button.

4. You will then see a confirmation page. With the 4 programs listed

5. You will get an e-mail confirmation for your purchase. In the e-mail there is a link to download our mobile app from your smartphone or tablet. Use the same e-mail and password to login.

6. Once you established a login, you can login on from the website. Click on the Login Link in the upper right-hand corner of the website

TO LOGIN FROM A SMARTPHONE OR TABLET (OnlyHave to Confirm the Login Once)

1. Openthe appandselect the GetStartedButton

2. Enter your e-mail usedtocreatetheaccountand then select next

4. Goto your e-mail and confirm your e-mail. Enter the 6-digit code into the app

5. Select LECOMHERO if not already checked.Then selectNext

6. You will thensee the4 wellness programs. Select each one to get started

PHYSICAL WELLNESS

BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION: HEALTHY BONES, JOINTS AND MUSCLES PREVENT INJURIES

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Building a Strong Foundation Unit. This unit will offer tips and exercises to help build healthy bones, joints and muscles to prevent injuries.

PURPOSE

A solid frame supports any structure better. Strong bones, healthy joints and toned muscles are the foundation of a healthy body and can provide the best protect against injuries Talk to your doctor orhealth care provider before beginningany type of physical activity or weightloss program and start building a better foundation today.

MANAGE YOUR WEIGHT

Just losing 5 to 10 pounds of your body weight reduces the impact on your joints and gives you energy.

• Knowwhyyourweight,body mass index and waist circumferenceareimportant.

• Developaweight lossstrategy and set a realistic goal.

• Considerenrollingin aweight management program.

PROTECT YOUR JOINTS

Make simple changes in everyday habits:

PREVENT BONE ANDJOINT RELATED DISEASES

• To help prevent bone fractures, focus on a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D. Exerciseregularly,especially weight –bearing exercises.

A solid foundation can protect against injuries. Talk to your doctor.

• Liftslowly. Align your spine and bend your knees. Liftwith your legs. Do not twist atthe waist.

• Stop to stretch when driving long distances.

• Supportyour lower back when sitting.

• Fityour workstation to your body for correct posture.

• Sleep on a firm mattress. Use pillows to support your joints.

ROTATE YOUR PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES

All types of physical activity help preserve bone mass and build muscle, but different types produce different results

• Flexibilityexercisesdecrease jointstiffness,improverangeofmotion,andminimizemuscle soreness. Watch a yoga video or join a yoga class.

• Aerobic exercises boost metabolism, decrease inflammation and improve stamina. Ask a friend to go walking, swimming, or cycling.

• Strength training stabilizes joints, strengthens muscles, and increases bone density. It decreases your risk for osteoporosis and fractures. Utilize dumbbells, resistance bands, or gravity machines to improve your joints, muscles and bones.

Health benefits or health benefit administration may be provided by or through your insurance company – see your Human Resource or Benefits Department

HOWTOSTART STANDING AT WORK THE 30 DAY CHALLENGE

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Standing at Work: 30 Day Challenge Unit. This unit will help serve as a guide to the implementation of a workplace physical wellness activity.

PURPOSE

Encourage and provide a simple approach to improving employees’ health by changing the duration they are sitting and sedentary. As the saying now goes,"Sitting is the new smoking.”

https://www.startstanding.org/sitting- new-smoking/

Extensive research into the dangers of long periods of sitting tells us that it is detrimental to our health. Sittingis linked to some of the top killers of Americans including heart disease, diabetes, obesity and even a few types of cancer, in addition to the rising prevalence of back pain.

https://www.startstanding.org/sitting-and-cardiovascular-disease/

https://www.startstanding.org/diabetes-and-sitting/

https://www.startstanding.org/obesity/

https://www.startstanding.org/cancer-increased-mortality-and-excessive-sitting/

And sincemostpeoplework 8ormorehoursperday,theirjobiswhere they'redoing themost damage to their health.

BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES

• Lessnegative impact on cardiovascular health and risk ofheart disease

• Improved overall physical health (weight loss/more flexibility/less back pain/more energy)

• Improvedmental health (mood/productivity)

“The more we sit the worse it is. The longer the duration of sitting, the more negative the impact on our cardiovascular health.”

- Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum

BENEFITS FOR SUPERVISORS

• Increased productivity

The most commonly reported benefits for those who start standing and moving more are:

• Weight loss

• Increased productivity

• Better mood

• Reduced back pain – forthose suffering from back pain

https://www.startstanding.org/how-tofix-back-pain/

• Lessabsenteeism for issues connected to sedentary work

• Improved mood/satisfaction

YOUCANSTARTSTANDINGATWORKINTHENEXT30DAYS!

There are two paths to this challenge. You can alternate between the two options throughout the 30 days. Option one is the recommended route, but we understand that many people may not have access to a standing desk or a sit-to-stand adjustable desk.

Whichever one you choose, the most important principle is that you need to move every 20 minutes Experts tell us that the human body is designed to move; we aren't designed to sit still. If you're using a standing desk, you aren't standing immobile all day. You're fidgeting, shifting, dancing, stretching, doing yoga poses, and you're switching from sitting to standing throughout the day.

We have found that everyone has a slightly different experience of starting to stand while they work. Some find that they have more energy, while othersfind themselves more tired at the end of the day.

Here's a list of tips we've gathered from people who have successfully made the transition from being sedentary to non-sedentary.

If you haven't read the article by Dan Fois of New Yorker Magazine about his 30-day experiment (https://nymag.com/health/bestdoctors/2014/sitting-down-2014-6/) where he stood all day, every day (even at restaurants and movie theaters), check it out. Though he had terrible leg cramps from standing all day (he later found out that stretching relieved the cramps), he lost 5 pounds and had the most productive month of his career.

If you can make this a competition with other workmates about who is moving the most, the motivation to beat your colleagues canpushyou tostay with the challengeandevenexcel.Ifyou can't get others to compete with you, at least let colleagues and family know you're doing it, and ask them to help you be accountable for staying with it.

KEEP GOOD POSTURE

If you start standing more, but you do it with bad posture, you're not getting all of the benefits of standing.

What is good posture?

• Your chest sticks out, and your shoulders are back.

• Your chin is up, and your head is not tilted forward. If someone looks at you from the side, your ears should be over your shoulders. If you're not sure you're doing this, have someone take a picture of you from the side.

• Review current amount ofsitting (sedentary) and lack ofmovement occurs in the workplace

• Identifyareas where standing and movementare acceptable alternatives to sitting

• Develop trainingandriskawarenessoptionsfornotsittingatworkformorethan20minutesata time

• Secure resources to train,develop,implement, maintain, and continually improve/reduce the amount of and duration of sitting sedentary

• Encourage and provide a simple approach to improving employees’ health by changing the mannor and duration they are sitting and sedentary

• Plan an employee 30 Day Challenge for Standing atWork; establish:

o When

o Who - individual/team,

o Goal - recognition/reward for completion

• Purchasenecessary standingdeskequipmentandmaintain adequate amount

• Ensure all employees are informed and educated on the health risks associated with sitting sedentary for more than 20 minutes

• Offerworkplaceoptions availablesuchasstanding desks

• Introducean employee30 DayChallenge forStanding atWork

o Providechallenge details/guide

o Review 2 options to participate in the challenge

o Recognize/reward for challenge completion

• Encouragestandingor scheduledmovementatleastevery20minutesifprolongedsittingand the continuation of this practice outside the workplace

• Survey employees about standing and movements options, experiences, and health quarterly

• Providenew employee training regarding the health risks ofbeing sedentary

• Conductannual employee training

• Continuetofocusontheimportanceofmovementand howitrelates toemployeehealth

• Sharesurvey results and appropriate information regarding activity and illnesses ofemployees

• Regularlyofferand purchasenecessaryequipment such as standingdesks

It's important that you set your workspace up properly to help you keep good posture:

Your monitor or screen should be at eyelevel when you're sitting or sitting The distance it should be awayfromeyes should be equal to the size of the monitor or screen. If you have a 20-inch monitor, your face should be 20 inches away. It should also be tilted 20 degrees backwards.

Your keyboard should be at hip level so you're not reaching up and out for the keyboard. If you're using a laptop put it up on a shelf or some kind of a stand to get the monitoruptoyoureye-height. Then use a USB or wireless keyboard that is close enough that your elbows are able to remain close to your body.

Check out our Proper Workplace Infographics (https://www.startstanding.org/properworkplace- ergonomics/) for more advice about proper posture and ergonomics while standing, seated, and on the phone.

Option 1: Use A Standing Desk Or A Sit/Stand Desk

Option 1 is best for people who have an adjustable height standing desk so you can easily alternate between sitting and standing. You could also build your own standing desk (http://www.bobvila.com/articles/diystanding-desks/#.VyakUEwrKUk)

Before you start standingat your desk,make sure that you have good shoes for standing. High heels and uncomfortable shoeswillreducethetimeyouspendstandingandmaysabotage your plantostop sitting. You can keep a second pair of shoes at work that you just use at your desk. If you wear orthotics, definitely use them while standing.

A second item that will help reduce fatigue and make you more comfortable is a floor mat. Some standers report getting tired, and if they overdo it, experience cramps in their legs. A good floor mat will reduce the risk of this happening.

