Empowering Wellness: AAASWFL’s Living Healthy Workshops for Chronic Disease Self-Management

The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP), offered by the Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida (AAASWFL), is a free, evidence-based health and wellness intervention designed to empower older adults (aged 60 and older) and individuals with disabilities to actively take charge of their health. Developed at Stanford University, this highly interactive, six-week workshop series brings together small groups of 8 to 12 participants in convenient community settings to learn practical, step-by-step strategies for managing ongoing conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension.

Facilitated by a pair of trained leaders, the program guides participants through building a personalized self-management “toolbox.” Key workshop topics include action planning, problem-solving, healthy eating, appropriate medication usage, and techniques to effectively combat common symptoms like chronic pain, fatigue, isolation, and sleep disruption. Funded by the U.S. Administration for Community Living through the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, AAASWFL provides this program across Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, Lee, and Sarasota counties to measurably improve participants’ health outcomes, confidence, and overall quality of life.

You can find these classes under the name Living Healthy Workshops.

If you want to learn more about class schedules, becoming a volunteer, or facilitating a class, please reach out to: Gloria Longoria at Clorivel.Lappost@AAASWFL.org