Unity Connection News for Employers, Spring 2016 In ThIs Issue – Positivity at Work Change is Possible Emotional Wellness Enjoy Spring even with Asthma Active Living and Learning: Diabetes Your Employees’ Feedback is Important! Unity en Español: ¡ACHÚ! 2016 National Health Observances Member Newsletter Update Zika Virus Facts and Information Happier Employees are More Productive and Innovative The following tips may help you get ideas about how to create a positive work environment. These tips may also provide you an extra boost of a well-deserved dose of positivity. Did you know that only about 25 percent of job success can be predicted by the Intelligence Quotient (IQ)? It’s true, but what about the remaining 75 percent? Experts suggest that the main factor in job success can be predicted by optimism levels, social support and the ability to view stress as a challenge, rather than an obstacle. A positive attitude also plays a major role when it comes to our health and happiness. What we believe impacts our feelings, and in turn, our feelings impact our body and brain chemistry. Changing our minds can help us change our bodies. During positive mental states our brain releases an important chemical called Dopamine. Dopamine is related to – J Making you feel happy J Turning on the learning centers in the brain J A stronger immune system J Less stress J Lower levels of stress hormone (cortisol) J Mental well-being What does this mean in personal and professional lives? A positive brain performs better than a negative brain. This is known as the happiness advantage. It can have a big impact on both our personal and work lives. Positivity boosts – J Intelligence J Creativity J Energy levels J Personal and work performance The happiness advantage can help – J Increase job satisfaction J Achieve better work-life balance J Foster a healthy mind and body J Improve stress management J Maintain happiness Positivity at Work Wouldn’t you agree that happier employees are more productive, more innovative and create a better working environment? This could be a reality! The following points can be integrated into workplace wellness programs. Optimism – Education – Challenges – An example of optimism would be “gain framing” vs. “loss framing.” Focus on a “glass-full” approach when introducing new ideas, policies, procedures or activities to employees. This is a big one! Provide employees with meaningful, current and accurate information. Often times we may be teaching people new things or new ways of doing old things. Making changes that improve health and happiness begins with education. Here’s a fun way to create excitement and keep people engaged. Friendly competition can really boost morale and enthusiasm. Whether individual or group challenges, creative campaigns and challenges can spark interest in needed interventions or important changes. Encouragement – Make wellness programming as easy to access as possible. Consider using incentives to help engage employees. Support – It’s important that employees feel comfortable and safe. Implementing supportive policies and providing help for those who may need it is essential. People aren’t happy if they don’t feel safe. Autonomy – An important factor in building long-term participation and achieving meaningful success is automomy. Let participants have a voice. People are more optimistic and positive if they know they are being listened to and they know they can make a difference. Employees enrolled in wellness programs need to make the program their own in order to achieve lasting, long-term success. And lastly, Fun! Be creative, be exciting! Do everything possible to ensure participation and employee satisfaction. This improves the positivity and happiness of the workforce and also increases the likelihood that people will stick with the program in the future. People who practice positivity are more apt to build new skills and social connections, acquire new knowledge and reach for bigger goals. Overtime, this can create a rising spiral of effectiveness and success. unityhealth.com 2 Change is Possible! Tips to consider when promoting a positive workplace Emotional Wellness Employee Training Meditation Classes J Lunch and Learns J Workshops J Classes or Counseling J On-site or off-site classes J Provide discounts or reimbursements Acts of Kindness Workplace Ambience Unity Health Insurance cares about the health and wellness of your employees. Being well means having an enjoyable and productive life. J Appreciation Notes / Messages J Blood Donation J Buy a coworker coffee J Recognize contribution J Share praise J “Go home early” certificates J Take someone to lunch J Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) week J Windows J Color Unity’s Emotional Wellness offers information about – J Lighting J Decoration J Alcohol Use and Abuse J Acoustics J Ergonomics J Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Increase