Week 1:

Don't sit for more than 20 minutes at a time at your desk. Use an app or alarmto remind you toswitch your desk to the standing position after 20 minutes of sitting. Check out our app recommendations below. You should stand as long as you’re comfortable.

Just remember the 20 minute rule - don't stand immobile when you're up. Keep shifting and moving. This is a 30-day challenge, and it's a marathon, not a sprint. Many people who started using an adjustable height desk and pushed themselves too hard in the beginning stopped standing altogether.

Week 2:

Extend the time your spend standing. In your first week, every time you stood you may have averaged 10 minutes per period of standing. Start to push yourself a little bit. And add more movement to your standing, which can include:

• calf raises

• squats and one-legged squats

• standingon an overturned garbage can

• stretching

• yoga poses

• dancing

For stretches and strengthexercisesthat you can do at your desk, check out the videos at the end of this unit

Week 3:

You should be getting into a groove for how much you stand vs. sit as well as what you do while standing and sitting. Some standing desk users feel that low concentration activities (such as talking on the phone) can be done standing, while activities that require intense focus are done seated.

Push yourself to stand and move more, to stand at least 50% of your day. Where will you end up? 50% standing and 50% sitting? 80/20?

You'll find your own ratio.

Week 4:

At this point you may be in the habit of moving every 20 minutes and standing at least half of your day. Now it's time to apply your habit outside of work. If you are standingand moving all day at work, it may make you a little more tired. You may find yourself crashing on the couch for long periods when you get home. But now that you've given your body some time to get used to your new routine, start standing and movingathome.Notthat youcan't relax, but marathon couch sessions is a sedentary behavior that's undoing all of the good that you're doing at work. Here are a few tips to get you moving at home:

• Ifyou're a TVwatcher, get up and do somethingevery commercial.

• Drink lots of water so you're getting up and going to the bathroom more often.

• Stretch or do light exercise while watchingTV.

Option2: Sit With Activity Breaks

While sitting at your desk, every 20 minutes do one of the following:

1. Stretch - See thestretchesin the links to get started.

2. Walk - Instead of emailing a colleague, walk to their desk. Instead of having sitting meetings, many companies are doing walking meetings. Instead of using the elevator, walk the stairs.

3. Exercise - Check out the standing desk workouts in the links.

TIMER APPS FOR STANDING & MOVING

For Android, check out Ovo or Kitchen Timer (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details ? id=com.maxxt.kitchentimer).

For iPhone, you can use Siri. Simply hold down the home button, and tell Siri to set the timerfor 20 minutes. Another option is Timer +(https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/timer+/ id3915 64049?mt=8).

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

STRETCHESAT YOUR DESK

There are several stretches that you can do while working. These stretches start around the 1:03 mark.

There are some great bodyweight exercises that don't take up a lot of space: If you want something more aerobic, these exercises start at the :31 mark:

Q: WHAT IF I AM EXPERIENCING LEG OR FOOT PAIN?

A: Many people benefit from a good standing desk mat. If you're experiencing any pain, reduce or stop standing for a little while to see if you're just sore. Dan Fois also found that stretching his legs made a huge difference in his soreness. If you suspect it's something more, see your doctor.

Q: WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A STANDING DESK?

A: You can either build your own or buy an adjustable height standing desk. If you want to go the DIY route, here is a great article showing six methods to build your own desk at home: http://www.bobvila.com/articles/diy-standing-desks/

Q: I MADE IT THROUGH THE 30 DAY CHALLENGE, WHAT SHOULD I DO NEXT?

A: Many of us stand all day, but that's not for everyone. The best thing to do is to keep breaking up your workday with some sort of activity every 20 minutes. This habit will keep you flexible, healthy, and hopefully full of energy.

QUICK LINKS:

https://www.startstanding.org/standing-desks/

https://www.startstanding.org/standing-desks/chairs-and-stools/

https://www.startstanding.org/treadmill-desks/

https://www.startstanding.org/kneeling/

https://www.startstanding.org/about-us-new/ https://www.startstanding.org/proper-workplace-ergonomics/ https://www.startstanding.org/how-to-add-more-movement-into-your-day/ https://www.startstanding.org/privacy-policy/

ERGONOMIC ESSENTIALS

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Ergonomic Essentials Unit. This unit will educate you regarding safe ergonomic practices and provide tools for creating a safe work environment

PURPOSE

To provide a safe and healthy working environment for all staff and residents. Mitigating significant hazards related to musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk factors in the workplace is everyone’s responsibility. Implementation and maintenance of a sustainable MSD prevention program will ensure MSD risk factors are recognized and effectively controlled.

Definitions:

• Musculoskeletal disorder – MSD is a condition that affects the musculoskeletal system, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, blood vessels,nerves,joints, and spinal discs. These conditions are the result of chronic or sudden exposure to work activities that exceed the capacity of musculoskeletal structures.

• Hazard –a source ofpotentialdamage,harm or adversehealtheffectsonsomething or someone under certain conditions at work.

• Risk – the chance or probability that a person will be harmed or experience an adverse health effect,ifexposed toahazard.Itmayalsoapplytosituationswithriskofproperty and equipment loss.

WHOWILL PARTICIPATE?

• Allemployees

• Supervisors

• Employer

EMPLOYEES

• Participate in MSD hazardrecognition, assessment, control and evaluation ofeffective plan implementation as required

• Complywith policyandprocedures

• AttendMSD prevention trainingper facility policy

• Useproperly and maintainrelevantequipmentprovided by the employer

• Report any MSD concerns, hazards, symptoms, incidents, or accidents to the supervisor immediately

• Cooperatewith MSD hazard,accidentand incidentinvestigations per facility policy

SUPERVISORS

• Participate in MSD hazard recognition, assessment, plan implementationl, and evaluation processes

• Implementthe program through regularmonitoring strategies

• Provide education and training so employees recognize potential and hazards for MSD and identify corrective solutions. Training to include proper use of equipment.

• Respondpromptlytoemployee reports and implementcorrective actions

• Seek assistance via consultation from internal and external sources, to determine solutions to correct identified MSD issues

• Communicatesolutionsandcontrolstoemployeesinatimelymanner

• Maintain documentation of trainingand education of staff

EMPLOYER TRAINING

• Developand enforce the policy andprocedures with annual review

• Provide resources to develop, implement, maintain, and continually improve the MSD prevention program

• Ensureemployees and managersreceive training for documentation of records

• Purchase and maintain all equipment necessary to provide a safe environment for employees and residents

• Conductinspections ofequipmentper facility policy

Frequency

• Mandatoryorientation MSD trainingshouldbe provided to all new employees per facility policy

• OngoingMSDtrainingforexistingemployeesshouldbeprovidedwithperiodicrefreshertraining per facility policy

Matrix- Including but not limited to

• MSDhazardawarenessincludingdefinitions,recognitionofMSDriskfactors,properposture and body mechanics and injury prevention, etc.

• Policies and procedures with emphasis on reporting work-related MSD-related symptoms, hazards, accident, and incidents

• Department-specific MSD hazard prevention

• Resourcesfor trainingcanbe found at https://www.osha.gov/ergonomics/training

Records

• Documentationofeducation willbemaintainedbytheadministrationandsupervisorsperfacility policy

• Training records will include topic and scope of training, length of training, date, trainer, employee signature or computer-generated attestation

RISKASSESSMENT DESIGN

MSD RiskAssessment

• A participatory team approach is encouraged, which includes front-line employees, supervisor,physical and/or occupational therapist, and other stakeholders as appropriate

• Once a MSD hazard is identified, a team will be appointed to conduct a risk assessment to identify the root cause; the team will formulate a corrective plan

• The supervisor will ensure the corrective plan is implemented and evaluated for positive outcomes

Complex MSD Risk Assessment

• The root cause analysis may determine the need for external consultation with ergonomic expertise to assist in formulation of plan for resolution to MSD hazard.

Resources and tools can be found at https://www.osha.gov/ergonomics/identify-problems#resources

SafeJobTask Design

• ThepreventionofMSD shall be consideredinthe design orre-design ofjob tasks.

• The supervisor will ensure that the job tasks have been evaluated for MSD risk factors and safety.

• Aphysical demanddescriptionmayberequired

Built Environment Design

• Managers coordinating renovations or re-design of the workplace will ensure ergonomic considerations are proactively integrated into the design to prevent MSD injuries

• Employeesand end-users should be consultedin the design phase

Equipment Design

• Ergonomicconsiderations willbeintegratedintothemodification,re-design,orinstallationof equipment, machines and tools

• Purchasing services will consider ergonomic design and other safety features when purchasingequipment, machines, devices, and tools

• Where appropriate, purchasing will consult vendors and suppliers and arrange equipment trials with supervisors and employee end-users

• Equipment will be evaluated based on pre-established criteria (e.g., meets required standards, maintenance requirements, ease of use, storage requirements, cost, vendor training, ergonomicand safety features, employee needs, etc.)

