don's report archive

by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

The other day, I described how two governors, one in Florida and the other in Arkansas, were attempting to promote what they called wellness programs despite not having a clue about the nature of the concept. Both saw the term wellness as a weight reduction/risk assessment undertaking; neither demonstrated any sense for the importance of multiple dimensions of wellness education, particularly the mental and meaning/purpose elements of this form of health and life enhancement. I suggested that doing the right thing for the wrong reason was still a good development and expressed the hope that someone with connections to either governor would help them to better understand the nature and possibilities inherent in genuine wellness.

Today I wish to inform you about one aspect of the work of the Vermont Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, which is assisting the governor of that state to effectively promote healthier lifestyles.

The Council has, among other actions, sponsored a Worksite Wellness Awards Program to acknowledge companies in Vermont "that have made a commitment to promoting healthy lifestyles." To honor the most impressive programs, certificates of merit are given to leading companies. Three of the most impressive company-based wellness programs receive bronze, silver and gold achievement awards, given in a ceremony hosted by the governor. One attractive outcome of this initiative is an accessible database detailing the best health promotion practices in the state.

I found the award selection process itself to be a fascinating part of the initiative. I suspect wellness promoters in other states might be interested in the questions put to applicants in this awards program. These questions were designed "to examine the many ways small and large employers can support healthy lifestyles."

1. What is your most successful health promotion initiative and why?
2. What are your initiative's strengths?
3. How are healthy lifestyles rewarded and recognized at your organization?
4. How do leaders visibly model healthy lifestyle choices?
5. What educational opportunities are provided for achieving healthier lifestyles?
6. How does the use of time, money or space demonstrate support for a healthy lifestyle?
7. How are you keeping track and evaluating your efforts?
8. How does health promotion support your organization's mission and business objectives?
9. How does your organization support healthy lifestyles in the broader community?
10. What is being done to create a healthy work atmosphere/environment?
11. How do you get employees to participate in your initiatives?
12. What future plans do you have for promoting healthy lifestyles?

Will this initiative, unlike the appointment of campaign contributors to obesity task forces by Governors Bush and Huckabee in Florida and Arkansas, respectively, make a difference? Will some people be reached to the extent that many become and remain well and fit, at least in some part as a consequence of the Vermont awards initiative? Specifically, will some employees be more likely to recognize and shape healthy cultures, think critically, assume responsibility for their own health, manage stress and all the rest? That remains to be seen--I'm optimistic about the possibilities that such might indeed be the case.

My friend and fitness expert Rick Clark, whose initiative for a fitness challenge was itself the subject of a recent essay here at SeekWellness, had this to say about the Florida and Arkansas governors actions, as reported earlier this week in my Don's Report essay: "I find that kind of lip service so annoying that I just tune it out. People who have no concept of what fitness is should spare us their fitness ideas and suggestions. On the other hand, I'm always willing to give my full attention to the ideas of someone who does know what being fit means--even if he/she is not currently in that category but is striving to become fit. But again, I think becoming fit and staying fit takes a lot of effort. Without immediate, tangible rewards, fitness and wellness will stay way down on the list of priorities for most people."

I believe the Vermont Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports initiative meets some of the high standards described by Mr. Clark. If you would like more information about the endeavor, write to Council member Dr. Judd Allen at judda@healthyculture.com.

Meanwhile, be well and look on the bright side of life.

(Note: This essay will be filed in the archives in the PHYSICAL DOMAIN under the skill area of adaptations and challenges. Additional articles related to this theme may be found there.)

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

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