Smoking Cessation
An estimated 440,000 Americans die each year from diseases caused by smoking. Smoking is responsible for an estimated one in five U.S. deaths, and costs the U.S. over $250 billion each year in healthcare costs and lost productivity. About 48 million Americans smoke cigarettes, but most smokers are either actively trying to quit or want to quit. Since 1965, more than 40 percent of all adults who have ever smoked have quit.
The Surgeon General’s Report includes these findings:
- After one year off of cigarettes, the risk of heart disease caused by smoking is reduced by half. After 15 years of abstinence, the risk is similar to that for people who’ve never smoked.
- In 5 to 15 years, the risk of stroke for ex-smokers returns to the level of those who’ve never smoked.
- Male smokers who quit between ages 35 to 39 add an average of 5 years to their lives. Female quitters in this age group add 3 years. Men and women who quit at ages 65 to 69 increase their life expectancy by 1 year.
DFD Russell Medical Centers offers counseling and resources to assist patients with their efforts to quit smoking. DFD assesses readiness to quit, helps establish a target date, provides follow-up support via care management calls, and supplies individuals whose insurance does not cover nicotine replacement with vouchers for replacement therapy.
Living Well With Diabetes
Take control of your health. Learn to manage Type 2 Diabetes and symptoms with tools and tips on how to live a healthier life. Past participants report less pain, more energy, and fewer hospitalizations.
Originally developed by Sanford University and supported by Spectrum Generations, this class is taught by trained community members, many of whom have diabetes themselves.
Anyone can easily register an individual for a workshop who has an email address by using the Healthy Living for ME website and following the below steps:
- Go to www.healthylivingforme.org
- At the top, next to the green box that says Find A CLASS, use the drop-down option
- Select Living Well with Diabetes (or desired workshop)
- Click the blue box to the left that says SEARCH
- Scroll down to confirm the class dates and location are correct
- Once the correct workshop is located, click on the blue box that says REGISTER
- This will direct you to the Registration Form where you will type in participant information
- Complete the registration by clicking the blue box at the bottom of the form that says REGISTER
Registration required. Contact SeniorsPlus at 1-800-427-1241 or info@seniorsplus.org