• Allequipmentwill bemaintainedinsafeoperatingcondition

• Preventivemaintenance programswill be carried outas recommended by the manufacturer

• Complete and accurate documentation ofpreventivemaintenance will bemaintained as per preventive maintenance policy and procedure (e.g., inventory and maintenance schedule)

EVALUATIONAND QUALITY IMPROVEMENT

Reporting and Investigating Hazards, Accidents, and Incidents

• All employees are required to report MSD hazards, accidents, and incidents promptly to their supervisor for follow-up investigation to determine the root cause of the event and implementation of appropriate corrective actions

• Thehazard,accidentorincidentwill bereportedon theappropriate reportingand investigation forms

• Supervisors will ensure that the reports and investigation documents are completed within the required reporting timelines and submitted to the appropriate internal and, if required, external authorities.

• Summaries ofMSD hazards,accidents and incidents will be provided to the leadership team, ifany

QAPI

• Qualitative and quantitative program indicators will be identified and evaluated (e.g. hazard/incident/accident data, MSD hazard inspections, MSD assessments, MSD training attendance, MSD program evaluations, employee surveys etc.).

• Recommendations for program enhancements will be presented to senior management for consideration.

• Seniormanagementwill ensure implementation ofapproved program revisions

• Anychangestotheprogramwill bedocumented andcommunicated toworkplace partiesin a timely manner.

REFERENCES

• https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ergonomics/ergoprimer/default.html

• https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/health-strategies/musculoskeletaldisorders/index.html#~:

text=Work%2Drelated%20musculoskeletal%20disorders%20(WMSD)%20ar e%20 conditions%20in% 20which,longer%20due%20to%20work%20conditions

• https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/health-strategies/musculoskeletaldisorders/interventions/ programs.html

• https://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/health-strategies/musculoskeletaldisorders/evaluation-measures/index.htm

PROPER WORKPLACE ERGONOMICS

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Proper Workplace Ergonmics Unit. This unit will educate you regarding proper ergonomic body and item placement and positioning

PURPOSE:

To provide a safe and healthy working environment for all staff and residents. Mitigating significant hazards related to musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk factors in the workplace are everyone’s responsibility. Implementation and maintenance of a sustainable MSD prevention program will ensure MSD risk factors are recognized and effectively controlled.

BEFORE

• Review currentergonomicworking environment

• ReviewMDSworkplace risks and related injuries/absenteeism

• Identifyareas in need of “ergonomic”improvementsin the workplace

• Develop training, policies, and procedures for ergonomics in the workplace (activities, positioning, equipment, etc.)

• Secure resources to train, develop, implement, maintain, and continually improve on ergonomics in the workplace and to reduce MDS related injuries/absenteeism

• Purchase necessary equipment and maintain adequate amount of ergonomic equipment for safety and reduction of MSD risk factors

DURING

• Ensure all employees and management receive proper workplace ergonomic training and maintain records

• Addressany additional workplaceergonomicunmetneeds

• Identifyand track MDSworkplacerelated injuries/absenteeism

• Continuously promote properworkplace ergonomics,review and recognize implementation and adoption

• Conductinspectionsofequipmentas required

• Takeprecautions fortheprotectionofstaffand employees

• Enforcethepolicyandprocedures

AFTER AND ONGOING

• Providenew employee training

• Conductannualtraining,reviewandupdateofpoliciesandprocedures

• Review and communicate appropriate information regarding workplace MDS injuries/ absenteeism toallemployeesonongoing basis (monthly/quarterly)

• Regularly review and purchase necessary equipment

BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES

• Reducefatigue related to prolongedstationary work posture/position

• Betterquality of life with less discomfort due to stationary work posture/position

• Improvephysical andpsychological well-being,comfort and satisfaction

BENEFITS FOR SUPERVISORS

• Reduce absenteeism due to posture/position work fatigue

• Increase physical and psychological wellbeing, comfort and satisfaction through work related positioning

• Reduction in turnover and reassignment

• Increase productivity and positivity

• Reduce risk ofMSD fatigue injuries

WHOWILLPARTICIPATE?

• AllEmployees

• Supervisors

WHILE STANDING

ELBOWS

Keep close to the body and the keyboard around hip level to ensurehands are atthe heightofthe elbows, or slightly lower. This means the tabletop should be roughly at or slightly below elbow height.

WRISTS

Keepat180degreesto the forearm. Hands positioned at less than180 degrees are called “claw hands” and strain the wrists.

SHOULDERS

Maintain shoulders back and down; avoid rounding shoulders.

HEAD

Maintain head in a position setbackoverthe spine. If viewed from the side, earswill be lined up over shoulders.

ONE LEG

While standing on one leg, rest on an overturned garbage can. When standing in one position, weight should shifted from one leg to another: stretch, dance, squat, or do yoga poses, calf raises, or lunges, etc.

MONITOR/SCREEN

Maintain monitor or screen at eye level The distance from the monitor or screen to your face should be approximately equal to the size the screen or monitor. For example, with a 17 inch monitor or screen, your face should be 17 inches away from it. The monitor or screen should also be tilted 20 degrees backward.

KEYBOARD & MOUSE

Position close to each other.

SHOES

Shoes should be comfortable;avoidhigh heels. Orthotic wearers should wear orthotics.

DESKTOP ITEMS

STANDING DESK MAT

Keep frequently used items in close reach. Agood standingdeskmatwill helpreduce fatigue.

OPTIONAL LEANING SEAT

A proper leaning seat creates a 135 degree angle between the torso and legs. A footrest will keep anklesata 90 degree angle.

WHILE SEATED

ELBOWS

Positionedat90 degrees

KNEES TORSO

Positioned at90 degrees.

Positioned at90-100degrees to thighs.

FEET MONITOR/SCREEN

Keep flaton the floororon a footrest.

Maintain monitor or screen at eye level. The distance from the monitor or screen to your face should be approximately equal to the size the screen or monitor. For example, with a 17 inch monitor or screen, your face should be 17 inches away from it. The monitor or screen should also be tilted 20 degrees backward.

KEYBOARD & MOUSE

Positioned close to each other.

DESKTOP ITEMS & KEYBOARD

OPTIONAL BACK SUPPORT

Keep frequently used items in close reach. Use optional back support asneededfor lower back support.

TIPS FOR PROPER CELLPHONE,TABLET, ANDLAPTOPUSE

INCORRECT

• Holding the phone to your ear with your shoulder puts your body out of alignment, which can lead to neck and shoulder pain.

• The “i-Posture” or a cell phone slump places a lot of strain on the muscles and vertebrae on the neck and upper back. This can lead to neck and upper back pain.

• The greater and longer the slump, the greater the pressure, the greater the pain.

CORRECT

• Use a headset, wired headset, earbuds, wireless/Bluetooth headset, or speaker phone

• Use a standing desk conversion kit. Place this on top of your desk to raise and lower it as you sit or stand throughout the day.

• Use a wireless keyboard or keyboard attached to a laptop via a USB/cord to make sure your arms are in the correct position.

• Hold the phone up in front of your face so you’re not tilting your head forward.

• Use a cell phone/tablet holder that you can attach to your desk to hold the phone up in front of your face so you’re not tilting your head. You can also look at your phone or tablet while laying flat on your back.

TOBACCO CESSATION PROGRAM

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Tobacco Cessation Program Unit. This unit will help identify steps and resources to help stop smoking

PURPOSE

Tobacco dependence is a treatable, chronic, relapsing disorder that, like other chronic diseases, often requires repeated intervention and long-term support. Healthcare providers in a variety of setting play a critical role in helping people quit using tobacco. Evidence-based treatment, including counseling, group sessions, and approved cessation medications, significantly increases success in quitting tobacco use.

Using the resources below, we can help ensure thatour staff have the right tools to begin and succeed with their quit journeys.

TOBACCO- USECESSATION PROGRAMS/ COUNSELING/ GROUP SESSIONS

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK63952/

EDUCATIONAND

SOCIAL

SUPPORT PROGRAMS IN THE WORKPLACE ARE EFFECTIVE

• One-on-onescreeningfortobacco use and cessation counseling with a health care provider

• Health care provideradvice andoffering ofover the counter or prescription medications or counseling

• Health riskappraisals(HRA), employee health surveys, or screening in the workplace identify employees who use tobacco, provide assessment and provideimplementationopportunities

• Provide referrals to outside organizations/ quitlines, bringina health educator,or tobacco cessation counselor on-site

• Distribution of cessation materials

CREATINGA QUIT PLAN https://smokefree.gov/build-your-quit-plan

STEP 1 – Mark YourCalendar

Set a quit date! The important first step is to decide when you want to quit.

Not ready to set a date?

• Choosea day in thenextweek or two to give yourself time to prepare

• Picka date that isn’talready likely to be a stressful day to set yourself up for success

• Quitting is easier when people in your life support you, so let them know you are planning to quit and explain how they can help

STEP 2 – Calculate Your Savings

A pack-a-day smoker can save over $2,200 a year from quitting This is calculated by how many cigarettes you smoke and how much a pack ofcigarettes costs.

• I smoke about cigarettes

• I spend about on a pack of cigarettes

STEP 3 –ThinkAbout Your Reason For Quitting

Choose your reasons for quitting.Knowing your reasons for why you want to quitcan help keep you motivated and on track.

