Lydia Jacobs has had type 1 diabetes for 35 years, even since she was a young child. That Jacobs is in good health and able to work full time is proof that she has managed her chronic disease with self-discipline and skill.
    
Having a chronic disease is one thing that qualifies her to hold one of her current jobs. Jacobs, an Aging Program Specialist at the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) in Lexington, was recently asked to lead, with Randy Lawson, also of AAA, the development of a new initiative, Chronic Disease Self-Management Program, or CDSMP for short. CDSMP is a workshop lasting two and a half hours, held once a week, for six weeks. Anybody with a chronic disease is eligible to attend. The cost is $15.00 for the six weeks. If you attend all six sessions, your $15.00 will be refunded. All participants receive a book titled Living with Chronic Conditions written by Dr. Kate Lorig and other researchers associated with the development of the program at Stanford University School of Medicine. Everyone who finishes all six sessions gets an audio relaxation CD, Time for Healing by Catherine Regan. Both can be ordered on line from Bull Publishing, according to the Stanford University website.
    
Lawson has type 2 diabetes, which qualifies him as a trainer, as those who lead CDSMP workshops are called. He and Jacobs launched their first class in August 2010 at the Lexington Senior Citizens Center at the corner of Alumni Drive and Nicholasville Road, Lexington. Classes continue there on Tuesdays and at the Senior Citizens Center of Jessamine County, Nicholasville, on Thursdays. Lawson and Jacobs hope to expand the number of workshops by finding places to meet in churches, libraries, hospitals, or other community settings. The workshop will be repeated again and again.
    
“We don’t stand up and talk and teach like in school,” said Jacobs.

Sessions include lots of participant interaction as people share ideas. Ten people showed up at the first class, all women, including those suffering from arthritis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). One cancer survivor enrolled. To Jacob’s surprise, no diabetics were there, though she expects some will attend as word about the program gets around.
    
Participants learn better ways to manage their health through learning to handle symptoms. They also learn how to improve communication with their doctors and work with them. Members learn to set weekly goals that are achievable. They learn how to relax and handle difficult emotions. Fitness and exercise are encouraged.
    
“The weekly goals help people to see that even if you have a chronic illness, you are still in control,” said Jacobs. “Maybe you can’t walk to the mall, but you can walk to the mailbox. Then the next day you can walk a little farther.”

Jacobs explains the purpose of the CD. “It helps [workshop participants] go to a calm place and then come back refreshed. Whatever was bothering you might not look as bad. Come back knowing you can handle whatever it is that is bothering you.”
    
Jacobs tells of one class member whose hobby had been rock painting. Discouraged and stressed with the management of a chronic health problem, she had stopped decorating rocks similar to those sold at Kmart and Wal-Mart. After the first session of her CDSMP class, she was able to make time to take up her hobby again.
    
“It was remarkable how good she felt about herself,” said Jacobs.

Although the Chronic Disease Self-Management Program originated as a research project at Stanford, the Bluegrass Region classes are funded from a two-year grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2001. It is part of the federal stimulus plan and is administered under a contract with the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, with funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The different Area Agencies on Aging in Kentucky received $600,000 and divided the money. The goal set for the Bluegrass Kentucky AAA is that in two years, 284 people will complete the class. Jacobs notes that local personnel did not set the goal. However, a condition of the grant is that trainers are responsible for having this definite number of persons complete the class within the two-year duration of the grant.

For more information on the program or how to enroll, call 859-269-8021.