Heather Coyle serves a dual appointment as Visiting Commmunity and Economic Development Educator, and Program Coordinator for the chronic disease self-management program entitled "Live Well Be Well."
Ms. Coyle graduated "summa cum laude" with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, followed by a Masters of Business Adminstration from Liberty University in Virginia. She was employed by the University for numerous years, concluding her with her appointment as an Academic Advisor for the School of Life Long Learning.
Upon returning to Illinois, Ms. Coyle was employed by Skills Incorporated as a Business Instructor. She then served 9 years as Central Services Administrator for Whiteside County Courthouse in Morrison, prior to her employment with the University of Illinois.
A native of La Salle-Peru, she has been a resident of Morrison since 1992 and has learned to appreciate the resources rural communities in Illinois have to offer.
Program Purpose: Live Well Be Well offers people who experience the challenges of living with one or more chronic health conditions information to develop confidence, skills, and knowledge to more effectively manage their condition(s) and regain control of their lives.
Primary Premises:
- Chronic health conditions affect people of all ages. Statistics indicate people over 60 years of age have on average 2.2 chronic diseases.[1]
- Patients experience their chronic condition(s) 24/7, have the greatest vested interest in their own care, and have the ultimate authority to make treatment decisions. They are their own primary health care manager. Therefore, it only makes sense to educate patients regarding how to manage their condition(s) effectively.
- The basic consequences of chronic diseases are similar; therefore, the skills one must learn to successfully manage the conditions are similar.
Program Development: Live Well Be Well is an evidence-based program sponsored by University of Illinois Extension. The program, also known as the Chronic Disease Self Management Program (CDSMP), is an internationally recognized chronic disease self-management program developed by Stanford University's Patient Education Research Center. Live Well Be Well does not conflict with existing programs or medical treatment. The program is especially helpful for those trying to coordinate treatment for more than one chronic condition.
Program Format: The program is normally scheduled for seven sessions - two and a half hours per week for seven weeks. Classes are highly participative, taught by trained and certified instructors, and build upon the successful outcomes of each individual.
WEEK TOPIC
Week 1 Intro./overview, managing symptoms, pre-program data collection
Week 2 Problem solving, difficult emotions, fitness & exercise
Week 3 Pain and fatigue
Week 4 Nutrition, health care, communication
Week 5 Medications, making treatment decisions, depression
Week 6 Working with health care professionals, future plans
Week 7 Wrap-up celebration and post-program data collection
[1] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2005.