• Live a longer and healthier life

• Savemoney

• Baby on the way

• For friends, family, pets

• Seta good example

• Takeback control ofmy life

• Look or smell better

• Hard to find places to smoke

STEP 4– Know Your Triggers

Choose your smoke triggers. Know what thingsmake youmore likely to smoke and then create strategies to allow you to keep control.

• Emotional triggers

o stress,anxiety, anger, sadness, boredom, relaxation, loneliness, excitement

• Everyday triggers

o wakingup in themorning,takinga break, driving

• Social triggers

o social settings,smelling cigarette smoke, seeing someone smoke

STEP 5 – FightYour Cravings

Choose how you will deal with cravings. When you get an urge to smoke, changing what you are doing or where you are can help take yourmind off smoking. Continue to try new ideas until you find what works for you.

• When a craving hits, Iwill:

o Exercise

o Drink a glass of water

o Take 10 deep breaths

o Call quitline or talk to a counselor

o Brushmy teeth

STEP 6 – Set Yourself Up For Success

Choose strategies and tools to help you quit. These help keep you on track and improve your chances of quitting for good.

• Cessationmedications or nicotine replacement therapies

• Throw away cigarettes, lighters, and ashtrays

• Use cessation report resources

• Getsupport from family and friends

PHARMACOLOGICAL TREATMENTS

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2020-smoking-cessation/pdfs/2020cessation-sgr- chapter-6-508c.pdf

Reasonsfor use:

Medications combined with quitmethods help you quit smoking by:

• Makingquitting less painful

• Being safer than smoking

• Helping you get through the toughest times

APPROVED CESSATION MEDICATIONS

Bupropion SR (Wellbutrin):

Prescription medication, that contains no nicotine, and may help with withdrawal while reducing the urge to smoke. Side effects can include dry mouth and insomnia. May not be right for pregnant women, people who have seizures, eating disorders, or heavy drinkers.

Varenicline (Chantix):

Prescription medication, that contains no nicotine, eases withdrawal symptoms, reduces the urge of nicotine use, and blocks the effects of nicotine if used, making it less pleasurable. Side effects can include stomach upset, nausea, vivid dreams, and rare reports of mood swings, depression, and suicidal thoughts. May not be right for pregnant women, those who are planning to become pregnant or are breast-feeding, and people with kidney problems.

APPROVED NICOTINE REPLACEMENT THERAPIES (NRTS)

Patch:

Overthe countertherapy,placed on the skindaily thatgives a small and steady amountofnicotine.

Gum:

Overthecountertherapythatusesa“bite,park,chew”methodtoreleaseasmallamountofnicotine.

Lozenge:

Over the counter therapy thatreleases nicotine as itslowly dissolves inmouth.

Inhaler:

Prescription therapy thatreleasesa small amountofnicotineonce inhaled.

Nasal Spray:

Prescription therapy thatreleases a small amount ofnicotine once sprayed into the nose.

STAFFCESSATION MATERIALS

Reasons to quit smoking/get help quitting:

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/partners/health/materials/twyd-poster-reasons-to-quit.pdf

TIPS from former smokers/reason to quit smoking:

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/patient-care/pdfs/CDC-Tips-PatientHandbook-v11-508.pdf

CESSATION SUPPORT RESOURCES

NICOTING FREE NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA PROGRAM

Provides tobacco education, prevention, and quitting resources, such as classes and support programs.

Erie County Department of Health: https://eriecountypa.gov/departments/health/services-andprograms/classes- and-support-programs/quit-smoking-vaping-or-chewing-tobacco/ Quit Smoking, Vaping, or Chewing Tobacco: Call 1-814-451-6700

QUIT LINES

Free, over the phone, 24 hours a day, non-judgment, coaching and support from trained professionals to help you quit smoking and live a healthy life. This program has a proven record of increasing your chances of staying smoke free for good.

PA Department of Health: https://pa.quitlogix.org/en-US/Enroll-Now

PADepartment of Health:https://map.naquitline.org/profile.aspx?stateid=pa Free Quit Help:

• (English): 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669)

• (Spanish): 1-855-DEJELO-YA (1-855-335-3569)

• (Deaf/Hard of Hearing): 1-877-777-6534

WEB-BASED SUPPORT

Connections to cessation-related links and resources.

CDC: Tips From Former Smokers:

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/index.html National Cancer Institute:

https://smokefree.gov/tips

TEXT MESSAGING PROGRAMS

Free textmessagingprograms that give on-demandencouragement,advice, and tips tobecome healthier and smoke-free 24 hours a day.

National Cancer Institute: https://smokefree.gov/tools-tips/text-programs

Free textmessagingprograms that give on-demandencouragement,advice, and tips tobecome healthier and smokefree 24 hours a day.

National Cancer Institute: https://smokefree.gov/tools-tips/text-programs

• Daily Challenges: For smokers who want to build quitting skills before trying to quit. Help you build quitting skills, like managing cravings and understanding your triggers. Daily text messages to support you in quitting smoking. Program lasts for 7 days. Sign up = Text “GO” to 47848

• Practice Quit: For smokers who want to quit but want to get comfortable with not smoking for short periods of time first. Helps you build skills and confidence to quit for good. Daily text messages to support you in quitting smoking. Program lasts for 1-5 days. Sign up = Text “GO” to 47848

• SmokefreeTXT: For smokers who are ready to quit. Daily text messages to support you in quitting smoking. Program lasts for 6-8 weeks. Sign up = Text “QUIT” to 47848

• SmokefreeMOM: For pregnant women who want to cut back and quit. Daily text messages to support you in quitting smoking. Program lasts for 6-8 weeks. Sign up = Text “MOM” to 222888

• SmokefreeVET: For veterans with VA health care benefits who are ready to quit smoking or using tobacco. Daily text messages to support you in quitting smoking. Program lasts for 68 weeks. Sign up = Text “VET” to 47848

• DipfreeTXT: For those who are ready to quit smokeless tobacco. Daily text messages to support you in quitting dip. Program lasts for 6-8 weeks. Sign up = Text “SPIT” to 222888

SMARTPHONE APP

There are a number of highly rated smartphone apps that offers tailored tips, information, progress monitoring, get back on track in you slip, inspiration, and cravings games and challenges to keep you engaged on your journey to quit for good.

quitSTART App

• Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mmgct.quitstart&referrer=utm_source%3DCDC Tips%26utm_medium%3DWebsite%26utm_campaign%3DTipsPilot

• Apple Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id494552000

REFERENCES/RESOURCES:

1. Patient Care Smoking and Tobacco Use. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/patientcare/index.html?s_cid=osh_hcp_gl0007. Published 2021. Accessed June 1, 2022.

2. Be TobaccoFree.U.S.DepartmentofHealth andHuman Services. https://betobaccofree.hhs.gov. Accessed June 1, 2022.

3. Quitline. Department of Health.

https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/programs/tobacco/pages/quitline.aspx.Published2022. Accessed June 1, 2022.

4. Quit Tobacco | How To Quit Smoking or Smokeless Tobacco. Cancer.org.

https://www.cancer.org/healthy/stay-away-from-tobacco/guide-quitting-smoking.html. Published 2022. Accessed June 1, 2022.

5. 5 Steps to Quit Smoking and Vaping. Www.heart.org. https://www.heart.org/en/healthyliving/healthy-lifestyle/ quit-smoking-tobacco/5-steps-to-quit-smoking. Published 2022. Accessed June 1, 2022.

6. How to Quit Smoking. Lung.org. http://www.lung.org/stop-smoking/i-want-to-quit/how-to-quitsmoking.html. Published 2022. Accessed June 1, 2022.

7. Becomeanexand the GeneralData Protection Regulation.Becomeanex.org. https://www.becomeanex.org. Published 2022. Accessed June 1, 2022.

8. Promoting Quitting Among Adults and Young People. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/stateandcommunity/tobaccocontrol/pdfs/KOI_Goal3_Update_12_28_15.pdf. Published 2022.AccessedJune 1,2022.

9. How to Quit Smoking | Tips from Former Smokers. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/quit-smoking/index.html. Published 2022. Accessed June 1, 2022.

10. Smoking and Tobacco Use. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/index.htm. Published 2022. Accessed June 1, 2022.

11. Tips|Smokefree.Smokefree.gov.https://smokefree.gov/tips.Published2022.AccessedJune 1, 2022.

12. Quit Smoking, Vaping or Chewing Tobacco - Erie County, PA. Erie County, PA. https://eriecountypa.gov/departments/health/services-and-programs/classes-and-supportprograms/quit-smoking- vaping-or-chewing-tobacco/. Published 2022. Accessed June 1, 2022

13. Lung Cancer Patient Version. National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/types/lung. Published 2022. Accessed June 1, 2022.

14. Interventions For Smoking Cessation And Treatments For Nicotine Dependence. CDC; :495-549. https:// www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_statistics/sgr/2020-smokingcessation/pdfs/2020-cessation-sgr-chapter-6-508c.pdf. Accessed June 1, 2022

TOBACCO CESSATION SAMPLE COMMUNICATION

Team,

We (name the group) are deeply invested in creating a positivework environment focused on wellness for you as an individual as well as us as an organization.

Workingwithleadership across the system, we areimplementing several action items to encourage wellness and prevent burnout.

What does that mean, exactly?

