Arkansas has one of the highest obesity rates in the country, which has profound implications for the health of state residents as obesity is linked to Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, strokes, coronary heart disease, gallbladder disease, sleep apnea, breathing problems and some types of cancer. The obesity rate in Carroll County is 34 percent, while the state average is 35 percent.
Beginning on Wednesday, Jan. 23, a new program called Changing Life Outcomes with Care, Knowledge, and Support (CLOCKS) will be offered free at the Eureka Springs Community Center (ESCC). Weekly classes will be scheduled each Wednesday from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. through April 17.
The program is a doctoral research program that has been developed by Evelene Bible, MSN RN, under guidance from the University of Arkansas Fayetteville in partnership with ESCC.
Bible said for people struggling with weight control, support and education to make necessary behavioral changes could make the difference between success or failure, and life or death.
“I can tell you I’m coming from personal experience,” she said. “That is one of the reasons I decided to do this. My mom, Frances Haffelder, died at fifty-six from complications for obesity. She had diabetes that resulted in a leg being amputated. She had high blood pressure and died of a stroke.”
Bible, who is working on a doctorate in nursing to become a family nurse practitioner, says she has been overweight her entire life. It is something that got programmed into her as a child. She feels if this type of program had been around when her mother was younger, she might not have died at 56 and Bible might not struggle with her weight today.
“I have actually lost ninety-five pounds in recent years and I’ve managed to pretty well maintain that,” she said. “But I haven’t lost as much as I would like. So, hopefully this program will give me a little accountability to help me get back on track.”
Bible has been doing clinicals at Eureka Springs Family Medical Clinic for the past year-and-a-half. She has frequently seen people coming in struggling with weight. In today’s healthcare environment, there just isn’t time to deal with the obesity issue.
“I think currently all that happens in primary care is a Band-Aid gets put on treating things like diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis and sleep apnea instead of treating the actual cause of the problem,” Bible said. “I’m hoping the CLOCKS program will become a referral source for clinics in the area and anyone else who is struggling with their weight. My intention is for this to turn out to be a great resource for the community.”
Bible said she worked very hard to make the first class free. The initial program is offered for free through an arrangement between the ESCC and the University of Arkansas. Because of the perceived importance and value to the community, ESCC discounted facility usage rates steeply and is providing support staff at no charge. The university covered the remaining portion of the facility usage costs. After the initial offering, if the ESCC is able to continue to offer the program, participants will be charged a modest fee to cover administrative and facility costs.
Bible, who is currently a hospice nurse at Willard Walker Hospice Home in Fayetteville, said she would actually be measuring whether the program is making a change in participants using a tool provided by the University of Washington that computes their quality of life as their weight changes.
“I will measure it in the beginning, in the middle and again at the end,” Bible said.
The class size is limited to 15 and participants must agree to attend at least 8 of the 12 classes and allow data to be collected for the research study. The program will feature guidance and instruction from a multi-disciplinary team including a physician, nurse practitioner, registered nurses, a registered dietician, a Washington Regional Medical Center Diabetes educator, a psychotherapist, and fitness and yoga instructors.
“Two of the people assisting me with the program are fitness instructors at the community center,” Bible said. “Hopefully that will encourage people to utilize the fitness program at the community center.”
Participants will be provided with private counseling with measurement tracking, a pedometer, and a course information binder.
Cat Luna, activities director at the center, said she hopes this program will help people in the community struggling with weight loss and lifestyle changes. Luna thinks it will be helpful that the course is headed by someone who has personal experience with these issues.
“As a support system, it is certainly a first step in making a positive change,” she said. “Having access to this program on a local level is a big deal because there are no support services for weight loss otherwise, other than going to private individuals or organizations.”
The Eureka Springs Community Center is located at 44 Kingshighway in Eureka Springs. For more information, call (479) 239-0029 or (479) 253-8754 or visit eurekaspringscommunitycenter.org