Many volunteer opportunities are available at Elwyn. For further information please contact shirley_kester@elwyn.org or 610-891-2183. To receive the “Elwyn Experience” by email, please contact Karen_chominski@elwyn.org

Elwyn Experience: A Quarterly Publication of Elwyn Managing Editor: Elliott W. Simon, Ph.D.

Photography and Layout Editor: Walter Fernandez

Photography: Kunil Park

Copy Editors: Candy DeMarco, Tony Catania Content Editors: Dennis Ritrovato, Brian Boxall, Angela Sands, Jane Detweiler, Denise Cole, Renee VanBueren, Bruce Tarkoff, Kendra L. Johnson, James Hahn

Our new logo embodies Elwyn’s continuous, unrelenting pursuit of excellence, as we confidently move toward new and challenging horizons, strengthened and emboldened by our partnerships and successes. For over 160 years, Elwyn has offered innovative services, programs and life choices for individuals with disabilities.

But we haven’t done it alone. Our finest efforts have been continually enhanced by the people and or-ganizations that have supported us with the resources required to sustain and grow a vibrant, relevant human services organization. These Partners in Living help us make a difference in people’s lives every day. They create the oppor-tunities for Elwyn clients to reach for the stars: to improve their physical and mental well-being, develop the skills and confidence they need to increase their independence, and ultimately, to live meaningful, purposeful lives.

September 2014 A publication for family and friends of Elwyn.

“Wellness” is a term that

is increasingly being used to define a holistic concept that includes specific life areas that are important for an optimal quality of life. As such, it is an integrative approach that cuts across diagnostic labels, reflects a positive overall support process and is applicable to all individuals. “Wellness” is a construct that is very much in synch with Elwyn’s new slogan: “Partners in Living” and is typically conceptualized to include 7 areas: intellectual, physical, spiritual, emotional, environ-mental, social and occupational. Each dimension is assigned equal importance in optimizing quality of life. Emotional wellness includes the ability to self-care, relax, develop through experience and cope with stress. Emotional Wellness is a building block for independ-ence and good choice making. Physical wellness results in a healthy body. It includes knowing when to seek care and understanding that exer-cise, diet and sleep promote a healthy body. Environmental wellness is understanding and respecting how you, as an individual, fit into the environ-ment while Social wellness is the ability to perform your role in society and develop

friendships, partners and a social support network. Intel-lectual wellness is fed by seeking out knowledge and new ideas. This promotes community engagement in cultural, and educational activities. Spiritual wellness comes by developing a set of values help define your life approach giving it overall meaning and purpose. Occupational well-ness is brought about through work resulting in self satisfac-tion and a richer quality of life.

For Elwyn, “Wellness” is quickly becoming an integrative concept that cuts across service and support areas. It blurs traditional roles by providing a common frame-work to define our support system. “Wellness” has promoted integrative activities for both staff and consumers and improved everyone’s quality of life. This issue of the Experience highlights how “Wellness” has and will continue to impact Elwyn.

STAY UP TO DATE Check us out on Facebook and YouTube Facebook.com/elwynorg - youtube.com/user/ElwynExperienceTV

www.elwyn.org

What is WELLNESS?

ARTICLE PAGE

What is Wellness 1

From the President 2

Elwyn’s 5Ks Running and Walking 2

for Wellness

Behavioral Health 3

Wellness through Nutrition

Fitness and Health 4-5

Sweating and Socializing at ARCH of

Lehigh Valley!

Wellness STARs

Elwyn Health Services promotes an 6

integrated approach to individual health.

El-Well Wellness Program:

All About Employee Health and Wellness 7

NEW Elwyn Logo 8

IN THIS ISSUE

2 ELWYN

Elwyn is all about wellness. Intense focus on all aspects of consumer well-being is both our mission and the occupation of every single employee. Accountants wor-ry about generating funding, maintenance employees keep our facilities and vehi-cles safe and professionals and support staff create and manage support plans. Elwyn as an employer also cares about employee wellness. Excellent health ben-efits, vacation, sick and holiday opportuni-ties and attention to work loads and stressors result in longevity of employ-ment. Relatively low staff turnover rates also indicate that Elwyn is attentive to employee well-being. Employee wellness is important for both the obvious need to have a healthy work-force and to protect Elwyn from unneces-sary increases in health benefit costs. We continue to partner with our health benefit provider, Independence Blue Cross (IBC), to track overall employee health status and service utilization in order to support employees in pursuit of both a healthier workforce and to better control healthcare

premiums for Elwyn’s employees and their families. I thought you might like to have some of the data that emerged from our most re-cent meeting with IBC.

People (about 40% of those covered)

are pursuing preventive health screening and about 30% are partici-pating in health management pro-gramming offered by IBC through Elwyn.

Emergency room utilization for non-

emergent conditions has decreased.

Members are using generic medica-

tions more frequently. Elwyn is a community of caring individu-als. We care about the people we sup-port and, I believe, we care about each other, too. These individual relationships would last longer and be stronger if we all cared more about wellness. Diabetes, hypertension and even cancer might be less prevalent with more atten-tion to healthier lifestyle choices, ongoing preventative healthcare and good treat-ment. Seeking help for stress, depression and sleeplessness would ease suffering.

Enrolling in one of the over 300 Patient Center Medical Homes (PCMH) primary care practices in IBC’s provider network generates a comprehensive approach to health and longevity by ensuring that peo-ple receive quality care that is convenient, personal, coordinated, and efficient. Proactive approaches to wellness rather than reactive responses to illness reduce disease risks and complications. Please get on board. Take care of your-self and offer a hand to others. Reach out to your work site Wellness Site Action Team representatives for questions, infor-mation or for connections to opportunities for wellness. Wellness teams are working at the Media, Bridgewater, Delaware, Philadelphia and Vineland, NJ campuses. If you don’t know who your representa-tives are, contact Sandra DeMarkis (formerly Deiter) at 610-891-7009. Sincerely, Sandra S. Cornelius, Ph.D. President

Elwyn’s 5ks Running and Walking for

W e l l n e s s

The annual Elwyn PA 5K race and walk was held for the 8th consecutive year at the Media Campus and Elwyn NJ held its inaugural 5K on the Vineland cam-pus. The race proceeds benefit Elwyn’s health and fitness programs for clients and staff.

