Classes/Evidence-Based Programs
UPDATE 1/21/21: Following advice from public health officials who recommend that people avoid group settings (especially older adults and individuals with chronic health conditions), TCOA is temporarily suspending in-person evidence-based programs through Summer 2021. We will resume in-person workshops when it is safe to do so.
See the online workshop schedule below.
Classes and Evidence Based Wellness and Caregiver Programs
Click here to download a printable brochure that includes information on the programs listed below
Tri-County Office on Aging offers five evidence based programs to meet the needs of older adults, their families and caregivers. The programs offered are: Diabetes PATH, Chronic Pain PATH, A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns about Falls, Powerful Tools for Caregivers and Creating Confident Caregivers ®. All programs have trained facilitators and come with the materials needed to participate. Scheduled workshops are listed below.
Diabetes PATH (Personal Action Toward Health)
The American Diabetes Association identifies this program as meeting the Diabetes Support Initiative criteria for support programming.
Click here for a testimonial video.
Diabetes PATH is Michigan’s name for the Stanford Diabetes Self-Management Program (DSMP). The workshop meets in small groups (approximately 8-15 participants) and is led by 2 trained facilitators. The workshop meets for 2 1/2 hours once per week for 6 weeks in community locations. Workshop participants learn about diabetes, how to manage blood sugars, what healthy eating means, how to read labels, and practice menu planning. The workshop also addresses effects of stress and positive ways to deal with it, how to choose appropriate exercise for fitness and safety, proper skin and foot care and skills for communicating with health professionals. Participants set goals by developing action plans and participate in problem solving each week.
The program was developed and rigorously tested by Stanford University to help participants learn the techniques and strategies they need for the day-to-day management of pain. Studies show significant improvements in symptoms of hypoglycemia, healthy eating patterns and reading food labels, communicating with physicians, depression, patient activation and self-efficacy, as well as, fewer emergency room visits.
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City |
Location | Day of the Week | Start Date | End Date | Time | To register |
Cost |
| Mailed Tool Kit + Weekly Group Phone Calls
(no internet or computer required) |
The comfort of your own home | Thursdays | 4/8/21 | 5/13/21 | 10:00 – 11:00 am | Call TCOA at 517-887-1465
Register by Thursday, March 25 to allow mailing time |
Free of charge but donations are accepted Funding provided by Lions Club International |
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Virtual using Zoom |
The comfort of your own home | Wednesdays | 4/14/21 | 5/19/21 | 1:30 – 4:00 pm | Call TCOA at 517-887-1465 or e-mail histedc@tcoa.org |
Free of charge but donations are accepted
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Chronic Pain PATH (Personal Action Toward Health)
Click here for a testimonial letter from a workshop graduate.
Chronic Pain PATH is Michigan’s name for the Stanford Chronic Pain Self-Management Program (CPSMP). The workshop meets in small groups (approximately 8-15 participants) and is led by 2 trained facilitators. The workshop meets for 2 1/2 hours once per week for 6 weeks in community locations. Workshop participants learn how to manage chronic pain without increasing medications. Topics include pacing and planning, the mind-body connection, distraction techniques, communication, healthy eating, stress management, and much more. Participants set goals by developing action plans and participate in problem solving each week.
The program was developed and rigorously tested by Stanford University to help people learn the techniques and strategies they need for the day-to-day management of pain. Research studies found that, on average, people who have participated in the program have more energy, less pain, less dependence on others, improved mental health, are more involved in everyday activities, and are more satisfied with their lives compared to those who have not taken the program. Chronic Pain PATH is designed to benefit adults who have primary or secondary pain. Pain is defined as being chronic or long term when it lasts for longer than 3 to 6 months or beyond the normal healing time of an injury.
TCOA is a member of the Capital Area Health Alliance and recently partnered with them in the development of a new brochure on Pain Management. Click here to view the brochure.
| City | Location | Day of the Week | Start Date | End Date | Time | To register |
Cost |
| Virtual using Zoom | The comfort of your own home | Tuesdays | 5/4/21 | 6/8/21 | 1:30 – 4:00 pm | Call Region 2 Area Agency on Aging at 517-592-1678 |
Free of charge but donations are accepted |
| Tool Kit + Weekly Group Phone Calls
(no internet or computer required) |
The comfort of your own home | Tuesdays | 6/8/21 | 7/13/21 | 10:00 – 11:00 am | Call TCOA 517-887-1465
Register by Tuesday, May25 to allow mailing time |
Free of charge but donations are accepted Funding provided by Mason Area Community Fund Priority given to Mason and Dansville residents |
| Virtual using GoToMeeting | The comfort of your own home | Mondays | 3/29/21 | 5/3/21 | 10:00 am – 12:30 pm | To register, call 833-262-2200 or e-mail wellnessprograms@aaab1.org |
Free of charge but donations are accepted
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NEW: Cancer PATH (Personal Action Toward Health)
Cancer PATH is an interactive workshop designed to help individuals with any kind of cancer improve their health and feel better. Whether newly diagnosed, in active treatment, or living beyond It, this program helps survivors cope with the concerns, thoughts, and health conditions that accompany having a cancer diagnosis.
