A healthy life awaits you – just click here

Need a chair massage? Wonder how your blood pressure or blood glucose is doing? Want to quit smoking?

All of those opportunities – and many more – await all ASU employees. With a click of the mouse you can sign up for classes, schedule that chair massage, get help in organizing a walking group, or learn about screenings for cholesterol, bone density and lipids.

The newly revamped Wellness website offers a listing of all the health- and wellness-related opportunities, and links to current and past newsletters for each campus.

“We refreshed the site to make it easier to navigate," says Jillian McManus, director of Organizational Health and Development. "And, we’ve changed the way we’re providing services. We’re trying to engage the leadership and bring wellness to the people.”
 
The Biodesign Institute, for example, held a wellness fair that attracted approximately 70 participants, and Liz Badalamenti, the program nurse, helps offices set up walking programs when invited.
 
The Employee Assistance Office recently conducted a pilot smoking-cessation class, with three employees, and plans to offer additional classes this fall.

Classes for smoking cessation meet for an hour once a week for four weeks, with additional follow-up as needed, McManus said. “The goal is to move from contemplation to action.”

McManus, a licensed clinical social worker who is studying for her doctoral degree in behavior health, said paying attention to wellness is good business. “We’re trying to engage the university’s leaders and managers to encourage their staff to participate our programs. It helps the bottom line.”

Kevin Salcido, director of human resources, added, “You can’t overstate the importance of investing in wellness. Research shows that behavior and environmental factors play a much larger role in illness than does genetics.

“We also know that 20 percent of the population is responsible for about 80 percent of total health care costs. Positive behavior drives positive outcomes both for the individual employee and ASU as a whole.”