Successful aging through individualized exercise of body, mind, & spirit.

January 2016 Newsletter

WEATHER CLOSINGS

Just a reminder that in the event Omaha Public Schools close, due to

inclement weather, classes will be cancelled. However, EngAge

Wellness may still be open. Please call 402-552-7210 prior to

attending, to check for sure! We will do our best to put opening/closing announcements

on the local news stations, but the voice message on our answering machine will have

the most up-to-date information. Thank you!

**If you’re interested in receiving messages regarding weather closings via text, on

your mobile phone, please see the back page of the newsletter… Thanks!

Please mark your calendars to join us for our

5th Birthday Celebration!!

Thursday, February 4th marks five years since

UNMC’s EngAge Wellness opened in 2011.

Come to EngAge @ 4:30PM for a concert by singer Justin Mac Nair!

We will have cake & punch as refreshments.

We’ll also be having OPEN HOUSE that day, so feel free to bring your

friends & show them where you come to exercise!

The new parking lot for EngAge Wellness participants & HICSA building visitors is now open! Please utilize the south side of Lot 16L (off 39

th St.) when visiting EngAge.

The north side of the lot is reserved for employees who pay to park in Lot 16L.

If you currently park upstairs in Lot 16U (off 38th

Ave.) we ask that you begin parking in the new lot to make more room fo r pat ien ts & v i s i tors o f the c l in ic .

We have developed parking permits to hang on your rearview mirror, to ensure the lot is being utilized by participants & visitors only. **See the back page to fill out vehicle info!

Diabetes Prevention Program

Led by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

Wednesdays, beginning 1/27/16 2:30—3:30PM

(Weekly for f irst 16 weeks, then monthly for 8 months)

This Diabetes Prevention Program features an approach that is proven to

prevent or delay type 2 diabetes.

Our one-year program is designed to help you make lifestyle changes to improve your

overall health and reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. By improving food

choices and increasing physical activity, you can lose 5-7% of your body weight. If

you have pre-diabetes, these lifestyle changes can reduce your risk of developing type

2 diabetes by more than 50% (71% in people over 60)!

To see if you are qualified or for further

information about the program, contact:

Heather Shafer, M.S.

heather.lenz@unmc.edu

402-552-7229

January is Thyroid Awareness Month

The thyroid gland is a small, butterfly-shaped gland located in the base of the neck just below the Adam's apple. Although relatively small, the thyroid gland influences the function of many of the body’s most important organs, including the heart, brain, liver, kidneys and skin. Research shows that there is a strong genetic link between thyroid disease and other autoimmune diseases, including types of diabetes, arthritis and anemia. Simply put, if your thyroid gland isn’t working properly, neither are you.

Think of your thyroid as a car engine that sets the pace at which your body operates. An engine produces the required amount of energy for a car to move at a certain speed. In the same way, your thyroid gland manufactures enough thyroid hormone to prompt your cells to perform a function at a certain rate.

People of any age can get hypothyroidism, but older adults are more likely to get it and women above age 60 have the highest risk. Thyroid disease is more common than diabetes or heart disease. Thyroid disease is a fact of life for as many as 30 million Americans and more than half of those people remain undiagnosed. Aging is just one risk factor for hypothyroidism.

Some of the reasons to consider a thyroid evaluation: Family history: A familiar place to look for thyroid disorder signs and symptoms is your family tree. If you have a close relative with thyroid disease, you would benefit from thyroid evaluation. Women are much more likely to be thyroid patients than men; however, the gene pool runs through both. Prescription medications: If you are taking Lithium or Amiodarone, you should consider a thyroid evaluation. Radiation therapy to the head or neck: If you have had any of the following radiation therapies, you should consider a thyroid evaluation: radiation therapy for tonsils, for an enlarged thymus, or acne.

Sources: thyroidawareness.com “The Harvard Medical School Guide to Overcoming Thyroid Problems” by Dr. Jeffrey R. Garber, published by McGraw-Hill.

Michelle’s Massage Message

The American Massage Therapy Association wrote an article last year,

about the “5 Ways Massage Can Improve Your Health”…

#5 — Improve Physical Fitness

Both athletes & average/recreational exercisers can benefit from massage therapy. Massage can help to reduce muscle tension, improve performance, and prevent injuries.

Read about the benefits that massage can have on people who exercise, by clicking on the link above… To see the entire article on how massage can improve your health, visit:

https://www.amtamassage.org/articles/1/News/detail/2885

ANSWERS are

on the back!!

EngAge Word Jumble — Created & drawn by Patrick Bartmess

The letters in the four words below have been jumbled. Arrange them in the

correct order and then use the letters that are in the circles, to solve the answer

to the cartoon caption. (These letters will need to be unscrambled, as well).

Visit us online!

www.unmc.edu/engage

Volume 5, Issue 1 | January 2016

Refer One, Receive One…

Attention, Participants!

If you refer a friend, and they join EngAge

Wellness during the month of January, you

will receive ONE FREE MONTH of

participation! EngAge Wellness Staff

Jeannie Hannan - PhD, ACSM-HFD

Wellness Manager

402-552-7227

Heather Shafer - M.S.

Wellness Specialist

402-552-7229

Sara Huebert - B.S.

Wellness Specialist

402-552-7210

Marshall Ozaki - P.T. Student

Work Study Employee

Jake Nienow - P.T. Student

Work Study Employee

Eun Chang - Nursing Student

Work Study Employee

Chelsea Colton - Other Hourly Worker

Ryan Ereth - Other Hourly Worker

Angela Ferrante - Other Hourly Worker

Patrick Bartmess - Volunteer

Newsletter Developer

Jumble answers:

Amend

Brook

After

Visual

Answer to Cartoon:

Revolutions

Monday, January 18th

is

Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

Just a friendly reminder, we will be open regular

hours that day.

However, there will be NO Line Dancing class!

(Sara will be gone).

Text Message for Inclement Weather

In the event that EngAge Wellness closes, due to severe Winter weather, you can receive a

message via text on your mobile phone! We just need to know who your carrier is… (AT&T,

Verizon, Sprint, etc.)

So if you wish you be alerted by text message, of important opening/closing information,

please fill out this slip & return it to the front desk. Thanks!

Last Name: ____________________________________

First Name: ____________________________________

Cell phone #: __________________________

Carrier: _______________________________

Vehicle Information Form

Last Name: ____________________________________

First Name: ____________________________________

Vehicle Make/Model/Color: _____________________________________________

License Plate: __________________________________

Please fill out & turn in at the front desk. We’ll then give you an EngAge Wellness parking

permit to hang on your rearview mirror, for parking in the new lot! (Lot 16L - South side).

STAFF USE

Permit #: _______________

Date: __________________