USM Launches Community Wellness Program
A health education specialist who coordinated health promotion
programs for the Maine Municipal Association has been hired
to direct a new wellness program at the University of Southern
Maine.
In her new position as USM health promotion coordinator,
Suzanne Roy of Auburn will work with USM faculty, staff and
their families to implement programs that support efforts
to adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles. The position comes
at a time when USM and the entire University of Maine System
are experiencing multi-million dollar increases in the cost
of health care insurance.
“It’s well documented that many organizations in the public
and private sectors don’t place enough of an emphasis on preventative
health care,” said USM President Richard L. Pattenaude. “The
creation of this position and Suzanne’s appointment signal
that USM is prepared to take an active role in helping members
of our campus community lead healthier lives while helping
to drive down our health care costs.”
Roy, who also worked as a health education specialist at
L.L. Bean, plans to develop the USM program with the help
of a Wellness Advisory Team comprised of representatives throughout
the institution. She currently is soliciting nominations for
five more faculty/staff representatives to serve on the team.
The people who fill the five remaining slots should represent
all three campuses and the Muskie School.
Early plans call for an employee interest survey to determine
health-related interests and a personal wellness assessment
offered to employees, their families, and USM retirees.
“Based on that information,” said Roy, “we can assist our
employees to identify health issues that need special attention
and develop some intervention programs that lead to healthier
lifestyles and lower health care costs for all of us.”
Roy noted that the survey and analysis of how USM faculty
and staff are using health care are a critical first step.
“It could be, for example, that a person exercises and has
a healthy diet, but is under a lot of stress trying to balance
the ever increasing demands of work and home. Most often,
it’s personal lifestyle risk factors that contribute to diseases
that cause premature morbidity and mortality.” She added that
USM may also want to consider ways to ensure that employees
are familiar with how to use the health care plan so that
they may be wise consumers of their health care when they
need it.
Roy will be based in USM’s Lifeline Center for Fitness, Recreation,
and Rehabilitation.
For more information, Roy can be contacted at 228-8151 or
by email at sroy@usm.maine.edu.
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