We can all agree that technology has the ability to bring people together. We can instantly send a note to say ‘hello’ to a relative, send a funny video to cheer up a friend, or support a cause with a tap of a screen. These things make us feel good.
We’re connected, but how much are we really connecting?
Healthy HometownSM Powered by Wellmark wants to help you feel even better by making meaningful connections with your friends and community.
Healthy Hometown is a community health improvement initiative. It has identified proven, easy-to-implement tactics that communities and residents can do to make feeling better easy. And, feeling better starts with doing good right in your own hometown. Healthy Hometown’s tactics are meant to make positive and lasting changes so people can really connect and start feeling better both mentally and physically. They can be implemented in schools, nursing homes, worksites — wherever people are spending their time.
Healthy Hometown has identified some ways to feel better through:
- Establishing or joining groups that help people broaden their social circle and are centered on sharing a common interest (e.g., book clubs, quilting groups, coffee clubs, support groups, etc.).
- Establishing or enhancing volunteer efforts in the community (e.g., establish volunteer databases, volunteer recognition ceremonies).
- Establishing or enhancing a youth peer mentoring program.
- Establishing or enhancing a wellness committee to advise the development, implementation and improvement of wellness policies and activities.
These are just a few examples, but they are ways for people to connect and give back to their hometown. And, when people volunteer, it’s been shown to increase longevity and improve mental health.
Improving your community isn’t just about physical improvements, it’s also about the emotional connections residents have with one another. When people are engaged and interacting, they feel a greater sense of purpose and belonging. And, that contributes to a community’s success.
Check out Healthy Hometown online or email HealthyHometown@Wellmark.com Send Email to start making the healthy choice the easy choice.
Healthy Hometown article series
We continue to answer your questions about Healthy Hometown, including what it really means to eat well, move more and feel better. Check out these articles:
- Picture this: a healthier, more vibrant community
- Eating Well: It's not a diet. It's a lifestyle.
- Moving more and feeling better