| Virtual using Zoom | The comfort of your own home | Mondays | 4/12/21 | 5/17/21 | 1:00 – 3:30 pm | To register, call Region 2 Area Agency on Aging at 517-592-1974 or e-mail livingwellprograms@r2aaa.net |
Free of charge but donations are accepted
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A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns about Falls
Click here for a testimonial video.
A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns about Falls is an award-winning evidence-based program designed to manage falls and increase activity levels in older adults. The workshop meets in small groups (approximately 8-12 participants) and is led by 2 trained facilitators. The workshop meets for 2 hours per session for 8 sessions in community locations. Participants learn to identify and recognize beliefs about falls and fitness, identify barriers to exercise and its importance to preventing falls, identify potential home and community fall hazards and strategies to reduce the risk of falling and learn about community resources.
Matter of Balance participation is associated with cost savings in unplanned hospitalizations, skilled nursing facility care, and an increased use of physician office visits.
| City | Location | Day of the Week | Start Date | End Date | Time | To register | Cost |
| Virtual using GoTo Meetings | The comfort of your own home | Tuesdays | 5/11/21 | 7/6/21 | 1:00 – 3:00 pm | To register, call 833-262-2200 or e-mail wellnessprograms@aaab1.org | Free of charge but donations are accepted |
| Virtual using Zoom | The comfort of your own home | Mondays and Wednesdays | 7/19/21
Zoom orientation Wednesday, 7/14 at 10:00 am |
8/11/21 | 10:00 am – 12 noon | Call TCOA at 517-887-1465 or e-mail histedc@tcoa.org | Free of charge but donations are accepted |
Powerful Tools for Caregivers
Powerful Tools for Caregivers is an educational program designed to help family caregivers take better care of themselves while caring for a family member or friend. The workshop meets in small groups (approximately 8-14 participants) and is led by 2 trained facilitators. Powerful Tools for Caregivers meets for 2 ½ hours once per week for 6 weeks in community locations. This program is not intended for professional caregivers. This program will give YOU, the caregiver, tools to: help you reduce stress, communicate effectively with other family members, your doctor, and paid help, take care of yourself, reduce guilt, anger, and depression, help you relax, make tough decisions, set goals and problem-solve.
This program was developed in Portland, OR and has been shown to improve self-care behaviors, emotional management (reduced guilt, anger, and depression), self-efficacy (increased confidence in coping with caregiving demands), and use of community resources.
| City | Location | Day of the week | Start date | End date | Time of day | To register | Cost |
| Virtual using Zoom | From the comfort of your own home | Thursdays | Postponed one week. New dates are listed.
4/22/21 |
5/27/21 | 1:00 – 2:30 pm | Call TCOA at 517-887-1465 or e-mail histedc@tcoa.org |
Free of charge but donations are accepted Funding provided by Stockbridge Area Wellness Coalition |
| Virtual using Zoom | From the comfort of your own home | Mondays | 4/26/21 | 5/31/21 | 5:30 – 7:00 pm | Call 989-358-4616 or e-mail mainvilleb@nemsca.org | Free of charge but donations |
| Virtual using Zoom | From the comfort of your own home | Thursdays | 7/15/21 | 8/19/21 | 10:00 – 11:30 am | Call TCOA at 517-887-1465 or e-mail histedc@tcoa.org | Free of charge but donations |
Creating Confident Caregivers®
Creating Confident Caregivers® provides persons caring for an individual with dementia at home with information, skills and attitudes to manage stress and learn effective care giving skills.Two-hour sessions, led by dementia-care specialists, are held once each week for six weeks. Creating Confident Caregivers® utilizes tested and effective training methods from the University of Minnesota’s Savvy Caregiver Program.
In research conducted by the University of Minnesota, participants reported an increase in well-being, decrease in symptoms of depression, increased self-care, and more confidence in their abilities to manage the situation.