A PA Runner’s perspective…..It was a beautiful spring day when a total of 53 runners set out on this chal-lenging course consisting of macadam roads, grassy trails and rolling steep hills. The course is recognized by local running clubs as challenging with unique

features and as a well-designed pathway through the historic acreage of the Media Campus. Just when you feel you made it up one hill another rise presents another challenge requiring another burst of energy and physical effort. The race encourages participation by runners and

walkers at all skill levels and the spirit of the race is captured at the starting line. You see people at the starting line jumping and stretching and anticipating the sound of the starter’s gun and as the race starts you quickly measure your own pace. You know after the first quarter mile how you feel and what your body is telling you and what’s left in the tank for the rest of the race. You’re paying attention to the Elwyn landmarks whizz-ing by as you run. It becomes very tempting to run faster simply to keep up with the other runners. You find yourself resisting this temptation; it’s the smart thing to do. After about 1 mile you find yourself get-ting a bit thirsty. The race has volunteers stationed at the mile markers with water to keep the participants hydrated. The best part of the race is when you are within sight

of the finish line. There are always a great throng of people as you near the finish line. You keep pushing that last 100 feet to get in under the electronic clock. As any runner will attest, the race isn’t that you fin-ished, it’s that you had the courage to start. It’s a great course, a great day and a great cause to partici-pate in the annual Elwyn 5K. Mother Nature also cooperated for the first ever Elwyn NJ 5K with a day

that was sunny and warm. Employee volunteers, committee members and Tom Thomasson’s TNT Event Management from Rutgers University made for a great event. Upbeat music, supplied by Bob Morgan Entertainment, helped set the tone and Marta Kelly from My Wellness Massage and Yoga (one of the sponsors) led the participants in a pre-race warm up session. Individuals rang-ing in age from under 14 to over 70, including several seasoned runners from local running clubs p a r t i c i p a t e d . “Roxy”, a service dog owned by runner Dominique Miller, trotted through the course as well, stopping several times along the way to be enjoyed by the many consumers attending the race who reside in Elwyn NJ community homes. Several individuals who reside in Elwyn NJ community homes participated and truly enjoyed the experience. A special highlight was when first place finishers Toni Coslop and Emily Heim presented their medals to Jesse, (assisted by Cheryl Sharp) and Yvette, (assisted by Grace Amoo); both from Baywood Group Home, who successfully completed the whole 5K course. Toni Coslop stated, to development associate Susan Sauro, “It was such a great event and I hope that Jesse and Yvette are enjoying their medals. They were such an inspiration to me while I was running!”

7

Last year Elwyn reaffirmed its commitment to well-ness even further by reintroducing a new health and wellness program, the El-Well Wellness Program, to our employees and their families. By initiating a wellness partnership with Independence Blue Cross, Elwyn’s healthcare insurer, this collaboration has enabled Elwyn to expand our wellness programming, provide greater opportunities for employees to engage in health and wellness activities and deliver targeted screening and education programs directly to our workplace. To support its efforts, Elwyn established an advisory steering team and local site action teams at our Media, Vineland, Delaware, Bridgewater and Philadelphia locations. All teams are comprised of a cross-section of employees from different service areas and support departments whose de-mographics, interests, backgrounds and fitness levels span a broad continuum. Together, these teams drive the efforts of the El-Well Program. As part of those efforts, last year, the El-Well Program conducted an Employee Health and Wellness Interest Survey to assess what was important to employees, and, as a result, sponsored various activities and events, including:

The Elwyn 5K Walk/Run

On-site mobile mammography and women’s health information sessions for National Women’s Health Day

Health/Wellness Fairs at the Media, Philadelphia and Vineland campuses

A Water Fitness Program

Working with our food service provider to offer healthy menu options in our cafeteria

An on-site Influenza education campaign and flu vaccinations

Providing educational materials on sun and summertime safety and health and nutrition

Running a produce stand at the Media site each pay day to make it convenient for em-ployees to purchase fresh fruits and vegeta-bles

A 10 month pre-diabetes education program as part of a longitudinal study funded jointly by the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-tion and the American Diabetes Association

Initiating various employee walking programs: Annual participation in IBC’s National Walk at Work Days each April, Walking Wednesdays, campus lunch walks, 2K/5K walks at the annu-al Elwyn 5K, and most recently, holding a WalkingWorks team competition and chal-lenge.

From May 2nd to July 6th over 250 Elwyn employees participated in the eight week WalkingWorks chal-lenge, and guess what? Walking really does work! The kickoff for the challenge was announced at the 2014 Independence Blue Cross’s National Walk @Lunch Day held at the end of April. Independence Blue Cross, along with Elwyn’s El-Well

Wellness program, launched WalkingWorks for all Elwyn employees to take steps to better health. It’s a known fact that walking can work to improve your health and regular walking can help you lose weight, lower cholesterol, strengthen your heart, and reduce the likelihood of preventable health problems like type-2 diabetes, osteoporosis and heart disease. Plus, 30 minutes a day of brisk walking is proven to be beneficial for most individuals to reduce stress. Also, did you know that walking 2,000 steps is equiv-alent to one mile? The average person should walk from 7,000 to 11,000 steps per day for optimal re-sults. The competition was structured around the creation of friendly team rivalry among the 11 Elwyn teams: Adult Behavioral Health, Allentown; Chester SEEDS; Community Residential Services; Delaware-Bridgewater; Education; Media Campus Day Pro-grams; Media Campus Residential; Media Campus Support; Philadelphia and Vineland. Each team had a Captain/Coach who inspired and challenged their team to encourage more walking and raise the number of overall daily steps.

Team captains sent motivational emails to their team members to increase competition and raise team awareness. It wasn’t uncommon to see 12-15 team members walking on their lunch break to increase their steps at Elwyn’s Media Campus. Other Elwyn sites also reported the same team spirit and stick-to-it-ness! The El-Well Program provided employees who partic-ipated with a free pedometer to track every step taken. The goal was to wear the pedometer daily, whether at work, home and on the weekend. Each participant would then log their daily steps into the

WalkingWorks website’s on-line tracking database where progress was tracked and overall numbers were calculated for each team. Weekly email reports were sent to all Elwyn employees announcing ongo-ing team progress and current ranking, which fueled competition and kept the momentum rolling.

‘Media Campus Residential’ was announced as the winning team and a trophy was awarded. Even though the competition is over, Elwyn plans to keep the spirit of the WalkingWorks program alive by encouraging walking and other creative – exercise related activities at work. To date over 30,000 miles and 50,000,000 steps were walked in the Elwyn

WalkingWorks challenge!

El-Well Wellness Program: All About Employee Health and Wellness

ELWYN

6 ELWYN

Elwyn Health Services promotes an integrated approach to individual health.

