Apple Magazine - Fall 2018

Ready for change

You’re ready to make a major lifestyle change, but you’re not sure how. Highland PCN designed its Health Improvement Program for this purpose—to guide patients by providing support and direction to implement lifestyle changes such as weight loss, managing stress and anxiety, and increasing activity.

Nancy Tolonen started the program after several health problems, including congestive heart failure.

She wanted to learn to eat better
and lose weight. “I was ready to
make a change. I had reached the
point where I could see there wasn’t
a very bright future ahead. I hadn’t
left my house in months. The Health
Improvement Program gave me a
reason to go out and feel better.”
With the support of Highland
PCN’s health team, patients choose
group classes about the importance
of sleep, managing stress, mental
wellness, self-acceptance, goal
setting, healthy eating and
enjoyable movement.

Tolonen signed up for a Mindful Eating class and soon lost 14. 5 kg ( 32 lb.). “My mobility has really improved. It’s been great, getting out and speaking with other people going through the same thing,” she says. “You realize you’re not alone.” Tolonen also meets regularly with a registered nurse. “I need to be accountable to someone,” she says.

“So I weigh in, and we set goals. Just
knowing you have to check in
is good motivation.”
Sleeping better is also a big win
for Tolonen. Since her weight
loss, she no longer needs a CPAP
machine, a device to treat sleep
apnea that delivers constant air
pressure while you sleep.

“I used to wake up with no energy and struggle to do anything. Now I look forward to getting up. I’ve changed my outlook on everything. Everyone at the program is like my cheerleader. I can’t stress enough what a fantastic program it is. And it’s available right in our community.”