You will begin to see well-being and connectedness promoted in our handbooks, orientations, training manuals, meetings and more. In addition, you will soon have access to skill-building opportunities and resources addressing all dimensions of wellness.

The first resource is the new Tobacco Cessation Program, which will address tobacco dependence by offering long-term support in a variety of modalities and raise awareness of other wellness opportunities.

You and I will develop yourTobacco Cessation Program together so your contributionswill help increase success and promote a positive and healthy workplace where all people, teams and organizations can thrive.

We recognize thismay bethe first time for some ofyou to experience this typeof invitation or forum for these conversations to take place. Don’t worry! I’m here to partner with you to ensure we’re striving toward a wellness strategy that works for you.

Please review the attached TobaccoCessationTemplate and letme know by (DATE) when you would be available to continue this discussion.

I hope you’re looking forward to this as much as I am. If you’re winning, we’re all winning.

(Personal closing if desired)

(Supervisor Name)

TOBACCO – FREE WORKPLACE POLICY AND PROCEDURE

PURPOSE

A tobacco-free environment helps create a safe and healthy workplace. Smoking and secondhand smoke are known to cause serious lung diseases, heart disease and cancer.

[EMPLOYER] recognizes the hazards caused by tobacco use and exposure to secondhand tobacco smoke. Our policy to provide a tobacco-free environment for all employees and visitors was established to keep a safe and healthy workplace environment.

This policy covers the smoking of any tobacco product and the use of oral tobacco products, “spit" tobacco and e-cigarettes, and it applies to both employees and non-employee visitors of [EMPLOYER].

POLICIES

OPTION 1 – COMPLETE TOBACCO-FREE POLICY

No use of tobacco products, including cigarettes, “spit tobacco”, and e-cigarettes, is permitted within the facilities or on the property of [EMPLOYER] at any time.

OPTION 2 –TOBACCO-FREE IN DESIGNATED OUTDOOR AREAS ONLY POLICY

No use of tobacco products, including cigarettes, e-cigarettes and “spit tobacco”, will be allowed within the facilities of [EMPLOYER] at any time

Smoking or tobacco use shall be permitted only in designated smoking areas located at least 25 feet outside the building entrance, operable windows, and ventilation systems of enclosed areas, to preventtobaccosmoke from enteringthose areas. All materials used for smoking in designated smoking areas, including cigarette butts and matches, will be extinguished and disposed of in appropriate containers.

PROCEDURES

• Employees will be informed of the [EMPLOYER] Tobacco-free Policy through signs posted throughout properties owned and operated by [EMPLOYER], including company owned vehicles.

• Visitors will be informed of the [EMPLOYER] Tobacco-free Policy by their hosts, the meeting invite, email correspondences and signs posted throughout the properties owned and operated by [ORGANIZATION NAME].

• The [EMPLOYER] will help employees who want to quit smoking by helping them access recommended smoking cessation programs and materials. (Visit www.lung.org/stop-smoking for more information.)

CHRONICDISEASESELF- MANAGEMENT INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Chronic Disease Self-Management Unit. This unit provide steps to understand Identify, communicate and self-manage chronic diseases

PURPOSE

LECOMHealthisdedicated toadvancingand sustainingresourcesandopportunitiesto strengthen the wellness and resilience of our employees managing Chronic Diseases. Chronic Disease SelfManagement can:

• Help people with diverse medical diagnoses such as diabetes, arthritis, and hypertension develop skills and coping strategies to manage their symptoms

• Employ action planning, interactive learning, behavior modeling, problem-solving, decisionmaking, and social support for change including goal setting and self-monitoring

GENERAL INFORMATION

According to the National Council on Aging the (CDSME) a suite of Chronic Disease SelfManagement Education programs have been helpful to older adult who have chronic conditions manage their disease, lower their health care costs, and improve their quality of life. These programswereoriginallydeveloped byStanford University. Employees benefit from the programs too. LECOM Institute for Successful Agingoffers Chronic Disease Self-Management and Diabetes Self-Management and a class can be arranged by calling 814-384-6558.

https://www.ncoa.org/article/evidence-based-chronic-disease-self-management-education- programs

UNDERSTANDING CHRONIC DISEASE

• The first responsibility for anyone managing a chronic condition is to understand the illness

• An illness can affect each person in different ways

• Watching how an illness affects you, noting or recording changes, and communicating this to your healthcare provider is key to self-management and improvement

• All chronic illnesses need day-to-day management

CHRONIC DISEASE INFORMATION

• There is so much more to living with a chronic disease than just taking medication(s)

• Chronic diseases affect nearly 1 in 2 US adults, therefore learning how to address problems and make informed decisions about your health can help you live a longer and healthier life

• Self-Management Education (SME) programs can help you learn skills to manage symptoms of your condition, improve eating and sleeping habits, reduce stress, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and more

SUBJECTS COVERED IN CHRONIC DISEASE SELF-MANAGEMENT

• Techniques to deal with problems such as frustration, fatigue, pain, and isolation

• Appropriate exercise for maintaining and improving strength, flexibility, and endurance

• Appropriate use of medications

• Communicating effectively with family, friends, and health professionals

• Better breathing techniques

• Managing physical and mental fatigue

• Healthy eating habits

• Making good decisions about your health

• How to evaluate new treatments

• Managing work life

• Finding and using community resources

BENEFITS OF SELF-MANAGEMENT

• Improve self-reported health

• Improve health-related quality of life, unhealthy physical days, and unhealthy mental days

• Improve communication with doctors, medication compliance, and health literacy

• Improve your mood

• Reduce stress

• Carry out daily activities (e.g., going to work, spending time with loved ones)

• Feel more in control of your health and a greater sense of empowerment

COMMON CHRONIC CONDITIONS THAT CAN BE SELF-MANAGED

• Anxiety/Depression

• Arthritis

• Asthma/COPD

• Chronic Heartburn and Acid Reflux

• Chronic Pain

• Heart Disease

• Diabetes

RESOURCES FOR IMPLEMENTATION

o LECOM Institute for Successful Aging

• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)

• Kidney Disease

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease

• Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

• Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

• Parkinson’s Disease

• Stroke Prevention

o Offers Chronic Disease Self-Management and Diabetes Self-Management

o A class can be arranged by calling 814-384-6558

o CDC Website:

o Offers various Self-Management courses that can be arranged by accessing the link below

o https://www.cdc.gov/learnmorefeelbetter/programs/index.htm

FACT SHEET

The purpose or reason for Administration to implement/offer to invest in a program like this for their staff includes: cost savings, less time away from work, improved productivity, etc.

Youcan find valuable information on Chronic Diseasefrom the CDC at thesitelisted below.

https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/infographic/chronic-diseases.htm

• Chronic diseases are the leading drivers of increasing the nation’s health care costs to $3.8 trillion each year

• Chronic pain and diabetes are the most expensive chronic conditions with annual spending totalling $635 billion and $327 billion, respectively

• More that two-thirds of all health care costs are for treating chronic diseases

• 95% of health care costs for older Americans can be attributed to chronic diseases

• Less than 1% of health care dollars are spent on prevention to improve overall health

REFERENCES

The National Council on Aging. (n.d.). Www.ncoa.org. https://www.ncoa.org/article/get-the-factson-chronic-disease-self-management

Self-Management Education (SME) Programs for Chronic Health Conditions | CDC. (2020, February 7). Www.cdc.gov. https://www.cdc.gov/learnmorefeelbetter/programs/index.htm

Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions: Self-Management of Heart Disease, Arthritis, Diabetes, Depression, Asthma, Bronchitis, Emphysema and Other Physical and Mental Health Conditions: Lorig DrPH, Kate, Holman MD, Halsted, Sobel MD MPH, David, Laurent MPH, Diana, González MPH, Virginia, Minor PT PhD, Marion: 9781933503363

CHRONIC DISEASE SELF-MANAGEMENT SAMPLE COMMUNICATION Team,

We (name of the group) are deeply invested in creating a positive work environment focused on wellness for you as an individual as well as us as an organization

Working with leadership across the system, we are implementing several action items to encourage wellness and prevent burnout.

What does this mean exactly?

You will begin to see well-being and connectedness promoted in our handbooks, orientations, training manuals, meetings and more. In addition, you will soon have access to skill-building opportunities and resources addressing all dimensions of wellness.

The first resource is the new Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, which will address individuals living with a chronic illness and steps on how to self-manage, to prevent disease progression and complications, as well as assist with daily maintenance.

You and I will develop your Chronic Disease Self-Management Program together so your contributions will help increase success and promote a positive and healthy workplace where all people, teams and organizations can thrive.

We recognize that this may be the first time for some of you to experience this type of invitation or forum for these conversations to take place. Don’t worry! I’m here to partner with you to ensure we’re striving toward a wellness strategy that works for you.

Please review the attached Chronic Disease Self-Management Template and let me know by (Date) when you would be available to continue this discussion.

I hope you’re looking forward to this as much as I am. If you’re winning, we’re all winning.

(Personal

closing if desired), (Supervisor Name)

SOCIAL WELLNESS

THERAPEUTIC RECREATION

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Therapeutic Recreation Unit. This unit will explore the benefits of Therapeutic Recreation and offer ideas and examples to encourage and implement.