Due to advances in health care, people in general are living longer and complex health care needs have become increasingly common. This is also the case for people with disability and the average life span for people with Intellectual Disability (ID) is now closer to the general population than it has ever been. An intricate health care sys-tem has developed to support these needs and as a result people have increased difficulty managing their own healthcare. Karen Helk-er, Chief Clinical Officer & Director of Health Services Operations states that, “People with ID are faced with unique challenges when trying to navigate an increasingly complex health care system. A lack of communication and generally poor understanding of the special needs of people with ID have certainly contributed to this. We recog-nize these distinct needs and focus on providing individualized, per-son-centered services.”

From its inception, Elwyn has pro-vided primary care medical ser-vices to people with special needs and the current Pennsylvania pri-mary care practice is growing with over 300 members. Elwyn’s vi-sion is to become a regional lead-er in primary care through a per-son centered plan with the follow-ing structure:

A coordinated model to improve health care outcomes and facilitate access to specialized health care services

Easy scheduling and access

Short wait times

An efficient Electronic Medical Record (EMR)

A model that will also support individuals with primary be-

havioral health needs

Improved access and efficiency by delivering primary care in day and work settings.

Susan Misturak, Manager of Health Services, is impressed with Elwyn’s new EMR system and its impact on wellness, “Utilizing the EMR we are able to produce additional clinical benefits for the prac-tice. It provides us with care management tools such as clinical alerts, reminders, and medical information. We receive clinical reminders related to routine visits, screenings and vaccinations, all important aspects of wellness. The system is sophisticated and can identify po-tential drug to drug or food to drug interactions thereby preventing potential adverse medication reactions.” Elwyn Health Services promotes an integrated approach to individual health by operating Dental, Audiology and Physical Therapy services and hosting Specialty Clinics. Specialty Clinics are held in Podiatry, Neurology, Opthalmology, Psychiatry and ENT. Helker notes, “This is a wonderful service that we’re able to offer and I’m very grateful for the physicians who continue to provide such high quality specialty services to our patients.” Elwyn’s Dental practice has been in existence almost as long as Elwyn itself and is a key aspect of an overall wellness approach. For people who cannot brush and floss independently, specialty dental care is very important. Problems that go unnoticed can result in seri-ous medical and behavioral complications. The daily monitoring and provision of oral health care by Direct Support Professionals is a key part of maintaining good oral health.

Staff are trained on proper brushing and oral care tech-niques and a consistent ap-proach is emphasized that includes routine care provided through Elwyn’s Philadelphia Dental Clinic that is staffed by Board Certified Dentists, Hy-gienists, and Dental Assis-tants. Basic cleanings, root canals, partials, and dentures can all be obtained through Elwyn Dental. Due to its repu-tation for providing high quali-ty dental services to people with disability, the dental practice has grown to include persons who are otherwise not affiliated with Elwyn. People with disabilities, mental health problems and the frail elderly have all come to rely on Elwyn Dental to receive quality dental service in a comforta-ble and caring environment. Optimal auditory health and ability is crucial in ensuring wellness for people who have cognitive difficulties which may result in decreased oral reception and expression. Elwyn provides a range of Audiological Services that includes hearing aid fittings through licensed audiolo-gists using state-of-the-art equipment. The audiology staff has an incredible 101 years of combined experience working with people with special needs. “We have a great team,” states Rosanna Suppa, Direc-tor of Audiology, “We’re all committed to quality service and spending the time necessary to recommend the most appropriate treatment for each individual. Over the years, we have helped individuals gain greater self-sufficiency, optimize their hearing, and improve functional communication.” Remaining active is a critical aspect of wellness and toward this end, Elwyn’s Physical Rehab staff offer group exercise and aquatic therapy programs. After the course of skilled therapy for the patients has been completed and the individuals begin to regain strength and agili-ty, the Physical Rehab staff implements ambulation or exercise pro-grams to keep people active. These activity programs are catered to meet the needs and capabilities of each individual. Instruction is pro-vided to direct support professionals on how to utilize medical equip-ment, as well as how to fit, adjust and care for other assistive devices. The staff also performs repairs and maintains wheelchairs, shower chairs, and keeps other adaptive equipment in working order. Despite complex medical issues and the burden of other chronic health problems, a study conducted by an area payor indicated that Elwyn consumers utilize hospital based service less than other mem-bers in that plan. Dan Reardon, Senior Vice President and Chief Op-erating Officer commented, “This to me says that we have a lot of people doing a great job in ensuring the health, safety and welfare of our consumers.”

3

Behavioral Health

Wellness through Nutrition

It’s a well known fact that people with mental illness have a

shorter life span than those

who don’t. While strong

medications are a contrib-

uting factor they also suffer

from a higher rate of physical

health issues such as diabe-

tes, high blood pressure, and

tobacco addiction.

In Elwyn’s Behavioral Health

Programs we take this very

seriously. While many factors

contribute to this shortened

life span we may have con-

trol of some of those factors.

One place we can have an

impact is on the food that our

clients eat.

In programs where we provide meals we are taking a position

to provide better, more wholesome, nutritionally based meals.

The Illness Management and Recovery Group in the Adult Resi-

dential Behavioral Health Services successfully completed a

goal of bringing Hillside Farm at Elwyn into the homes within our

service area. We currently have at least one share of the farm

for each of our homes, providing fresh vegetables as a healthier

alternative to processed, canned, or frozen. Our residents have

enjoyed not only eating “home grown” tomatoes, onions, zucchi-

ni and squash but have

also had the opportunity to

try more unusual vegeta-

bles such as Bunching

Onions, Hakurei Turnips,

Swiss Chard and Kale.

Residents have experi-

enced a significant change

in menus, now incorporat-

ing new recipes for healthy

“smoothies”, desserts

made from veggies such

as red beet cake and zuc-

chini lasagna, to name a

few. Fresh greens salads

are being served daily with

added ingredients such as

cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, all farm grown. The residents

enjoy menu planning meetings which include reviewing and se-

lecting new recipes to taste test for the vegetables. The educa-

tional piece to healthy eating, learning about the new vegeta-

bles, understanding nutrition information, calorie counts, serving

sizes has also helped to give them a better understanding of

healthy eating and its important role to managing their health

and longevity.

At Welcome House, an accredited Clubhouse, we have a can-

teen that sells breakfast and lunch to the members. Attached to

this program is a greenhouse. Last year it was decided to begin

growing produce that could be utilized in our canteen. With the

assistance of a professionally trained horticulturist we were able

to realize that dream.

