Start! celebrates Challenge Two, kicks off Challenge Three
Health Plus will host a celebration of the end of the second of three challenges
on Wednesday, Aug. 6, from noon to 1 p.m. in the courtyard behind Light Hall.
Planned events include an ice cream giveaway, door prizes, a demonstration of
the Zumba group fitness class offered at Health Plus and learning who achieved
the most activity during Challenge Two.
Challenge Three, which begins Aug. 1, continues through Oct. 31. All those with
more than 150,000 steps during the period will receive a T-shirt, and those
with a total of 450,000 steps at the end of all three challenges will also be
entered in a drawing for bigger prizes.
Vanderbilt is partnering with the American Heart Association to offer the Start!
initiative. Health Plus and Vanderbilt Heart are providing this physical activity program
for faculty and staff and encouraging everyone to participate in reaching the
goal of 1,000 participants and an updated goal of 1 billion combined steps by
Oct. 31.
You can register by going to the Health Plus Web site
(healthplus.vanderbilt.edu) and clicking on the green Start! button.
Each registered participant also receives a step pedometer, a paper tracking log
for your activities, and resources to help you succeed.
Even those who prefer a physical activity other than walking can participate.
Since Start! is about being more physically active, the site allows staff and
faculty to track other activities. Any activity can be converted to steps
through the online tracker.
Occupational Health Clinic hits the road
The Occupational Health Clinic now visits Vanderbilt Hospital and Monroe Carell
Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt each month to help make getting shots and skin tests
even more convenient for hospital staff. Staff and faculty may drop by during any of these sessions to get all the
immunizations and testing needed. To help managers track compliance, the
performance evaluation system will automatically know whether OHC has your
information up to date or not, so act now to beat the rush.
OHC staff are at Children’s Hospital, room 7011, from 1:15 to 4:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of each
month.
Services provided are immunizations, TB skin tests, screening/review of records
and lab collections for required screening.
Go for the Gold 2008 under way
The 2008 edition of Go for the Gold is in full swing. As last year, full-time
active, benefits eligible staff and faculty can complete the Gold Level of the
Go For The Gold Incentives Program and receive $20/month in wellness credit in
2008. More than 13,000 faculty and staff participated in the program last year,
and are being rewarded by Vanderbilt for engaging in healthy lifestyle
practices.
Here are the steps:
Step 1
Do your yearly Health Risk Assessment to learn what your health risks are and
what you can do to become as healthy as possible.
Step 2
Do your yearly Wellness Action Log to focus on healthy actions that will help
you maintain or improve your health.
Step 3
View the 2008 Game Plan For Your Health, which is titled “Five Keys to Financial Health.”
Steps one and two are also available for spouses and domestic partners of staff
and faculty, which adds a wellness credit of $5 for each step.
There is also help available for any department who gathers up at least 10
attendees. Health Plus will have a representative come to your area for
one-on-one assistance in completing the Go for the Gold steps. E-mail Kim
Tromatore at kimberly.a.tromatore@vanderbilt.edu, or phone 343-3849.
The deadline for completion is Nov. 30.
Life Phase Series
The Life Phase series showcases speakers who have ideas to help staff and
faculty balance work and home responsibilities. This month’s Life Phase series is titled “Countdown to VUMC Smoke Free,” presented by Alice Warren, R.N., nurse practitioner at the Occupational Health
Clinic. The program will be held Thursday, Aug. 21, from noon to 1 p.m. in Light Hall, room to be announced (check the Health Plus
Web site).
Babies and You
Health Plus offers this work site prenatal health promotion program to all
Vanderbilt employees, spouses and dependents. The program encourages early and
consistent prenatal care and provides monthly educational opportunities on
issues relating to perinatal health.
All classes are from noon to 1 p.m. This month’s class is “Choosing a Pediatrician,” presented by Rachel Mace, M.D. The class will be Aug. 21 noon to 1 p.m. in a
location to be announced on the Health Plus Web site.
Enrollment is voluntary and free but must be completed during the first
trimester of pregnancy. Call 343-8943 to enroll and learn how mothers-to-be can
earn a $100 savings bond (taxable) for their new baby. Fathers-to-be and
grandparents-to-be are welcome.
For more information, contact Lisa Conner, R.N., at 343-9623.
Smooth Moves offers Champion Classes
The Occupational Health Clinic’s Smooth Moves Program is designed to help nurses, care partners, and other
health professionals who work at the bedside every day avoid injury from the
physical strain of lifting and moving patients.
The class includes:
• Learning assessment tools for patients’ mobility needs
• The use of state-of-the-art equipment
• Support for each other to “Do the Right Thing”
All patient caregivers are invited to the Smooth Moves Champion Classes on:
• Aug. 22 in the Medical Center North Learning Center from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Sept. 30 in the Medical Center North Learning Center from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Health and Wellness offers Podcasts
Health and Wellness now offers weekly podcasts. Listen to brief interviews, tips
and tidbits on a variety of health and wellness topics ranging from deep-breathing exercises to surviving divorce to preparing for overseas travel.
Visit www.vanderbilt.edu/HRS/wellness/hwpodcast.htm to listen from your computer or your MP3 Player.
Self Care classes offered
Most of the time when you get sick or injured, you’ll recover without special medical care. But how do you know when medical care
is necessary?
In the “Self Care Techniques” class, offered through the Occupational Health Clinic, you will learn:
• What your symptoms mean
• Helpful self-care tips for your
symptoms
• When you need to seek medical help
• Valuable prevention tips to stay healthy
• How to make the most of your health care appointments.
Class attendees will receive a copy of Mayo Clinic EmbodyHealth Guide to Self-Care. The next Self Care Techniques class will take place Tuesday, Aug. 5, from 4:30 to 5:30
p.m. in meeting room 1 of the Student Life Center.
Pre-registration is not required. For more information, contact the Occupational
Health Clinic at occhealth.vanderbilt.edu or 936-0955.
Health Plus to hold Clinic Bowl Kick-off MP3 Raffle
The 58th annual Clinic Bowl Classic kick-off event, featuring Franklin High
School vs. Hillsboro High School, will be held at Vanderbilt’s Dudley Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 23, at 7:30 p.m. Come by the Health Plus fitness center atop Kensington Garage before the game (5:30 – 7 p.m.)—have your Vanderbilt picture ID with you—and register for three MP3 players to be raffled off to faculty and staff.
Health Plus will also be open during the game.
While at Health Plus, attendees may view the stadium festivities before the game
from the balcony. Winners of the MP3 players must be in the stadium when the
winners are announced.
The Clinic Bowl is sponsored by Vanderbilt Orthopaedics. All event proceeds go
to Vanderbilt Rehabilitation Services and area high schools to support patient
and student needs.
The Health Plus Summer SuperClass
The Aerobic Challenge—the ongoing promotion of Health Plus aerobics classes— will end on Aug. 21 with a Superclass from 5 to 7 p.m. The Superclass will
expose participants to a variety of equipment used in group fitness classes,
and all levels are welcome. Even those who have never taken a group fitness
class are invited to sample one or all of the six 20-minute classes. All
classes regularly held at Health Plus after 4 p.m. will be cancelled for the Superclass.
Following is the lineup of classes:
5 – 5:20 p.m. BOSU with Bonnie
5:20 – 5:40 p.m. Gliding disc with Kandice
5:40 – 6 p.m. Resistance tubing
with Kandice
6 – 6:20 p.m. Zumba with Pam
6:20 – 6:40 p.m. Pilates with Bonnie
6:40 – 7 p.m. Yoga with Pam
