Encouraging Better Health in the Community Through Happy Hour

Pictured above are community members during the Health Happy Hour program at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center

Health Happy Hour

Brenda Brathwaite and a few friends get together once a month for happy hour—where they chat, catch up, and learn about ways to improve their health. Brathwaite is one of the regular attendees of Health Happy Hour, a community wellness program of MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center.

About a dozen community residents attend the program on the second Saturday of each month at the District 5 Police Station in Clinton, Maryland. The average age of attendees is between 50 and 75 years old.

Led by certified health, wellness, and fitness professionals, Health Happy Hour topics include identifying heart-healthy foods, reading food labels, reducing stress, cooking healthy over the holidays, and preventing and reversing diabetes.

“I learned how limiting dairy can help with my congestion,” says Brathwaite, 66, who attended the “Boost Your Immune System Now … Food is Medicine” session. “Now I no longer need to take antihistamines on a daily basis.”

Most sessions include an interactive health component. For instance, participants have been introduced to beginner’s yoga and qigong, a method of movement and breathing techniques similar to tai chi.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Participants can choose to have their blood pressure and weight checked during the session, as well as their cholesterol and blood sugar.

“Seeing people become advocates for their own health is so encouraging,” says Rose Dodson, MedStar Health community health nurse. She adds that the overall goal of the program is to help community members achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle to lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and other serious health conditions. “When participants leave, they share what they’ve learned with family and friends, and that helps make everyone in the community more aware and more informed so they can make healthy choices.”