Family Health: Q&A with Michele Stipe
As a member of the CC3 Wellness Solutions Team, I partner with employer groups, who are Benecon clients, to learn more about their employee population and how we can best serve their employee wellness needs and interests.
Michele Stipe
Senior Wellness Solutions Consultant
Tell us more about your professional background.
I have worked in the wellness field for over 20 years in varying capacities. During that time, I worked with individuals of all ages – children to older adults and every age group in between – to identify and create plans to achieve their health and wellness goals. Sometimes, especially with children, it could have been as simple as how to be more physically active; however, most of those years were spent working with the older population, often with their goal to live independently, yet safely, as long as possible. I hold a BA in Business Administration (with a concentration in Accounting); MS, Exercise Science and Health Promotion (with a concentration in Wellness and Fitness and Wellness Coaching); and am a Certified Health Coach, Institute of Integrative Nutrition.
On a more personal note, I live in Lititz; have 4 adult children (including a set of twins!) and 2 grandchildren with #3 due in July. You could say that on the CC3 team, I’m the resident expert on all things family health!
What are the key responsibilities of your role?
As a member of the CC3 Wellness Solutions Team, I partner with employer groups, who are Benecon clients, to learn more about their employee population and how we can best serve their employee wellness needs and interests. It may be simply determining the best way to communicate the CC3 clinical services available to them, or many employer groups partner with our team to create employee wellness education programs. We customize our approach to each group, as each group is unique.
How can ConnectCare3 help someone interested in family health or family wellness?
It’s important for employees, of our client groups, who are enrolled on their employer’s health plan, to remember that, not only are they eligible to utilize the CC3 clinical services, but spouses and children covered on the plan are eligible as well. When I think of family health and wellness as it relates to the clinical services offered by CC3, my first thoughts are Nutrition Education, for the entire family to learn more about nutrition and healthy eating, or Tobacco Cessation, if there is a family member desiring to quit or reduce usage of any nicotine product, including vaping. However, with increasing rates of high cholesterol, pre-diabetes and obesity, as several examples, in all ages, including children, I feel most everyone can benefit from our Chronic Disease Management & Prevention program when looking to improve their family’s health and wellness.
What is your best advice on how to create a culture of “good” family health?
In raising my children, I did my best to instill the concept of preventive care in them. My kids knew to expect a visit to the dentist every 6 months, along with an annual visit to the doctor for their “check-up.” My husband and I did the same, so we were intentional about creating a culture of preventive care. My kids played outside with the neighborhood kids, and we limited “screen time” to a reasonable amount. All my kids enjoyed playing sports through their school years, and still remain physically active as adults, doing things like hunting, walking, going to the gym and dance classes. Also, we made a point to do things as a family, such as going to church, visiting extended family, traveling, going out to eat, or simply family game nights. While my kids certainly spent time with their friends, they knew it was important to have family time too.