Office on Aging & Disability Services Is Seeking Volunteers
Register for ‘Take Control of Your Health’ and Train to Become a Peer Leader

SOMERVILLE – Did you know that two out of three adults have a long-term health condition? Did you know that you could help? Somerset County Freeholder Shanel Y. Robinson urges volunteers who are interested in becoming a certified peer leader to register for a free, four-day training class to learn how to teach people to better manage their chronic health conditions.

Training will be held from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., on Monday, Sept. 30, and continue through Oct. 1, 3 and 4, in the third-floor conference room, at the Somerset County Human Services building, located at 27 Warren St., Somerville. Participants must attend all four days to become certified. The deadline to register is Wednesday, Sept. 18. Refreshments and snacks will be provided.

Peer leaders will learn how to co-facilitate six-week, interactive workshops for caregivers and adults who have arthritis, diabetes, heart disease or other chronic conditions. During these workshops, peer leaders will teach participants self-management skills such as problem-solving, exercise, proper nutrition, medication management, how to create action plans and communicate with their healthcare team.

Volunteers who are interested in becoming a peer leader should be comfortable speaking in front of groups, compassionate and enjoy helping people. To receive peer-leader certification, volunteers must attend all four days of the workshop and commit to teaching at least one six-week workshop within six months of completing the training. Volunteers are encouraged to register in pairs since the workshops will be co-facilitated, but this is not a mandatory requirement.

For more information or to register, contact Health Promotion Specialist Caitlin Witucki, M.S. at 908-704-6339.

Take Control of Your Health in New Jersey is a workshop series for people who want to learn how to teach others how to better manage their chronic disease. The program was developed by Stanford University’s Patient Education Resource Center and has been successfully implemented throughout the United States and around the world.

The Office on Aging and Disability Services is a designated Aging and Disability Resource Connection and is designed to streamline access to long-term care support services, health promotion, and education. It also connects seniors, their caregivers and adults with disabilities to the programs and services needed so they can remain independent and active in their community.

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