The members were able to grow fresh vegetables in the green-

house and created a roof garden. In addition, any leftover pro-

duce is offered to the members to take home in the hopes that

they supplement their staff and members are learning how to

prepare nutritious meals as a healthy appealing dining option for

the members own meals.

Fresh, organically grown vegetables are now a staple for all the

meals at Welcome House. Last year, Welcome House opened

a fitness center complete with a healthy Snack Bar. Now they

can enjoy a healthy snack after the exercise.

In Natale a nutritional specialist has been hired to better manage

the meals we serve to residents. Part of this includes the use of

organic produce, grown locally. Even though Natale is not a

long term program it is thought that anything that can be done to

strengthen their recovery the better. Through Illness Manage-

ment and Recovery (IMR) Natale provides groups that focus on

recovery via physical and mental health. The groups focus on

wellness, nutrition, and symptom management. All aimed at

improving one’s opportunity for improvement and growth.

ELWYN

ELWYN 4

Fitness and Health is a

watch-like wireless device worn on the wrist that tracks a per-son’s activity and measures many different individual metrics such as steps walked, calories burned and other activity infor-mation. It is all the rage these days as an integral part of a person’s wellness program and everyone - including Elwyn - is getting in on this. People with Prader Willi Syn-drome (PWS), a genetic disor-der with significant implications

for strict weight control, have started using the FitBit Flex bracelet. It tracks their steps, distance, and calo-ries burned during the day. They also use this bracelet to track sleep quality, hours slept, and to wake the user si-lently in the morning. Andrea Saacks has been using the FitBit and now has goals to walk 10,000 to 20,000 steps daily. She is not only achieving this goal, but she has also lost 5 pounds! The FitBit Aria scale is being used to sync all this information wirelessly to a computer so staff can track progress and weight loss for each individual. The person stands on a scale with his/her bracelet and the information

is synced. Staff then track the information and review it with each indi-vidual, their team, their families, and the Behavioral Support Team in order to better manage weight loss and activity level. In addition to the FitBit, the PWS program also has a physical trainer and specific goals are set tailored to each individual’s needs . While PWS is enjoying the benefits of the FitBit program, residents on Elwyn’s Media campus are enjoying the outdoor pool in this hot sum-mer heat. What better way to cool off and exercise than to swim? Resi-dents of Hilltop Hall have been benefiting from the use of the outdoor pool this summer, which is located on Elwyn’s Media campus. They attend for 45 minute sessions and report that they are enjoying the pool immensely. Steven Goss enjoys the pool with his peers at Hilltop and participates regularly in a walking program with the Physical Rehabilita-tion Department. Both of these activities have helped Mr. Goss main-tain a 25 lb. weight loss! The Physical Rehabilitation Department has helped numerous resi-dents maintain important skills through physical training and exercise.

Emma Jean Rummford of Cottage 3 participates in the program for endurance and balance. Due to neck surgery and increased risk of falls, Emma Jean started this program walking up to 150 feet per session. She can now walk completely across the Media campus. Emma Jean has increased her endurance by 15%! Some days she uses a pedometer to see how many steps she takes.

Charlotte Yinger of Smith Hall participates in a program at Elwyn’s ther-apeutic pool and receives therapy for a knee condition. Both have helped Ms. Yinger maintain independent walking. The clients attending Miller Hall, Senior Activity Center, benefit from the Physical Rehabilita-tion Department’s Wellness approach. Twice a week there is an exer-cise class for an hour in the afternoon. Individuals gather in the spa-cious hallway to exercise which improves energy level throughout the rest of the day. Wellness is a very important part of everyone’s life at Elwyn, and we are very proud of the progress people have made.

5 ELWYN

From February to June, Virginia Herzog, licensed Zumba™ instructor and Outpatient Therapist for ARCH of Lehigh Valley, had 11 individuals moving, shaking and dancing at ARCH of Lehigh Valley! Virginia, who has been participating in Zumba fitness™ for years, saw the benefits of Zumba fitness™ and wanted to share these benefits with individuals with Autism and their families. Using different therapeutic techniques and her knowledge of the Autism population, Virginia created a 16 week Zumba™ program specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of individuals with Autism. In addition to the many health benefits of Zumba fitness™, Virginia incorporated opportunities for individuals to work towards social goals by following modeling and gestural cues, increasing body awareness, and engaging individuals in group discussions/ socializing opportunities before and after each class. This group was a success and additional fun and healthy opportunities will continue to be offered at ARCH of Lehigh Valley!

Wellness ST Rs When touring visitors to the Davidson School, it is fairly common to hear them com-ment on the variety of leisure and physical activities provided to the students during the school day. Visitors may see an intramural basketball game in the gym, students joining in yoga classes or students wearing bright yellow life jackets while participating in aquatic activities in the therapeutic pool. The first impression is that of students engaged in and enjoying physical activities in different environ-ments. What is not as easily recognized, is the development of leisure skills, enhance-ment of self-esteem, increased balance and coordination, decreased stress and the im-provement in overall wellness. These benefi-cial leisure and wellness activities occur

throughout the day at the Davidson School. On any given Saturday, throughout the school year, children with special needs enjoy aquat-ic, yoga or horticulture activities offered in the Zier and Kivitz Centers. At Elwyn’s ARCH of Lehigh Valley, individuals with Autism partici-pate in similar leisure and wellness modules including Zumba Fitness classes. The primary goal of the Saturday Therapeutic Activities and Recreation (STAR) Program is to help participants develop important leisure skills that can result in lifelong recreational outlets while having a tremendous positive impact on overall wellness. Through enjoyable tasks and experiences in each class (Aquatics, Yoga and Horticulture) the development of self-confidence, self-esteem, basic life-skills and overall independ-ence is facilitated as each participant’s skill level progresses. A good example of this can be found within the STAR aquatic program. Here a partici-pant can learn submerged swimming skills while also learning to identify basic colors, numbers or letters which are reflected by items they are asked to retrieve from the bot-tom of the pool. Knowing numbers, letters and colors are essential life-skills that inevitably translate into reading, writing and basic math. Likewise, yoga classes promote a wide varie-ty of physical benefits ranging from balance, flexibility, coordination and muscular endur-ance to spatial and body awareness. Additional benefits include stress reduction, improved coping skills, sequencing and relaxation.

The mother of a recent participant in yoga was extremely pleased with the program be-cause of the individualized attention that al-lowed her daughter to succeed despite her challenges. The mother was unable to find any comparable program within the community and has vowed to continue with the STAR program.

Clients and Staff participating at the Zumba Class.

