Craig Daily Press

Craig — Senior Norma Jean Campbell has made a conscious decision to start exercising more to get her heart in better shape. Her goal is to walk every day and keep at it without quitting.

This lifestyle change is what Campbell took away from the first Healthier Living class Tuesday. Colorado North­western Community College and the Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Asso­ciation are the sponsoring agencies.

The class will assemble from 1 to 3:30 p.m. every Tuesday through July 29 in the activity room of Sunset Meadows II. Classmates will discuss causes and possible treatments of chronic health problems such as cancer, diabetes, arthritis and other ailments.

“The objectives are for students to learn about lifestyle choices that will get them into better shape mentally and physically so that they have less doctor visits,” instructor Deb Dunaway said. “An interesting thing about this course is that we also accept people who help them and live with them. They have needs and frustrations as real as the people who are actually having the health problems, and that can be easy to forget.”

Dunaway and fellow instructor Mary Morris-Shearer taught their class about the “symptom cycle,” which involves anxiety, tense muscles, pain and more in the course of dealing with a disease. Breaking the cycle is a key component of living healthier.

Dunaway and Morris-Shearer led the dozen students in attendance in mental exercises to cope with their health problems, including breathing difficulties, mobility issues, osteoporosis, hearing loss and depression.

“The two of us working together has been effective because it can be hard to listen to just one person lecture about something,” Dunaway said. “When we switch off talking, it’s easier for people to pay attention.”

Morris-Shearer is CNCC Director of Community Educa­tion.

“This is a tremendous program for folks on fixed incomes,” Morris-Shearer said. “CNCC has a policy that allows for students over 62 to take classes with no tuition, and I think that people really value being able to take this class since it will help them lead a healthier life. Students who have taken it before have reported huge changes in their lives. It’s empowering to learn how to self-manage.”

The textbook, “Living a Healthy Life with Chronic Conditions”— detailing a five-week Stanford study on the subject — is free to students because of a grant from the VNA, as part of its Aging Well program.

The sessions were offered last fall and in January, meeting at American Legion Post No. 62 and Sunset Meadows I, respectively. Though registration is not available for the summer session, Morris-Shearer is evaluating the best location for the fall session.

Campbell and her fellow classmates, Irma Knutson and Marie Switzer look forward to the rest of the classes.

“I think this will work real well,” Campbell said. “I’m glad I decided to give it a try. The three of us will be able to give each other moral support.”

Knutson has not decided on a goal like Campbell has, but she intends to build up to it.

“As long as it gets me out of a chair,” Knutson said. “Any­thing’s more active than just watching TV.”

Andy Bockelman can be reached at 875-1796.