Community Benefits—Dr. Joseph Boffa

Last December I had the opportunity to present HealthLink Wellness at the winter meeting of the Pharmaceutical Industry Labor-Management Association (PILMA). You may recall this is the group that is supplying funding for this phase of our wellness activities. It is a group that is comprised of leaders from labor and the pharmaceutical industry.  It is an organization that offers an excellent forum for both labor and industry to cooperate on areas of common interest.  New England was well represented. In attendance was George Nee, Secretary-Treasurer of the Rhode Island AFL-CIO and Robert Haynes, President of the Massachusetts AFL-CIO.  It was certainly a pleasure to present not only to the whole Association but also our fellow New Englanders about the progress regarding your wellness efforts.  I made it clear in my talk that it was the support of the AFL-CIO that contributed greatly to our success.

At the conference a discussion by Dr. William Hoffman turned to the topic of a concept called "community benefits."  It is an approach where wellness activities and chronic disease management occurs in the community and not necessarily in health institutions or other medical care environments. We all seek advice from our primary care physician about how to best manage our various ailments.  In the context of a busy physician's office, there is certainly an effort to follow up for your needs by both the doctor and office staff.  However, the community benefit concept is that you also have opportunities for follow up between office visits at a friendlier environment in a local community setting, whether a senior citizen center or union hall.  The community setting allows you to seek follow up among your friends and neighbors, a total community effort.

Well you should take pride in that you were supporting the community benefit concept as far back as 2000 when HealthLink Wellness came into being.  Congratulations in being true pioneers.  I hope this energizes you for the HealthLink sessions coming up this spring!

HealthLink Wellness Inspires National ARA—John Pernorio

HealthLink Wellness is now receiving national attention. This past year the Alliance for Retired Americans in Washington D.C. had asked state ARA chapters to suggest programs in their state that may help retirees nationally. Dr. Boffa and I suggested they look over our HealthLink Wellness efforts. To say the least they were impressed with Rhode Island ARA or should I say with you and your past accomplishments. ARA is currently seeking funding to roll out a national effort.

The Alliance for Retired Americans is a nationwide organization, founded in May 2001, with three million members working together to make their voices heard in laws, policies, politics and institutions that shape our lives. Its mission is to ensure social and economic justice and full civil rights for all citizens.

What Is Healthy Retirement?

A model wellness and prevention program of the Alliance for Retired Americans Educational Fund in Rhode Island & Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona

Joseph Boffa, DDS, MPH – Wellness Program Director, Charlotte Hayes – ARAEF, Fran Levey – Consultant, ARAEF.

·         Healthy Retirement is a wellness program developed specifically for retirees.

·         Pilot program created with Rhode Island ARA, called HealthLink.  ARAEF will roll-out this program nationally as the centerpiece of the Alliance healthcare agenda.

·         Healthy Retirement provides information, support and follow-up programs to improve physical activity, nutrition and smoking cessation.

·         Healthy Retirement links screening and behavior change for healthier aging.

Look for more information in the future on the Healthy Retirement Program.

HealthLink Wellness Update—Paula M. Beaulieu

I would like to take the opportunity to thank each and everyone of you who were able to participate in our wellness sessions last fall, it was great to see you again.  Additionally, I would like to acknowledge those of you who expressed on-going interest in the project but were not able to attend a session; hopefully we will see you this spring! 

The HealthLink Wellness program had been in a “state of flux” for a couple of years with Dr. Boffa and John Pernorio working very diligently to obtain funding to revive it.  Their hard work paid off with the funding we received from PILMA, but the project itself would not be successful without your participation.  I know I speak for Dr. Boffa and John when I say, this project is nothing without you and we are very pleased at the level of enthusiasm and support you continue to demonstrate. 

The fall 2006 wellness sessions proved to be very successful.  While we were only able to conduct a limited program of activity at 2 rather than our usual 6 sites, participation was wonderful; in Rhode Island we had over 200 individuals attend.   Our philosophy continues to be “provide individuals with a comfortable, friendly environment where they can learn more about their overall health and well-being and they will participate.”   Your attendance at the wellness sessions confirms that. 

We continue to plan for future wellness and educational sessions, which we will announce to you soon.  As always, we invite you to express any comments, questions, ideas to us.  While we are still limited in the level of activity we can provide at this time, we welcome your suggestions.  We look forward to seeing you again this spring!

Please direct questions or comments to:

Boston University / HealthLink

560 Harrison Avenue, Room 344,

Boston, Massachusetts 02118

617 638-4673   

jboffa@bu.edu