Improving your health on your own can be difficult. Luckily, participants in Hennepin Healthcare’s Healthy for Life program get the support of their neighbors! Throughout six in-person group sessions (also known as group medical visits), Healthy for Life participants learn how to introduce nutrition, physical activity, and stress reduction into their daily lives alongside others. The bonds they build with other participants help them stay on track with their health goals. A participant in a recent group shared, "It was good to make connections with other group members and learn that others struggle also. The classes helped hold me accountable."
The sessions teach participants the skills to prevent -- or improve -- chronic conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, liver disease, and obesity.
Rachel Silva, MD, one of the creators of the program, stresses the importance of sharing tools that prevent illness. She says, “when living with chronic health problems, prevention is key to living a healthier life.” During the two-hour group sessions, participants spend time getting to know each other, learning about healthy options, exercising and more. The group visits are longer than typical medical visits or fitness classes which gives the participants more time to build skills and bond with one another.
Healthy for Life sessions are available in English and Spanish, providing a variety of patients access to education and connection. Additionally, classes are designed to meet participants’ cultural needs. For example, traditional or culturally specific foods like tortillas are used when teaching healthier nutritional options. This approach centers health equity, which is an essential part of service at Hennepin Healthcare. A participant in one of the Spanish language sessions shared, “Me cambió mucho en lo personal estar en el grupo” (personally, it changed me a lot to be in the group).
Hennepin Health supports Healthy for Life through its reinvestment funds. Reinvesting lets Hennepin Health provide support to our community beyond health care coverage. We’re also helping our partners launch, sustain, and expand programs that address important needs in a holistic, person-centered way. This funding has helped the Healthy for Life team at Hennepin Healthcare try new things to better meet patient needs and hire additional staff to lead sessions.
Hennepin Health members and patients at Hennepin Healthcare can join an upcoming class.
Join an upcoming group class
DHS Approved 9/27/2024 MC-1664-MC