PURPOSE

The purpose of a Therapeutic Recreation program is to enhance the lives of employees physically, spiritually, and intellectually through engagement in a well – balanced program of generalrecreation and leisure education in order to improve employee satisfaction and wellness.

The National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) defines recreational therapy (RT), also known as therapeutic recreation, as "a systematic process that utilizes recreation and other activity- based interventions to address the assessed needs of individuals with illnesses and/or disabling conditions, as a means to psychological and physical health, recovery and well-being." This involves taking a "whole person" approach to one's physical, cognitive, social, emotional, and spiritual functioning.

BEFORE

• Define the Scope of the Leisure Education and General Recreation programs to be offered including types of internal programs (examples listed below), when, where, and the length of the programs being offered.

• Survey stafffor interest levels

• Market both internal and external programs to employees

• Enroll employees into internal programs

• Host akick off event for each program launch

EXAMPLES OF LEISURE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

Leisure Education Programs

o Leisure Education may be used as a treatment intervention. Leisure education may include teaching around defining leisure, developing skills to use during leisure time, or learning needed adaptations to favored lifelong recreational activities for continued participation due to accident, injury, or the aging process. Jansen, M. (2004). The effects of leisure education on quality of life in older adults. Therapeutic Recreation Journal, 38,275-288.

Leisure Education Program Examples

o Swimming lessons

o Yoga lessons

o Dance lessons

o Courses on use ofleisuretimewhen off duty

EXAMPLES OF GENERAL RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS

Activities to address social needs:

o Coffee Hour

o Brunch

o Family Gatherings

Activities to address emotional needs:

o ActingClass

o Music Activities

o ClayClass

o Outdoor activities

o Conversation group

o CopingSkills Training

o Caregiver Support/Education

o Community Service Opportunities

Activities to address spiritual needs:

o Services representingfaiths in your facility

o Religious Study Group representingfaiths in your facility

o Meditation

o Prayer groups

o Outdoor Activities

o Horticulture Activities

Activities to address cultural needs:

o Poetry Reading

o Musical Concerts

o Ballet

o ArtClasses

o Cultural Awareness Education Programs and Opportunities

Activities to address cognitive stimulation needs:

o Book Club

o Daily News

o Current Events

o Study groups ontopics of interest

o Trivia Games

Activities to address physicalneeds:

o Walking

o Yoga

o Tai Chi

External programs examples

o YMCA

https://www.ymca.org/get-involved/join

o Golf

www.usga.org

o Dance

https://usadance.org/page/MembershipInformationBenefits

o Book Clubs

https://bookclubs.com/

o Biking

https://usacycling.org/clubs/

• Document participation in company sponsored recreation programs

• Continue to promote participation

• Conduct a mid-program satisfaction survey

• Evaluate the program through survey data, descriptive statistics, and a post program satisfaction

FOR EMPLOYEES

• Employees will have theopportunity to participate in employer sponsored programs

• Improved physical, mental, andspiritual health

• Many employees watch television as a means of relaxation and recovering from a hard day at work. Research shows that indeed in areas such a detachment from stress and relaxation watching television is as effectiveas other leisure activities. Watchingtelevision is less effective than other activities regarding aspects of well-being such as affiliation and mastery

Kuykendall, L., Lei, X., Zhu, Z., Hu, X. (2022).

BENEFITS FOR SUPERVISORS

• Healthier and more reliable employees

• All employees ofyour organization

• As a recruitment tool

• As part of the employee benefit package

• Fromthe day of employment untilresignation/retirement

• Survey the employees for convenient times and locations

• Collect interest data prior to program launch,satisfaction and benefit data atmid programs,and at program completion.

THERAPEUTIC RECREATION SAMPLE COMMUNICATION Team,

We (name of group) are deeply invested in creating a positive work environment focused on wellness for youas an individual as well as us as an organization.

Working with leadership across the system, we are implementing several action items to encourage wellness and prevent burnout.

Whatdoes that mean, exactly?

You will begin to see well-being and connectedness promoted in our handbooks. Orientations, training manuals, meetings and more. In addition, you will soon have access to skill-building opportunities and resources addressing all dimensions of wellness.

Theresourceto we areintroducing is ( insert resource ).

Ihope you’relookingforward to this as much as Iam. If you’rewinning, we’re all winning!

(Personal closing if desired)

(Supervisor Name)

VOLUNTEER TIME OFF POLICY INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Volunteer Time Off Policy Unit. This unit highlights the value of Volunteer Time Off

PURPOSE

Volunteer time off (VTO) gives your employees the flexibility to volunteer during the workday and still get paid. This allows employees to give back to the local community without having to give up a full day’s wages. Additionally, VTO is often built into your paid time off plan so it’s just as easy to track as vacation, sick, and bereavement days.

Attracting top talent isn’t the only benefit of offering VTO at your organization. In addition to helping your business give back to the local community, it can also improve the physical and mental health of your employees as well. Some other major benefits of offering VTO are:

1. Enable your business to give back to the community

VTO inspires your employees to go out and make a difference in the surrounding area. This can help improve your business’s reputation and set you apart as an organization that cares about the local community and its inhabitants.

2. Boost your employees’ mental health

In a UnitedHealthcare study, of the respondents who volunteered in the past 12 months, 93% reported having an improved mood, and 79% said they experienced lower stress levels. While most studies measure the long-term effects of volunteering, volunteering can help boost your employees’ mental health and overall wellbeing in the short-term, too. Hopefully your VTO plan will help your employees connect with an organization they believe in, motivating them to continue volunteering in the future.

3. Improve employees’ physical health

Volunteering can even have a positive impact on employees’ physical health. Research suggests that regular volunteering can lower the risk of high blood pressure in older adults by up to 40% and can even help you live longer.

4. Teach employees new skills

Volunteering provides a valuable opportunity to learn and hone new skills outside of the workplace. Your employees can get hands-on experience in a new field or gain experience that could even help them in their role at your organization. For example, a marketer could learn how to build a social media strategy and manage an online community by volunteering to run a dog shelter’s social media accounts. Or an employee could hone their communication and leadership skills by overseeing a soup kitchen’s volunteer training program.

5. Facilitate a sense of purpose

Volunteering can be immensely rewarding because it allows you to see firsthand how your efforts can change people’s lives for the better. It can connect you to others and increase feelings of accomplishment, belonging, and confidence. That feel-good emotional boost can help employees lead fulfilled lives and ensure that they come to work energized, engaged, and inspired. What Is 'Volunteer Time Off' and Why Should You Implement it? | Lattice

VOLUNTEER TIME OFF POLICY

Department: Human Resources

Approved by:

POLICY:

Effective Date:

Revision:

[Long Term Care Facility Name] encourages employees to become involved in our community, lending their voluntary support to programs that positively impact the quality of life within the community consistent with the organizational mission.

PURPOSE:

The following guidelines are for [Long Term Care Facility Name]’s employees who serve as volunteers in 501© (3) non-profit community programs that are either of personal interest or are facility-sponsored initiatives.

PROCEDURES:

1. All full-time employees who have completed theirprobationary period are eligible.

2. Staffmembers on leaveofabsence ofany kind are not eligible.

3. Interestedemployeesshouldhavemetor exceeded performancerequirementsoraboveon most recent performance evaluation.

4. Interestedemployees should complete the volunteer request form.

5. Interested employees should meet with their managers/supervisors to discuss their volunteer choice, schedule and to receive approval.

6. Employees may take up to [number of hours] hours of paid time off each [month or year] to participate in their specific volunteer program.

7. Volunteer time must be requested in advance and when possible, should be regular and on a set schedule to help with the coordination of other work-related responsibilities.

8. Volunteer time should not conflict with the peak work schedule and other work- related responsibilities, create need for overtime or cause conflicts with other employees' schedules.

9. Volunteertime may be divided between more than one organization or activity.

10.Volunteer time cannot be carried over into the following year.

11.Use ofVolunteer time does not affect other Paid TimeOff (PTO).

12.Staffwill be paid attheir normal pay rate for volunteerhours.

13.Volunteerworkcannotbedoneinreturnforcompensationandcannotprimarilybenefitemployee, family members, or friends.

A successful VTO policy should include the amount of time employees may take off, any requirements for volunteering activities, and how an employee can get their request approved.

BOOK CLUB INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Book Club Unit. This unit reviews benefits of a having and belonging to a Book Club and how to start one.

PURPOSE

A book club is a reading group, usually consisting of multiple people who read and talk about books based on a topic or an agreed-upon reading list. It's common for book clubs to choose a specific book to read and discuss at the same time. Formal book clubs meet on a regular basis at a set location. Most book clubs meet monthly to give members time to read the next book. Book clubs can be focused on literary critique or on less academic topics. Some book clubs are focused on a certain genre, such as romance or horror. There are even book clubs dedicated to a particular author or series. Whatever reading material you prefer, if you can't find a book club for it why not think about starting your own?

BENEFITS

There are many benefits to being part of a book club for patients and employees. They can be easy to build and there are many types to choose from.

1. Keeps your brain sharp - Reading in general helps with overall brain function and increasing memory but add in some discussion time with your book club and your brain will be compelled to keep up and keep sharp!

