Representatives from the Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments (KTCOG) were on Tuesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the Area Agency on Aging’s evidence-based chronic pain and disease management programs. The KTCOG represents the five-county area of Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance and Warren counties.

Classes are currently offered to community members “age 60 and better” with chronic pain or chronic disease issues. These sessions consist of six-week, two-and-a-half hour workshops that are free to the qualifying public and their caregivers.

According to Jillian Hardin, aging director for KTCOG, classes will introduce tools that can be used to better manage pain and/or disease symptoms. “You will learn about exercise and walking,” Hardin said. “You will also learn about managing emotions because depression is a big part of chronic pain or chronic disease.”

The chronic disease self-management class, titled “Living Healthy” is currently offered at the Senior Center in Vance County for those with two or more chronic conditions. “We say you have a chronic condition if it lasts more than three months,” said Hardin. “People often say ‘I don’t have a chronic condition,’ but I have heart disease or diabetes; those are chronic conditions.”

Hardin said the importance of these classes demonstrating positive, evidence-based results cannot be discounted, “Evidence shows that when people take these six-week workshops, they have less pain, can better control their symptoms, have fewer trips to the doctor and hospital and save money in healthcare costs.”

Harvey Holmes, family caregiver specialist with the Area Agency on Aging, was also on the program to discuss the “huge” need for caregivers and caregiver support.

Holmes mentioned former first lady Rosalynn Carter’s famous quote about caregiving to sum up the importance of the role, “There are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who will need caregivers.”

Referred to by Holmes as the “godfather” of aging services in the five-county region, KTCOG offers services and classes to help participants cope with the emotional battlefield that is caregiving.

“You’re always going to have ups and downs, pitfalls and stumbles, and a lot of people can get discouraged,” said Holmes. “Your emotions do tend to change along the journey. Caregiving, as a whole, is a journey and the journey is different for each individual.

For more information on the chronic pain or disease classes or caregiver services, please contact the Area Agency on Aging at (252) 436-2040.

You may also call NC 2-1-1, a 24/7 information and referral service provided by United Way of North Carolina and supported by local United Ways and public and private partners across NC. Service is available in all NC counties.

Callers may dial 2-1-1 to obtain information on health and human services and resources within their community. The service is free, confidential, and available in most languages.

To hear the interview in its entirety, click here.