GERRY SHEEHAN – CEO – TIMBOON AND DISTRICT HEALTHCARE SERVICE TANIA LEISHMAN – Life MAP - PROGRAM CO-ORDINATOR

GAYE MCVILLY – CASE STUDYJODIE COUCH – CASE STUDY

Finding your path to OPTIMUM HEALTH AND WELLBEING

‘The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that at least 80 per cent of all heart disease, stroke and diabetes cases, and 40 per cent of all cancers, are preventable. The compelling evidence is that many chronic diseases share common causes – a set of behavioural risk factors, biomedical factors and social determinants that increase the likelihood of developing chronic diseases’.  

‘This creates enormous potential to transform prevention efforts and move beyond a narrow, disease specific approach ‐to incorporate a comprehensive, population based approach that tackles ‐concurrently the root causes of many chronic diseases’. 

Sharon Wilcox (2014)Chronic diseases in Australia: the case for changing course

Australian National Preventative Health Agency (ANPHA) has developed a framework for taking action

on preventing chronic diseases

Overweight or obese, persons aged 18 and over, 1995, 2007–08 and 2011–12

ReferencesAustralian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2013. Australian Health Survey: updated results, 2011–2012. ABS cat. no. 4364.0.55.003. Canberra: ABS.Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2012. Risk factor trends: age patterns in key health risk factors over time. Cat. no. PHE 166. Canberra: AIHW.Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) 2013. Health at a glance 2013: OECD indicators. Paris: OECD Publishing.

Program Inception:Identified health risks of employees

•  80%  respondents >80cm waist circumference 

• 40% only sometimes meet Australian Guidelines for physical activity

• 47% of females and 20% males were overweight or obese

• 53% didn’t meet fruit guidelines and 86% didn’t meet vegetable guidelines 

Why focus on Health and Wellbeing in the workplace?

• Workplaces are identified as a key area for taking a proactive approach to the prevention of chronic disease

• We spend 1/3 of our lives at work, workplace health initiatives provide a good opportunity to have an influence on the health of our communities

The Timboon and District Healthcare Service developed LifeMAP to support positive lifelong changes to people’s lives through:Encouraging daily physical activityEstablishing positive behaviours with regard to healthy eatingFostering mental wellnessPromoting productive and fun participation in life, your life, your colleague’s life, your family’s life, your communities life.

LifeMAP - Project Description• Trial program developed initially for TDHS employees• Initial 12month period, currently in its 11th month• Team based program – teams of 5-6 participants• Initial team based goal - walk around Australia via the coast• Participants wear an Activity Tracker – overarching goals

10,000 steps and 30 active minutes per day • Individuals set their own personal vision and goals (short 

term/long term)Integrated program leading to improved nutrition, physical

activity, mental health and stress management

LifeMAP - Program Components • Wellness Coaching – weekly/fortnightly 

• Health and Wellbeing Newsletters – Importance of Vitamin D, benefits of resistance training, training programs, healthy recipes 

• Presentations and workshops - mindful eating workshops, motivational speakers 

• Dietitian consults – focus on mindful eating 

• Gym classes four nights p/w  Personal Trainers run classes for employees and their families

• Counselling services • Access to gym 7 days p/w - employees and their families

• Sleep strategies • Positive Psychology philosophies

Wellness Coaching and Positive Psychology Wellness Coaches empower their clients with 

focus on facilitation, rather than prescription

Behaviour Change and Positive Psychology, helping clients overcome resistance to change

Wellness coaches support clients to work out what they want, why they want it, what’s stopping them and only then together create a plan for action

Wellness Coaching and Positive Psychology

Positive Psychology is a ‘whole person’ strengths-based approach

Participants are supported to be mindful about all aspects of their being 

- stress levels, energy, mental health, positive relationships, positive emotions, meaning, accomplishment and achievement

Participants set personal meaningful realistic goals, they become conscious of the sensations and emotions they 

experience, their actions and behaviours, and to reflect on what 

works well. They define strategies to overcome obstacles and draw on strengths to increase self efficacy 

Wellness Coaching and Positive Psychology

We help people create a Vision, their Vision, for becoming the best

possible ‘them’, they can be, and help them to develop confidence and strategies to overcome the

obstacles that have been preventing them Realising ‘Their Vision’

Life MAP – Key Results• >70% averaging >10,000 per day • 100% of teams are achieving team average of 30 active 

minutes per day • 86% of individual participants achieving >30 active 

minutes per day• >90% report a conscious effort to include more activity in 

their daily life • 100% report being more mindful of healthy eating• Total body measurement reduction 488.5 cm • Total reduction in waist circumference 128cm

Life MAP – Key Results

‘ The program has helped me feel stronger physically which as enabled me to be stronger mentally and cope better with life’s little hiccups’

‘ Since starting the program and becoming more physically active I think more clearly, and am less stressed. I enjoy walking with my husband which has been a wonderful side effect’

Life MAP – Key Results

‘LifeMAP means to me ‘Freedom’ I am more care free, I am energised, relieved of stress and when I am exercising I feel like I haven’t a care in the world, it’s my time out’

‘I am simply ‘in control’ and that’s the best feeling in the world’

‘Since starting the program I have better sleep quality which in turn has a positive effect on my mental health. This makes me a better mother, friend, daughter and colleague’

Life MAP – Key Results • Positive staff morale – team cohesiveness • Staff feel valued – job satisfaction • Improved mental health• Decreased stress levels• Increased productivity• Improved health literacy • Improved employee self efficacy• TDHS employer of choice • $21,517.18 sick leave costs

Fitbit Activity TrackerWireless Activity Tracker and Sleep Wristband

Set goals

• Track your activity (steps/distance/active min)• Log sleep (hours of sleep/quality of sleep)• Sync your stats wirelessly• Log your energy intake for accurate energy in versus 

energy out calculations• Ability to create groups/teams for moral support

FITBIT – DASHBOARD

Gaye August ~ 2014

Jodie 2013 ~ 2014

3 MONTHS INTO THE PROGRAM

GAYE AND JODIE APRIL ~2015

GAYE AND JODIE AUGUST ~ 2015