Currently, online Dementia Caregiving presentations and the video “Dementia Information for Families and Friends” are offered as an alternative to the Creating Confident Caregiver class.
See the Confident Dementia Caregiving section below for details.
Confident Dementia Caregiving
As an alternative to the Creating Confident Caregiver class, Confident Dementia Caregiving is a 3-part Webinar via Zoom to help caregivers better understand what works best when taking care of someone with dementia. For more information, please contact Barb Mannino at 517-887-1418 or manninob@tcoa.org.
This FREE WORKSHOP can help reduce your caregiving stress by:
• Improving your confidence through better understanding of the effects of dementia on the brain and behaviors
• Helping you create a positive caregiving environment
• Learning how to manage / redirect challenging behaviors
• Sharing ideas for daily activities for your loved one based on their strengths
A video of Dementia Information for Families and Friends may be viewed by contacting Barb Mannino at 517-887-1418 or manninob@tcoa.org.
This workshop is designed for caregivers, CLS workers, Self-Determination Workers, professionals, and family members caring for someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
Enhance®Fitness locations
Enhance®Fitness, a low-cost, evidence-based group exercise program, helps older adults at all levels of fitness become more active, energized, and empowered to sustain independent lives. Class schedule and potential cost varies. Call hosting organizations for details.
| Name of organization | Address | Phone number |
| Dewitt YMCA | 13161 Schavey Rd.
Dewitt, MI 48820 |
517-827-9660 |
| Eaton Rapids Senior Center | 201 Grant
Eaton Rapids, MI 48827 |
517-663-2335 |
| Foster Community Center | 200 N. Foster
Lansing, MI 48912 |
517-483-4233 |
| Mt. Hope United Methodist Church | 501 E. Mount Hope
Lansing, MI 48910 |
517-482-1549 |
| Oak Park YMCA | 900 Long Blvd.
Lansing, MI 48911 |
517-669-9622 |
| Sam Corey Senior Center | 2108 Cedar St.
Holt, MI 48842 |
517-694-1549 |
| Suntree Apartments | 1100 Sunview Dr.
St. Johns, MI 48879 |
517-827-9645 |
| Sycamore Village | 900 West Columbia Rd.
Mason, MI 48854 |
517-676-5575 |
| Union Missionary Baptist Church | 500 S. Martin Luther King Blvd.
Lansing, MI 48915 |
517-485-7705 |
| University Lutheran Church | 1040 S. Harrison Rd.
East Lansing, MI 48823 |
517-332-2559 |
| Westside Community YMCA | 3700 Old Lansing Rd.
Lansing, MI 48917 |
517-312-9622 |
| Williamston Area Senior Center | 201 School St.
Williamston, MI 48895 |
517-655-5173 |
NEW: Arthritis Foundation Exercise Classes via Zoom
The Arthritis Foundation Exercise Program is a low-impact physical activity program proven to reduce pain and decrease stiffness. The routines include gentle range-of-motion exercises that are suitable for every fitness level. Weights, balls and TheraBand’s are used in this class. See schedule below for class offerings. Once registered, you may attend on a drop-in basis whenever it is convenient for you via Zoom.
Tuesday 10:00 am, Wednesday 10:00 am, Thursday 10:00 am, Friday 11:00am
TO REGISTER contact Abbie Mars at marsa@valleyaaa.orgThis program is FREE of charge
NEW: Silver Sneakers Stability via Zoom
Silver Sneakers Stability is a home workout using Zoom designed to help you become stronger and improve balance. The movements taught in class focus on specific exercises to improve strength and power around the ankle, knee, and hip joints, while improving your reaction time. This class is designed for fall prevention and is suitable for nearly every fitness level. It can be adapted depending on the skill of individual participants. A chair may be used for balance and support.
Class is offered twice a week. Once registered, you may attend on a drop-in basis whenever it is convenient for you.
Mondays 10:00 – 11:00 am, Tuesdays 2:00 – 3:00 pm
Silver Sneakers members are free of charge; others will be asked to pay$3.00 per class. TO REGISTER contact Abbie Mars at marsa@valleyaaa.org
Medical Nutrition Therapy
Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) with a Registered Dietitian (RD) is individualized and tailored to what you want to learn about diabetes. MNT includes an in-depth nutrition assessment and discussion on topics including but not limited to:
– Carbohydrate counting
– Portion control
– Label reading
– Other topics identified by you or your physician
Those individuals with Medicare as their primary insurance (no Advantage plans) AND a diagnosis of Diabetes may be eligible.
Please contact Christine Histed at 517-887-1450 for more information or click here for an informational flyer.