For the third year in a row, Airdronians are being encouraged to join the Highland Primary Care Network (HPCN) Health Challenge. Bragging rights are on the line for the community within the HPCN, which records the greatest number of points during the six-week challenge.
Cory Leyte, HPCN communications specialist, said the challenge isn’t intended to encourage people to make huge lifestyle changes.
“The whole basis of the health challenge is to allow individuals to adapt and create simple strategies in their daily routine to improve their overall health and wellness,” he said.
“They select a community – one of our seven catchment areas. They can sign up as a individual or as a team,” Leyte said.
The seven communities within the HPCN, aside from Airdrie, are Crossfield, Irricana, Beiseker, Carstairs, Cremona and Didsbury.
Crossfield was the winner of the first Health Challenge in 2014 and Irricana won in 2015. But the challenge isn’t only about community pride, according to Leyte.
“Initially it started off as a multi-community challenge but as we developed through the years people seem to rely more on their support networks. We found they join and create teams with their friends, families and colleagues to support them in their health initiatives and fitness goals,” he said.
“We added the team component to it and it’s really just a multi-faceted program that’s a friendly challenge. It’s nothing serious – we just want people to have fun and adapt those strategies to their daily life.”
The Health Challenge website includes tips on things participants can do to improve their physical and mental well-being. Leyte said participants will also receive emails throughout the challenge with suggestions from the HPCN health management team, which includes physicians, dieticians, kinesiologists and registered nurses.
“Throughout the challenge they’ll give a number of healthy tips. As well, we also encourage local events,” Leyte said. “We don’t go out and create new events, but we encourage people to participate in their existing community events. That might be something that’s currently going on their community or going out and walking with friends, family, etc.”
Leyte said the HPCN will announce the community challenge winner approximately a week after the challenge closes on May 15.
The Health Challenge started April 4 and runs until May 15. Registration is easy at myhealthchallenge.ca