Activity J Depression Gratitude Wall J Physical Activity and Stretch Breaks J Activity campaigns J Create a wall or space within the workplace using chalk, whiteboard, post-it notes, etc. J Encourage employees to post or list what they are grateful for J Fitness classes and challenges J Re-think workstations J Walking Programs and / or meetings J Reimbursements J Anxiety J Stress To learn more about Emotional Wellness, please have your employees contact – J (866) 884-4601 Ext. 54275 J Or (608) 821-4275 Journaling Breaks J Allow and encourage a journal break within the workday J Incentivize / Reward participation of 21 consecutive days Sources: McIntosh, Jacob (2015), Student in the University of Wisconsin Health & Wellness Management Program, “The Power of Positivity: Making Happiness a Choice,” presentation / paper presented to the UW Health / Unity Health Insurance Health Services Department. unityhealth.com 3 Unity also offers Behavioral Health and Chemical Dependency / Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) Services. For more resources, encourage your employees to visit their Personal Wellness Portal. Enjoy Spring Even with Asthma As plants start to bloom, many people with asthma begin to have allergy or asthma symptoms. Share the following information with your employees to help them decrease the likelihood of having an asthma flare-up. J Begin to take allergy medication a few weeks before plants start blooming and the snow starts to melt J Take an asthma controller as prescribed and adjust to a higher dose if recommended by a doctor or nurse J Take medications that have worked well in the past for allergies or asthma J Have a rescue inhaler ready to use J Before Spring comes, meet with a doctor or nurse to develop an asthma action plan J Prior to exercising outside, take asthma and allergy medication as prescribed by a doctor or nurse J Make sure that inhalers have not expired References: news-medical.net/news/20140221/ACAAI-experts-suggest-allergy-sufferersto-start-taking-medication-before-spring-begins.aspx healthwise.net/unityhealth/Content/StdDocument.aspx?DOCHWID=hw271348#hw163657 Active Living and Learning: Diabetes To help prevent diabetes, Unity Health Insurance is teaming up with UW Health Preventive Cardiology to offer members a program called Active Living and Learning. Active Living and Learning is an 11-month lifestyle change process supervised by experts in exercise, nutrition and behavior. The goal is to prevent or reverse Type 2 diabetes in people with borderline blood sugar levels or who have been recently diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. The program is available to Unity members who have been – At Unity Health Insurance we’re committed to improving our services for you and your employees. We perform monthly member surveys to find out what your employees think about our services. If your employees have called customer service or had recent claims, they may get a call from a Unity Health Insurance representative between the hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. If selected, they will be asked to participate in a brief survey. Please share this information with your employees and encourage them, if selected, to complete the survey in order to ensure that we continue to provide services that meet their needs. Their feedback is very important for us. We ask about – J Access to providers J Benefits coverage J Care received J Claims service J Customer service J Diagnosed with diabetes within the prior year J Enrollment service J Diagnosed with pre-diabetes or metabolic syndrome Responses are confidential and will not affect health benefits or result in a sales solicitation. To see our up-to-date member satisfaction results, please visit unityhealth.com/ membersatisfaction J Using metformin for less than one year Interested individuals who meet these criteria will be asked to participate in a readiness interview. A $250 deposit is necessary to join; however, it will be reimbursed in full at the completion of the program. To learn more about the program please have your employees call the Health Services toll-free line at (866) 884-4601 ext. 54802, direct (608) 821-4802, or fax (608) 821-4884. 