Wellness effort focuses on community health problems

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GREENFIELD — Hancock Regional Hospital has established teams to address county health needs as part of the hospital’s Healthy 365 initiative.

Those Healthy 365 teams, which work together to promote healthier living among county residents, address three target areas: workplace wellness, mental fitness and the availability of healthier choices. Representatives from those teams talked about their goals for the coming months Wednesday at a luncheon for business and nonprofit leaders.

Over the last 10 months, hospital officials have worked with community leaders to define goals and strategies to bolster the community’s health. Healthy 365 boasts some 700 members who meet regularly to brainstorm solutions to county health problems, such as smoking rates, exercise options and access to healthy food.

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The workplace wellness committee seeks ways to increase employee productivity. Now, the committee is researching and promoting break times in different increments, such as two-, five-, 10- or 15-minute breaks to learn how much time away workers need during a shift to be most productive.

Once the committee creates a series of tips, members plan to publish them on posters to educate business owners.

The focus of the mental fitness committee is working to create an atmosphere in the county where people know what options are available and are not afraid to ask for help, said hospital spokesperson Amanda Everidge. Part of that effort includes a 50-agency board charged with raising awareness about mental health and substance-abuse treatment options in the area, she said.

The committee on healthier choices focuses on making sure vendors have made it as easy as possible for residents to make healthy choices. Going forward, committee members hope to partner with grocery stores to set up full displays of healthy meals, with all ingredients in one convenient spot.

Other plans include making sure the public is aware of opportunities for physical fitness. The committee has discussed creating a map of the county’s biking and walking trails and researching what school facilities — such as pools or tracks — might be open to the public.