ELWYN 4

Fitness and Health is a

watch-like wireless device worn on the wrist that tracks a per-son’s activity and measures many different individual metrics such as steps walked, calories burned and other activity infor-mation. It is all the rage these days as an integral part of a person’s wellness program and everyone - including Elwyn - is getting in on this. People with Prader Willi Syn-drome (PWS), a genetic disor-der with significant implications

for strict weight control, have started using the FitBit Flex bracelet. It tracks their steps, distance, and calo-ries burned during the day. They also use this bracelet to track sleep quality, hours slept, and to wake the user si-lently in the morning. Andrea Saacks has been using the FitBit and now has goals to walk 10,000 to 20,000 steps daily. She is not only achieving this goal, but she has also lost 5 pounds! The FitBit Aria scale is being used to sync all this information wirelessly to a computer so staff can track progress and weight loss for each individual. The person stands on a scale with his/her bracelet and the information

is synced. Staff then track the information and review it with each indi-vidual, their team, their families, and the Behavioral Support Team in order to better manage weight loss and activity level. In addition to the FitBit, the PWS program also has a physical trainer and specific goals are set tailored to each individual’s needs . While PWS is enjoying the benefits of the FitBit program, residents on Elwyn’s Media campus are enjoying the outdoor pool in this hot sum-mer heat. What better way to cool off and exercise than to swim? Resi-dents of Hilltop Hall have been benefiting from the use of the outdoor pool this summer, which is located on Elwyn’s Media campus. They attend for 45 minute sessions and report that they are enjoying the pool immensely. Steven Goss enjoys the pool with his peers at Hilltop and participates regularly in a walking program with the Physical Rehabilita-tion Department. Both of these activities have helped Mr. Goss main-tain a 25 lb. weight loss! The Physical Rehabilitation Department has helped numerous resi-dents maintain important skills through physical training and exercise.

Emma Jean Rummford of Cottage 3 participates in the program for endurance and balance. Due to neck surgery and increased risk of falls, Emma Jean started this program walking up to 150 feet per session. She can now walk completely across the Media campus. Emma Jean has increased her endurance by 15%! Some days she uses a pedometer to see how many steps she takes.

Charlotte Yinger of Smith Hall participates in a program at Elwyn’s ther-apeutic pool and receives therapy for a knee condition. Both have helped Ms. Yinger maintain independent walking. The clients attending Miller Hall, Senior Activity Center, benefit from the Physical Rehabilita-tion Department’s Wellness approach. Twice a week there is an exer-cise class for an hour in the afternoon. Individuals gather in the spa-cious hallway to exercise which improves energy level throughout the rest of the day. Wellness is a very important part of everyone’s life at Elwyn, and we are very proud of the progress people have made.

5 ELWYN

From February to June, Virginia Herzog, licensed Zumba™ instructor and Outpatient Therapist for ARCH of Lehigh Valley, had 11 individuals moving, shaking and dancing at ARCH of Lehigh Valley! Virginia, who has been participating in Zumba fitness™ for years, saw the benefits of Zumba fitness™ and wanted to share these benefits with individuals with Autism and their families. Using different therapeutic techniques and her knowledge of the Autism population, Virginia created a 16 week Zumba™ program specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of individuals with Autism. In addition to the many health benefits of Zumba fitness™, Virginia incorporated opportunities for individuals to work towards social goals by following modeling and gestural cues, increasing body awareness, and engaging individuals in group discussions/ socializing opportunities before and after each class. This group was a success and additional fun and healthy opportunities will continue to be offered at ARCH of Lehigh Valley!

Wellness ST Rs When touring visitors to the Davidson School, it is fairly common to hear them com-ment on the variety of leisure and physical activities provided to the students during the school day. Visitors may see an intramural basketball game in the gym, students joining in yoga classes or students wearing bright yellow life jackets while participating in aquatic activities in the therapeutic pool. The first impression is that of students engaged in and enjoying physical activities in different environ-ments. What is not as easily recognized, is the development of leisure skills, enhance-ment of self-esteem, increased balance and coordination, decreased stress and the im-provement in overall wellness. These benefi-cial leisure and wellness activities occur

throughout the day at the Davidson School. On any given Saturday, throughout the school year, children with special needs enjoy aquat-ic, yoga or horticulture activities offered in the Zier and Kivitz Centers. At Elwyn’s ARCH of Lehigh Valley, individuals with Autism partici-pate in similar leisure and wellness modules including Zumba Fitness classes. The primary goal of the Saturday Therapeutic Activities and Recreation (STAR) Program is to help participants develop important leisure skills that can result in lifelong recreational outlets while having a tremendous positive impact on overall wellness. Through enjoyable tasks and experiences in each class (Aquatics, Yoga and Horticulture) the development of self-confidence, self-esteem, basic life-skills and overall independ-ence is facilitated as each participant’s skill level progresses. A good example of this can be found within the STAR aquatic program. Here a partici-pant can learn submerged swimming skills while also learning to identify basic colors, numbers or letters which are reflected by items they are asked to retrieve from the bot-tom of the pool. Knowing numbers, letters and colors are essential life-skills that inevitably translate into reading, writing and basic math. Likewise, yoga classes promote a wide varie-ty of physical benefits ranging from balance, flexibility, coordination and muscular endur-ance to spatial and body awareness. Additional benefits include stress reduction, improved coping skills, sequencing and relaxation.

The mother of a recent participant in yoga was extremely pleased with the program be-cause of the individualized attention that al-lowed her daughter to succeed despite her challenges. The mother was unable to find any comparable program within the community and has vowed to continue with the STAR program.

Clients and Staff participating at the Zumba Class.

6 ELWYN

Elwyn Health Services promotes an integrated approach to individual health.

Due to advances in health care, people in general are living longer and complex health care needs have become increasingly common. This is also the case for people with disability and the average life span for people with Intellectual Disability (ID) is now closer to the general population than it has ever been. An intricate health care sys-tem has developed to support these needs and as a result people have increased difficulty managing their own healthcare. Karen Helk-er, Chief Clinical Officer & Director of Health Services Operations states that, “People with ID are faced with unique challenges when trying to navigate an increasingly complex health care system. A lack of communication and generally poor understanding of the special needs of people with ID have certainly contributed to this. We recog-nize these distinct needs and focus on providing individualized, per-son-centered services.”