4 Your Employees’ Feedback is Important! Unity en español ¡ACHÚ! Mi hijo siempre tiene la nariz congestionada y estornuda muy frecuentemente, parece como que tiene catarro todo el tiempo ¿Qué puedo hacer? Probablemente su hijo sufre de alergias de la nariz. Las alergias son un grupo de enfermedades que representan la respuesta de nuestro sistema de defensa, reaccionando exageradamente a un estímulo del medio ambiente. nU Uestra salUd Unity Health Insurance y UW Health, con el apoyo del Consejo Latino de la Salud, le recuerda que sintonice el programa de radio Nuestra Salud. Nuestra Salud el primer lunes de cada mes de 9 a.m. a 11 a.m. en WLMV La Movida 1480AM. Próximos programas – J 4 de abril: Estrés: diagnóstico y cómo manejarlo J 2 de mayo: Planificación Familiar J 6 de junio: Popurrí Conozca más visitando unityhealth.com/es/ nuestra-salud. Dentro de la familia de las alergias se encuentran enfermedades tan graves como las reacciones alérgicas a medicamentos que pueden poner en peligro la vida. Existen otro tipo de alergias como la alergia de los ojos y la alergia de la nariz, un poco menos serias pero que también necesitan tratamiento para mejorar nuestro estado de salud. La alergia de la nariz es bastante frecuente, la mayoría de las veces no se identifica lo que la causa, pero el diagnóstico se lleva a cabo después de analizar los síntomas y de hacer un examen médico de la nariz. En muchos casos existe historia familiar de algún tipo de alergia. Algunos de los síntomas pueden ser – J Congestión de la nariz que puede empezar o alternarse con escurrimiento de la nariz, estornudos frecuentes J Comezón en la nariz y / u ojos J Tos crónica Algunas veces la alergia se presenta solamente en temporadas, como por ejemplo en la primavera cuando todas las flores y el pasto empiezan a crecer liberando muchas partículas de polen y otras cosas que pueden causar la alergia. Otras veces la alergia se presenta todo el tiempo. Existen varias razones del por qué es importante encontrar y tratar las alergias de la nariz, por ejemplo, entre otras razones; las personas que sufren de este padecimiento tienen mayor riesgo de tener infecciones respiratorias, pueden oler menos, tienen síntomas que son muy molestos y problemas para respirar. Es muy importante que si cree que usted o alguien de su familia puede tener problemas de alergias, hable con su doctor regular, la mayoría de las veces no es necesario ver a un especialista de alergias. Las alergias no se curan completamente pero pueden ser controladas la mayoría de las veces con buenos resultados ya sea con medicamentos tomados o con inhaladores para la nariz. ¡Deje de gastar en pañuelos y consulte a su médico! J En casos más avanzados, dificultad para respirar a través de la nariz. Muchas veces debido a esta dificultad para respirar los niños respiran por la boca y roncan más de lo común Por la Dra. Patricia Téllez-Girón Catedrática de la Universidad de Wisconsin, Departamento de Medicina familiar, Clínica Wingra 5 Unity Health Insurance • unityhealth.com/espanol 2016 National Health Observances MARCH J Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month Prevent Cancer Foundation preventcancer.org J National Kidney Month National Kidney Foundation kidney.org J National Nutrition Month® Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics eatright.org/nnm J March 22nd - American Diabetes Alert Day American Diabetes Association diabetes.org APRIL MAY J Alcohol Awareness Month National Council of Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. ncadd.org J National Autism Awareness Month The Autism Society autism-society.org J April 7th – World Health Day World Health Organization who.int/en J Global Employee Health and Fitness Month National Association for Health and Fitness healthandfitnessmonth.com J Melanoma / Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month® American Academy of Dermatology spotskincancer.org J Mental Health Month Mental Health America mentalhealthamerica.net/go/may J May 8-14 National Women’s Health Week Office of Women’s Health womenshealth.gov healthfinder.gov/NHO for additional A Visit resources and information Member Newsletter Update Your employees will soon receive Pulse, featuring the following information – J The Power of Positivity: Choosing Happiness J Hypoglycemia: What you should know J Leaping Into Spring even with Asthma J Advance Care Planning J Spring Break Plans? Stay Healthy! J Fill it in and Win Winter Winners And much more! ZIKA VIRUS – FACTS AND INFORMATION With Spring coming soon, people may be worried about the Zika virus. It’s good to know that it is passed on to humans by two kinds of mosquitoes that have not been found in Wisconsin. However, if you have employees that are planning to travel to places where these mosquitoes live, such as areas in Central and South America or the Caribbean, please have them review the information from the Wisconsin Health Department or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – dhs.wisconsin.gov/arboviral/zika.htm or cdc.gov/zika/index.html. For questions, you may contact Unity Customer Service by – J Sending a message through unitymychart.com J Calling (800) 362-3310 weekdays 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Secure messages are answered during normal business hours Unity Health Insurance 840 Carolina Street Sauk City, WI 53583 6 Unity Health Insurance is a Qualified Health Plan issuer in the Health Insurance marketplace. Unity Health Insurance does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, or health status in the administration of the plan, including enrollment and benefit determinations.