2. Gives you new perspectives - Another one of the top benefits of book club is to help give you new perspectives! The other members in your book club may come from backgrounds that are different from yours, which may mean they bring vastly different perspectives to your discussions. This can help you learn new things and see things from new angles you might never have considered!

3. Helps you make new friends - Yet another fantastic benefit of book club is that it can help you make new friends! If you’re looking to meet others in your area (or online) who share similar interests to you, then joining a book club can be a great way to do that.

4. Gives you a break from life - Life can be difficult. But book club can be a great escape when you need it! Whether your book club meets weekly, monthly, or any other frequency, knowing you have a book club meeting coming up can be a great way to help you make it through your daily tasks and can be something to look forward to!

HOW TO BUILD A BOOK CLUB

STEP 1 Decide what type of book club you want to start

• Is your book club to socialize?

• Do you want to read a specific genre, author, best sellers, high literature, etc.?

STEP 2 Based on the type of book club you decided on, choose a setting

• Do you want to meet in someone’s home? In a public space? In an online forum? How often do you want to meet? (Once a month is the typical standard)

STEP 3 Invite your members

• The ideal size of a Book Club is between 8 and 16 members

• A great way to gather a large diverse group is to invite 3-5 people and ask each of them to invite 3 or 4 friends

STEP 4 Set up a pre-book club meeting

• Gather everyone together to discuss the first book option, the permanent meeting location and time, how the Book Club will be run, and the goals for the Book Club.

• Bring one or two options for meeting times and the first book. Take a vote if you would like to have everyone involved in the decision-making process.

STEP 5 Select your first book and send out a meeting schedule for the remainder of the year

• Happy reading and good luck!

Use the link below to access a book club planning checklist to get started!

https://assets.penguinrandomhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/26101554/Book-ClubChecklist.pdf

REFERENCES

9 Benefits of a Book Club (And Why You Should Join One!) - Bona Fide Bookworm

Getting Started: How to Start a Book Club | Penguin Random House

SPIRITUAL WELLNESS

REFLECTIVE PAUSE INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Reflective Pause Unit. This unit offers background and outlines how to conduct a moment of respectful support. “The Pause” is a 45 to 60 second period of silence at the time of a resident’s death shared by the team at the bedside.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this 45 to 60 second period of silence is to honor the human life and support each other by recognizing the collective efforts of the team in delivering the resident’s care. It is a time to be present for this death with the reverence it deserves. This practice offers closure to the healthcare team. It is a means of transitioning and demarcating the brevity and importance of this moment. It is simultaneously a shared and private experience. In silence, it allows people of all faiths and beliefs to participate.

BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES

• Recognizes the effort the healthcare team has put into caring for the resident’s life

• Provides closure to the established relationship with the resident

• Gives time to decompress and give space to grieve and process the weight of work

• Focuses on the soul and spiritual wellness

• Acknowledges trauma that a team of caring professionals just felt

• Connect to values and sense of purpose

• Brings meaning and authenticity in work

BENEFITS FOR SUPERVISORS

• Fosters healthcare team’s resilience in the face of suffering

• Enhances empathy and compassion satisfaction

• Improves family experience

• Enables the team to re-gather strength to focus on subsequent residents

PARTICIPANTION

“The Pause” can be intitated by any team member and participation is voluntary. Through silence, this shared event is an inclusive way for a multicultural healthcare team to support each other and honor the life lost and the care teams’ efforts If the family is present, imvite them to be present during the practice. This increases the shared experience and is a way to acknowledge their own loss as well. Everyone may participate, in place, duing “The Pause”, including residents

HOW & WHEN TO CONDUCT “THE PAUSE’ TIPS

Anyone from the healthcare team can make the request to take a moment to recognize the significance of the death by informing the resident’s team or by stating/announcing something to the effect of:

❖ “Let us take a moment to pause and honor (resident’s name). This was someone who was alive and now has passed away. They were someone who loved and was loved. They were someone’s friend and family member. In our own way and in silence, let us stand and take a moment to honor both the resident and all the valiant efforts that were made on their behalf.”

Spend 45-60 seconds of pausing together in silent refelection.

❖ “Thank you everyone.”

It is preferable to perform “The Pause” immediately after death. This allows for all involved in the care to be present and share in the practice before leaving the room and becoming dispersed. If circumstances do not allow for an immediate Pause, this can be done at a later time, preferably when all team members involved in care are present.

• Some organizations have suggested “The Pause” is more impactful to be started by one leader or small group and it will be promulgated.

• Other have designed comprehensive implementation plans for “The Pause.

• The suggested script for “The Pause” can be made available by posting, printing on the back

• of name tags, using an app or other communication tools.

o APPS

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/the-pause-app/id1482649724

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=glass.round.pause_app&hl=en&pcampaignid= pcampaignidMKT-Other-global-all-co-prtnr-py-PartBadge-Mar2515-1

BACKGROUND

Jonathan Bartels started in health care in 1986 and has worked as a registered nurse in trauma care, palliative care, oncology, medical/surgical care and post-op organ transplant. He created “The Pause” in 2009, a practice that has spread throughout the world. For complete background or information on “The Pause” and his story visit https://thepause.me

REFERENCES

https://biomedicalodyssey.blogs.hopkinsmedicine.org/2016/01/pause-after-death

https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/nursing/nurse-champions-compassionalt-culture-pause

https://www.researchgae.net/figure/Defining-The-Pause-With-an-lterative-Process_tbl1_3292242153

https://consultqd.clevelandclinic.org/why-the-pause-is-important-for-patients-at-the-end-of-life

https://criticalcarenow.com/pause-for-the-pause

https://today.uconn.edu/2021/07/the-pause-helps-providers-handle-patient-loss/#

FINANCIAL WELLNESS

IDENTITYTHEFT PROTECTION

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Identity Theft Protection Unit. This unit will highlight the importance of offering Identiy Theft Protection as part of your employees’ benefits, the value in having it and considerations when selecting a service

PURPOSE

Identity theft continues to rise despite the availability of advanced technology and an emphasis on cybersecurity. 1 in 4 Americans were impacted by identity theft in 2020 and total identity fraud losses reached $56 billion. According to the Identity Theft Resource Center's 2021 Annual Data Breach Report, the number of data compromises is up more than 68% compared to 2020. 74% of Americans worry abouthaving their personal, credit card or financial information stolen by computer hackers and 72% worry about identity theft. Without assistance, resolving fraud and identity theft can take up to 200 hours or more to remedy.

According to the Identity Theft Resource Center’sAftermathReport, a surveyof identity theft victims found that:

• 86.7%reported feeling stressed

• 36.7%reportedpanicattacks

• 90%reported sleep disturbances

Research by Willis Towers Watson found that 36% of employers offered ID protection as a voluntary benefit to their employees in 2018 and 63% intended to offer it by 2021.

BENEFITS FOR EMPLOYEES

These mental health effects and the time-consuming process to remedy identity theft have an impact on employees’ work presenteeism and productivity. Identity theft is a serious and escalating problem for both employers and employees. Identity theft imposes tremendous costs in terms of lost productivity at work and personal stress. As a result, Identity Protection Services have quickly become a high-value employee benefit that improves employee morale and loyalty. Benefitsvarybyproduct.Mostinclude the following:

• Monitors credit

• Protectssocialmediaaccountsfrom accounttakeoveranddata collection

• Alertsparticipantsinnear-realtimeaboutworrisomeactivity:

o Newapplications forcreditcards,wireless carriers,and utilities

o Unauthorizedaccountaccess,compromisedpasswordsorlogin credentials,and password resets

o Fundtransfers,high-riskbankingactivities,andpublicrecordalerts

o Address changes

• Assistswithidentityrestoration

BENEFITS FOR SUPERVISORS

• Combats the cost of employee disengagement

• Protectsemployer’s reputation

• Bolsters corporate security

• Protectssocialmedia

• Provides ongoing and thorough education aboutnewand evolving identitytheft risks, as wellas the latest cybersecurity standards

• Protects corporatecreditcards, usernames, and passwords

• Modernizesyour benefitsoffering and ability to better attract and retain top talent

WHO WILLPARTICIPATE?

•

•

All employees Supervisors

Enrollmentperiodmaybeyear-roundormayonlybeavailable duringanannualenrollmentperiod depending on the program structure.

Program features to consider including pricing and contribution strategy. Some employers have found success through their health insurance provider or other benefits providers, who provide Identity Theft Protection and Identity Theft Repair as a value-added benefit. Key elements to consider include:

• Creditbureaus:Onebureauorthree?Three-bureaumonitoringisgenerallypreferable to ensure optimal protection.

• Scope of coverage: Credit monitoring vs. identity restoration services? Protection from unscrupulousactivityviathe“darkweb”?Socialmediareputation? Fraudalerts versuscredit locks?

• Familycoverage:Howis“family”defined?Whoisincluded?And atwhatlevel of protection?

• Portabilityfeatures:Whathappenswhenanemployee leavesthecompany?Can theytakethe coverage with them? For how long? And at what price?