From its inception, Elwyn has pro-vided primary care medical ser-vices to people with special needs and the current Pennsylvania pri-mary care practice is growing with over 300 members. Elwyn’s vi-sion is to become a regional lead-er in primary care through a per-son centered plan with the follow-ing structure:

A coordinated model to improve health care outcomes and facilitate access to specialized health care services

Easy scheduling and access

Short wait times

An efficient Electronic Medical Record (EMR)

A model that will also support individuals with primary be-

havioral health needs

Improved access and efficiency by delivering primary care in day and work settings.

Susan Misturak, Manager of Health Services, is impressed with Elwyn’s new EMR system and its impact on wellness, “Utilizing the EMR we are able to produce additional clinical benefits for the prac-tice. It provides us with care management tools such as clinical alerts, reminders, and medical information. We receive clinical reminders related to routine visits, screenings and vaccinations, all important aspects of wellness. The system is sophisticated and can identify po-tential drug to drug or food to drug interactions thereby preventing potential adverse medication reactions.” Elwyn Health Services promotes an integrated approach to individual health by operating Dental, Audiology and Physical Therapy services and hosting Specialty Clinics. Specialty Clinics are held in Podiatry, Neurology, Opthalmology, Psychiatry and ENT. Helker notes, “This is a wonderful service that we’re able to offer and I’m very grateful for the physicians who continue to provide such high quality specialty services to our patients.” Elwyn’s Dental practice has been in existence almost as long as Elwyn itself and is a key aspect of an overall wellness approach. For people who cannot brush and floss independently, specialty dental care is very important. Problems that go unnoticed can result in seri-ous medical and behavioral complications. The daily monitoring and provision of oral health care by Direct Support Professionals is a key part of maintaining good oral health.

Staff are trained on proper brushing and oral care tech-niques and a consistent ap-proach is emphasized that includes routine care provided through Elwyn’s Philadelphia Dental Clinic that is staffed by Board Certified Dentists, Hy-gienists, and Dental Assis-tants. Basic cleanings, root canals, partials, and dentures can all be obtained through Elwyn Dental. Due to its repu-tation for providing high quali-ty dental services to people with disability, the dental practice has grown to include persons who are otherwise not affiliated with Elwyn. People with disabilities, mental health problems and the frail elderly have all come to rely on Elwyn Dental to receive quality dental service in a comforta-ble and caring environment. Optimal auditory health and ability is crucial in ensuring wellness for people who have cognitive difficulties which may result in decreased oral reception and expression. Elwyn provides a range of Audiological Services that includes hearing aid fittings through licensed audiolo-gists using state-of-the-art equipment. The audiology staff has an incredible 101 years of combined experience working with people with special needs. “We have a great team,” states Rosanna Suppa, Direc-tor of Audiology, “We’re all committed to quality service and spending the time necessary to recommend the most appropriate treatment for each individual. Over the years, we have helped individuals gain greater self-sufficiency, optimize their hearing, and improve functional communication.” Remaining active is a critical aspect of wellness and toward this end, Elwyn’s Physical Rehab staff offer group exercise and aquatic therapy programs. After the course of skilled therapy for the patients has been completed and the individuals begin to regain strength and agili-ty, the Physical Rehab staff implements ambulation or exercise pro-grams to keep people active. These activity programs are catered to meet the needs and capabilities of each individual. Instruction is pro-vided to direct support professionals on how to utilize medical equip-ment, as well as how to fit, adjust and care for other assistive devices. The staff also performs repairs and maintains wheelchairs, shower chairs, and keeps other adaptive equipment in working order. Despite complex medical issues and the burden of other chronic health problems, a study conducted by an area payor indicated that Elwyn consumers utilize hospital based service less than other mem-bers in that plan. Dan Reardon, Senior Vice President and Chief Op-erating Officer commented, “This to me says that we have a lot of people doing a great job in ensuring the health, safety and welfare of our consumers.”

3

Behavioral Health

Wellness through Nutrition

It’s a well known fact that people with mental illness have a

shorter life span than those

who don’t. While strong

medications are a contrib-

uting factor they also suffer

from a higher rate of physical

health issues such as diabe-

tes, high blood pressure, and

tobacco addiction.

In Elwyn’s Behavioral Health

Programs we take this very

seriously. While many factors

contribute to this shortened

life span we may have con-

trol of some of those factors.

One place we can have an

impact is on the food that our

clients eat.

In programs where we provide meals we are taking a position

to provide better, more wholesome, nutritionally based meals.

The Illness Management and Recovery Group in the Adult Resi-

dential Behavioral Health Services successfully completed a

goal of bringing Hillside Farm at Elwyn into the homes within our

service area. We currently have at least one share of the farm

for each of our homes, providing fresh vegetables as a healthier

alternative to processed, canned, or frozen. Our residents have

enjoyed not only eating “home grown” tomatoes, onions, zucchi-

ni and squash but have

also had the opportunity to

try more unusual vegeta-

bles such as Bunching

Onions, Hakurei Turnips,

Swiss Chard and Kale.

Residents have experi-

enced a significant change

in menus, now incorporat-

ing new recipes for healthy

“smoothies”, desserts

made from veggies such

as red beet cake and zuc-

chini lasagna, to name a

few. Fresh greens salads

are being served daily with

added ingredients such as

cucumbers and cherry tomatoes, all farm grown. The residents

enjoy menu planning meetings which include reviewing and se-

lecting new recipes to taste test for the vegetables. The educa-

tional piece to healthy eating, learning about the new vegeta-

bles, understanding nutrition information, calorie counts, serving

sizes has also helped to give them a better understanding of

healthy eating and its important role to managing their health

and longevity.

At Welcome House, an accredited Clubhouse, we have a can-

teen that sells breakfast and lunch to the members. Attached to

this program is a greenhouse. Last year it was decided to begin

growing produce that could be utilized in our canteen. With the

assistance of a professionally trained horticulturist we were able

to realize that dream.

The members were able to grow fresh vegetables in the green-

house and created a roof garden. In addition, any leftover pro-

duce is offered to the members to take home in the hopes that

they supplement their staff and members are learning how to

prepare nutritious meals as a healthy appealing dining option for

the members own meals.

Fresh, organically grown vegetables are now a staple for all the

meals at Welcome House. Last year, Welcome House opened

a fitness center complete with a healthy Snack Bar. Now they

can enjoy a healthy snack after the exercise.

In Natale a nutritional specialist has been hired to better manage

the meals we serve to residents. Part of this includes the use of

organic produce, grown locally. Even though Natale is not a

long term program it is thought that anything that can be done to

strengthen their recovery the better. Through Illness Manage-

ment and Recovery (IMR) Natale provides groups that focus on

recovery via physical and mental health. The groups focus on

wellness, nutrition, and symptom management. All aimed at

improving one’s opportunity for improvement and growth.

ELWYN

2 ELWYN

Elwyn is all about wellness. Intense focus on all aspects of consumer well-being is both our mission and the occupation of every single employee. Accountants wor-ry about generating funding, maintenance employees keep our facilities and vehi-cles safe and professionals and support staff create and manage support plans. Elwyn as an employer also cares about employee wellness. Excellent health ben-efits, vacation, sick and holiday opportuni-ties and attention to work loads and stressors result in longevity of employ-ment. Relatively low staff turnover rates also indicate that Elwyn is attentive to employee well-being. Employee wellness is important for both the obvious need to have a healthy work-force and to protect Elwyn from unneces-sary increases in health benefit costs. We continue to partner with our health benefit provider, Independence Blue Cross (IBC), to track overall employee health status and service utilization in order to support employees in pursuit of both a healthier workforce and to better control healthcare

premiums for Elwyn’s employees and their families. I thought you might like to have some of the data that emerged from our most re-cent meeting with IBC.

People (about 40% of those covered)

are pursuing preventive health screening and about 30% are partici-pating in health management pro-gramming offered by IBC through Elwyn.

Emergency room utilization for non-

emergent conditions has decreased.

Members are using generic medica-

tions more frequently. Elwyn is a community of caring individu-als. We care about the people we sup-port and, I believe, we care about each other, too. These individual relationships would last longer and be stronger if we all cared more about wellness. Diabetes, hypertension and even cancer might be less prevalent with more atten-tion to healthier lifestyle choices, ongoing preventative healthcare and good treat-ment. Seeking help for stress, depression and sleeplessness would ease suffering.

Enrolling in one of the over 300 Patient Center Medical Homes (PCMH) primary care practices in IBC’s provider network generates a comprehensive approach to health and longevity by ensuring that peo-ple receive quality care that is convenient, personal, coordinated, and efficient. Proactive approaches to wellness rather than reactive responses to illness reduce disease risks and complications. Please get on board. Take care of your-self and offer a hand to others. Reach out to your work site Wellness Site Action Team representatives for questions, infor-mation or for connections to opportunities for wellness. Wellness teams are working at the Media, Bridgewater, Delaware, Philadelphia and Vineland, NJ campuses. If you don’t know who your representa-tives are, contact Sandra DeMarkis (formerly Deiter) at 610-891-7009. Sincerely, Sandra S. Cornelius, Ph.D. President

Elwyn’s 5ks Running and Walking for

W e l l n e s s

The annual Elwyn PA 5K race and walk was held for the 8th consecutive year at the Media Campus and Elwyn NJ held its inaugural 5K on the Vineland cam-pus. The race proceeds benefit Elwyn’s health and fitness programs for clients and staff.

A PA Runner’s perspective…..It was a beautiful spring day when a total of 53 runners set out on this chal-lenging course consisting of macadam roads, grassy trails and rolling steep hills. The course is recognized by local running clubs as challenging with unique

features and as a well-designed pathway through the historic acreage of the Media Campus. Just when you feel you made it up one hill another rise presents another challenge requiring another burst of energy and physical effort. The race encourages participation by runners and

walkers at all skill levels and the spirit of the race is captured at the starting line. You see people at the starting line jumping and stretching and anticipating the sound of the starter’s gun and as the race starts you quickly measure your own pace. You know after the first quarter mile how you feel and what your body is telling you and what’s left in the tank for the rest of the race. You’re paying attention to the Elwyn landmarks whizz-ing by as you run. It becomes very tempting to run faster simply to keep up with the other runners. You find yourself resisting this temptation; it’s the smart thing to do. After about 1 mile you find yourself get-ting a bit thirsty. The race has volunteers stationed at the mile markers with water to keep the participants hydrated. The best part of the race is when you are within sight

of the finish line. There are always a great throng of people as you near the finish line. You keep pushing that last 100 feet to get in under the electronic clock. As any runner will attest, the race isn’t that you fin-ished, it’s that you had the courage to start. It’s a great course, a great day and a great cause to partici-pate in the annual Elwyn 5K. Mother Nature also cooperated for the first ever Elwyn NJ 5K with a day

that was sunny and warm. Employee volunteers, committee members and Tom Thomasson’s TNT Event Management from Rutgers University made for a great event. Upbeat music, supplied by Bob Morgan Entertainment, helped set the tone and Marta Kelly from My Wellness Massage and Yoga (one of the sponsors) led the participants in a pre-race warm up session. Individuals rang-ing in age from under 14 to over 70, including several seasoned runners from local running clubs p a r t i c i p a t e d . “Roxy”, a service dog owned by runner Dominique Miller, trotted through the course as well, stopping several times along the way to be enjoyed by the many consumers attending the race who reside in Elwyn NJ community homes. Several individuals who reside in Elwyn NJ community homes participated and truly enjoyed the experience. A special highlight was when first place finishers Toni Coslop and Emily Heim presented their medals to Jesse, (assisted by Cheryl Sharp) and Yvette, (assisted by Grace Amoo); both from Baywood Group Home, who successfully completed the whole 5K course. Toni Coslop stated, to development associate Susan Sauro, “It was such a great event and I hope that Jesse and Yvette are enjoying their medals. They were such an inspiration to me while I was running!”

7

Last year Elwyn reaffirmed its commitment to well-ness even further by reintroducing a new health and wellness program, the El-Well Wellness Program, to our employees and their families. By initiating a wellness partnership with Independence Blue Cross, Elwyn’s healthcare insurer, this collaboration has enabled Elwyn to expand our wellness programming, provide greater opportunities for employees to engage in health and wellness activities and deliver targeted screening and education programs directly to our workplace. To support its efforts, Elwyn established an advisory steering team and local site action teams at our Media, Vineland, Delaware, Bridgewater and Philadelphia locations. All teams are comprised of a cross-section of employees from different service areas and support departments whose de-mographics, interests, backgrounds and fitness levels span a broad continuum. Together, these teams drive the efforts of the El-Well Program. As part of those efforts, last year, the El-Well Program conducted an Employee Health and Wellness Interest Survey to assess what was important to employees, and, as a result, sponsored various activities and events, including:

The Elwyn 5K Walk/Run

On-site mobile mammography and women’s health information sessions for National Women’s Health Day

Health/Wellness Fairs at the Media, Philadelphia and Vineland campuses

A Water Fitness Program

Working with our food service provider to offer healthy menu options in our cafeteria

An on-site Influenza education campaign and flu vaccinations

Providing educational materials on sun and summertime safety and health and nutrition

Running a produce stand at the Media site each pay day to make it convenient for em-ployees to purchase fresh fruits and vegeta-bles

A 10 month pre-diabetes education program as part of a longitudinal study funded jointly by the Centers for Disease Control and Preven-tion and the American Diabetes Association

Initiating various employee walking programs: Annual participation in IBC’s National Walk at Work Days each April, Walking Wednesdays, campus lunch walks, 2K/5K walks at the annu-al Elwyn 5K, and most recently, holding a WalkingWorks team competition and chal-lenge.