BEFORE

• Conduct employee surveyregarding their interest in identity theft protection and stress level associated to identity theft

• Review,selectand purchase company Identity TheftProtectionProgram to be offered

• Establishbenefit costs and employee enrollmentcriteria

• Determinebest delivery approachand prepare for program introduction and rollout

DURING

• Introduce Identity Theft Protection to all employees as newly added employee benefit available

o Whatit is and how it works

o Utilize supporting/informational resources offered by the program chosen

• Provide direction and enrollment information

o Whenand how to enroll

o What if any cost to employees

• Promotethe protection, value and service offered

AFTER AND ONGOING

• Repeatand compare results of employee survey regarding theft identity and associated stress

• Review enrollment participation

• Comparesurvey with participation to make necessary adjustments

o Specificprogram selected

o Cost to employees

o Value benefit brings

TIPS

• Employersmaybetargetsofidentitytheftdueto thetypesofdataemployersare required to store on their employees

• Members ofmanagement may have access to personnel records and may be a weak link in securing the data

• Someemployersstoreemployeedatainthecloudwhichmayposeanincreasedrisk

• Many employees do not follow proper security guidelines when accessing work files from unsecure networks

• Disgruntledemployeesarecapableofinflictingdamage

REFERENCES

https://javelinstrategy.com/research/2021-identity-fraud-study-shifting-angles

https://www.idtheftcenter.org/post/identity-theft-resource-center-2021-annual-data-breach-report-setsnew-record-for-number-of-compromises/

https://www.wtwco.com/en-US/Insights/2018/12/employers-guide-to-identity-theft-protectioncoverage-to-employees

https://www.wtwco.com/en-US/News/2021/05/pandemic-accelerates-employer-voluntarybenefitofferings-wtw- survey-finds

https://www.idtheftcenter.org/publication/identity-theft-the-aftermath-study/

ENVIRONMENTAL WELLNESS

WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENTAL WELLNESS INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the Workplace Environmental Wellness Unit. This unit will offer insights on how to improve the workplace environment and thus improve employee health and wellness

PURPOSE

Workplace environmental wellness refers to the quality of the relationship employees have with the physical surroundings in which they work. Paying attention to environmental wellness in the workplace hasnumerousbenefitssincehumansareinseparablyconnected totheirsurroundings. This means that the health of you employees is dependent on the state of the environment they work in. Improve your workplace environment equates to improved employee health and wellness.

BEFORE DURING

To improve something, you need first to measure where you are at. By performing a workplace wellness assessment, you can determine your current level of workplace wellness in each key dimension, including environmental wellness. (A sample workplace wellness assessment can be found at the end of this unit.)

After assessing your current level of workplace environmental wellness, consider the areas in which you can improve and how. Below are some environmental wellness activity ideas to implement at work:

• Workplace recycling program: Ensure that your office has sufficient recycling facilities, including separate receptacles for landfill waste, recyclables, and organic waste. Ensure that bins are properly labeled to reduce frustration and make it easy and enjoyable to recycle.

• Contests and challenges: Introduce zero-waste workplace wellness challenges to emphasize environmental well-being. Run 30-day challenges to reduce or eliminate plastic consumption, food waste, and other common types of waste.

• Environmental wellness allowance: Provide a bonus or expense allowance for employees to choose how to improve the workplace environment. This helps foster a sense of ownership over the work environment and boosts social well-being in the workplace.

• Team volunteering: Organize a workplace volunteer effort that is environmentally conscious. Join an existing volunteer network or create your own. Examples include beach or park garbage clean-uportreeplanting.Ifyourworkplacehasthespace,consider planting acommunity garden.

AFTER AND ONGOING BENEFITS

Our surrounding environment can influence the way we think, feel, and work. By promoting better environmental wellness in the workplace, organizations can become more attuned toemployee needs.

Employees who adopt an environmentally healthy lifestyle may benefit from more creativity, deeper engagement in their work,and improved overall satisfaction. Continue offeringdifferentenvironmental wellnessactivitiesandideasto do at workandathome to reduce stress and increase healthy lifestyles.

Environmental Wellness should be a continuous practice in the workplace once implemented

Those who prioritize environmental wellness adopt healthy and positive lifestyle practices that guide them in avoiding environmental health hazards and optimizing the resources they have available.

• Improved job satisfaction

• Increased productivity

• Organizations become for attuned to employee needs

• Increased employee motivation

• Staff retention

• Lower absenteeism

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q. What is Environmental Wellness?

A. Environmental Wellness is creating or findingspaces where you live, work and study that help you feel motivated to reach your goals. Is your area a place that you feel comfortable, safe and at ease in?

Q. How can Iimprove my Environmental Wellness?

A. Therearemany waysto improveyourEnvironmental Wellness.Examples:recycle,shut down electronics that aren’t in use, use environmentally friendly products, protect yourself during inclement weather, text homes and facilities for toxicities, and so on.

Q. How to inspire your staff to be environmentally responsible?

A. Inspiring your staff to be environmentally responsible is being healthy, further increasing their life expectancy.

Q. Can you choose what’s in your environment?

A. Youcan’talways choose what’s in the environments you live, work, or play in, But takingsmall steps to make your environments safer and limiting your exposure to potentially harmful substances can help keep you healthier.

1. Leadership support for environmental wellness

Like any initiative in a business, environmental wellness must have leadership support to receive the focusand driverequired toinitiate change. Harvardbusinessreview shows there is a comprehensive business case for implementing environmental wellness. The specifics are going to vary by industry but may include:

• Improving financial performance due to better operational efficiency, better management of natural resources and limiting waste

• Fostering motivation through the redesign of products or services to meet environmental needs

• Manage risk by working with your business supply chain to improve sustainability with the goal of limiting exposure to climate change

Develop environmental wellness goals

Work with the leadership team to establish a holistic set of SMART environmental goals focused on:

• Resource conservation

• Waste reduction

• Pollution prevention

• Discharge elimination

• Zero emissions

These goals need to be agreed between the leadership team and an environmental wellness committee.

Create an environmental wellness committee

Once environmental wellness becomes a focus it is important to establish a group committed to embedding sustainability into the business. Ideally group members are volunteers representing all levels of the business, including at least one senior leader.

Global businesses may have ‘green teams’ or environmental committees at a local level with representatives joining a global team to ensure alignment on policy and procedure.

Clear and frequent communication from the environmental committee is going to be central to achieving buy-in from the rest of the business.

Act in the office

There is scope in almost every office to do more for the environment. Gettingstarted canbe tricky but following these steps might help:

• Conduct an audit to identify opportunities for improvement. Look at every element of the business including:

o Lightand heat

o Energy useage

o Officesupplies

o Waste savings

o Waterconservation

o Business activities

• Create action plans includingdates for completion andwho is responsible

• Developa communications plan to run in tandem

• Implement the action plan, for best results - get employees outside of the committee involved too

• Review improvements against annual goals and optimize accordingly

Incentivize employees to act in remote locations

As a large percentage oftheoffice-based worldtransitions tohybrid working, there isalsoa need to get employees to think more environmentally when working remotely. Global work fromhome orders during the pandemic reduced carbon emissions because less people were commuting to work, and the airline industry came to a virtual standstill.

There are many ways to encourage employees to be more environmentally friendly while working from home or remotely. It is even better if your business can incentivize them to make changes that will not only help the planet but save them money in the long run:

• Switch toenergy efficient lighting

• Lower heating

• Use an additionalscreen to cut down or eliminate paper usage

• Turnoff devices when not inuse

• Make the most ofnatural light

• Add plants to their environment

Get accreditationfor environmentalwellness

There are many environmental accreditations available around the world that assist in the improvement of your business and show it meets a standard when it comes to environmental wellness.

Embracing environmental wellness is not only important to preserve our environment, but also increasingly important to consumers, clients and prospective employees too

REFERENCES

• HowtoImproveEnvironmental Wellness inthe Workplace (wellics.com)

• Tips forEnvironmental Wellness inthe Workplace |Allianz Partners (allianzcare.com)

ENVIRONMENTAL WELLNESS ASSESSMENT

1. It is important to our organization that we encourage environmentally responsible behaviors. /5

2. Our organization makes an effort to minimize consumption and find environmentally friendly alternatives to business supplies and practices. _____/ 5

3. It is important for workplaces to be environmentally healthy, including having good air indoor quality, adequate natural lighting, and high cleanliness and sanitation. / 5

4. Our organization has a healthand safety plan in place that is communicated regularly to all employees. / 5

5. It is important to make our workplace comfortable and provide working conditions that are conducive to optimal health and performance. / 5

Total Environmental Wellness Score: _____ / 25

WHAT THESE SCORES MEAN

Scores 17 - 25

Good: Your score reflects that your organization strongly prioritizes this dimension of employee wellness. You likely find that your programs or initiatives that support this dimension of wellness produce a tangible ROI or elicit positive feedback from your team.

Scores 9 - 16

Fair:Yourteamisstrivingtoward betteremployee wellness.Takestockofwhichareas of wellness have room for improvement while celebrating the current efforts that are working. Consider that even minor changes to each dimension of wellness can help your organization achieve its goals.

Scores 1 - 8

Poor:Alowscoreindicatesalackofprioritizingthis dimension ofwellness.Perhaps it’s unclear how a given wellness dimension integrates into your workplace or how your organization can benefit from employees being healthy in this aspect of wellness. By learning about the benefits of employee wellness, your organization can incorporate a greater focus on well-being.