From May 2nd to July 6th over 250 Elwyn employees participated in the eight week WalkingWorks chal-lenge, and guess what? Walking really does work! The kickoff for the challenge was announced at the 2014 Independence Blue Cross’s National Walk @Lunch Day held at the end of April. Independence Blue Cross, along with Elwyn’s El-Well

Wellness program, launched WalkingWorks for all Elwyn employees to take steps to better health. It’s a known fact that walking can work to improve your health and regular walking can help you lose weight, lower cholesterol, strengthen your heart, and reduce the likelihood of preventable health problems like type-2 diabetes, osteoporosis and heart disease. Plus, 30 minutes a day of brisk walking is proven to be beneficial for most individuals to reduce stress. Also, did you know that walking 2,000 steps is equiv-alent to one mile? The average person should walk from 7,000 to 11,000 steps per day for optimal re-sults. The competition was structured around the creation of friendly team rivalry among the 11 Elwyn teams: Adult Behavioral Health, Allentown; Chester SEEDS; Community Residential Services; Delaware-Bridgewater; Education; Media Campus Day Pro-grams; Media Campus Residential; Media Campus Support; Philadelphia and Vineland. Each team had a Captain/Coach who inspired and challenged their team to encourage more walking and raise the number of overall daily steps.

Team captains sent motivational emails to their team members to increase competition and raise team awareness. It wasn’t uncommon to see 12-15 team members walking on their lunch break to increase their steps at Elwyn’s Media Campus. Other Elwyn sites also reported the same team spirit and stick-to-it-ness! The El-Well Program provided employees who partic-ipated with a free pedometer to track every step taken. The goal was to wear the pedometer daily, whether at work, home and on the weekend. Each participant would then log their daily steps into the

WalkingWorks website’s on-line tracking database where progress was tracked and overall numbers were calculated for each team. Weekly email reports were sent to all Elwyn employees announcing ongo-ing team progress and current ranking, which fueled competition and kept the momentum rolling.

‘Media Campus Residential’ was announced as the winning team and a trophy was awarded. Even though the competition is over, Elwyn plans to keep the spirit of the WalkingWorks program alive by encouraging walking and other creative – exercise related activities at work. To date over 30,000 miles and 50,000,000 steps were walked in the Elwyn

WalkingWorks challenge!

El-Well Wellness Program: All About Employee Health and Wellness

ELWYN

Many volunteer opportunities are available at Elwyn. For further information please contact shirley_kester@elwyn.org or 610-891-2183. To receive the “Elwyn Experience” by email, please contact Karen_chominski@elwyn.org

Elwyn Experience: A Quarterly Publication of Elwyn Managing Editor: Elliott W. Simon, Ph.D.

Photography and Layout Editor: Walter Fernandez

Photography: Kunil Park

Copy Editors: Candy DeMarco, Tony Catania Content Editors: Dennis Ritrovato, Brian Boxall, Angela Sands, Jane Detweiler, Denise Cole, Renee VanBueren, Bruce Tarkoff, Kendra L. Johnson, James Hahn

Our new logo embodies Elwyn’s continuous, unrelenting pursuit of excellence, as we confidently move toward new and challenging horizons, strengthened and emboldened by our partnerships and successes. For over 160 years, Elwyn has offered innovative services, programs and life choices for individuals with disabilities.

But we haven’t done it alone. Our finest efforts have been continually enhanced by the people and or-ganizations that have supported us with the resources required to sustain and grow a vibrant, relevant human services organization. These Partners in Living help us make a difference in people’s lives every day. They create the oppor-tunities for Elwyn clients to reach for the stars: to improve their physical and mental well-being, develop the skills and confidence they need to increase their independence, and ultimately, to live meaningful, purposeful lives.

September 2014 A publication for family and friends of Elwyn.

“Wellness” is a term that

is increasingly being used to define a holistic concept that includes specific life areas that are important for an optimal quality of life. As such, it is an integrative approach that cuts across diagnostic labels, reflects a positive overall support process and is applicable to all individuals. “Wellness” is a construct that is very much in synch with Elwyn’s new slogan: “Partners in Living” and is typically conceptualized to include 7 areas: intellectual, physical, spiritual, emotional, environ-mental, social and occupational. Each dimension is assigned equal importance in optimizing quality of life. Emotional wellness includes the ability to self-care, relax, develop through experience and cope with stress. Emotional Wellness is a building block for independ-ence and good choice making. Physical wellness results in a healthy body. It includes knowing when to seek care and understanding that exer-cise, diet and sleep promote a healthy body. Environmental wellness is understanding and respecting how you, as an individual, fit into the environ-ment while Social wellness is the ability to perform your role in society and develop

friendships, partners and a social support network. Intel-lectual wellness is fed by seeking out knowledge and new ideas. This promotes community engagement in cultural, and educational activities. Spiritual wellness comes by developing a set of values help define your life approach giving it overall meaning and purpose. Occupational well-ness is brought about through work resulting in self satisfac-tion and a richer quality of life.

For Elwyn, “Wellness” is quickly becoming an integrative concept that cuts across service and support areas. It blurs traditional roles by providing a common frame-work to define our support system. “Wellness” has promoted integrative activities for both staff and consumers and improved everyone’s quality of life. This issue of the Experience highlights how “Wellness” has and will continue to impact Elwyn.

STAY UP TO DATE Check us out on Facebook and YouTube Facebook.com/elwynorg - youtube.com/user/ElwynExperienceTV

www.elwyn.org

What is WELLNESS?

ARTICLE PAGE

What is Wellness 1

From the President 2

Elwyn’s 5Ks Running and Walking 2

for Wellness

Behavioral Health 3

Wellness through Nutrition

Fitness and Health 4-5

Sweating and Socializing at ARCH of

Lehigh Valley!

Wellness STARs

Elwyn Health Services promotes an 6

integrated approach to individual health.

El-Well Wellness Program:

All About Employee Health and Wellness 7

NEW Elwyn Logo 8

IN THIS ISSUE