IPFW Wellness
What Is Wellness
Wellness is a state of being. In short, it is the capacity of living life to its fullest. It's having the personal energy needed to look and feel well, fulfilling responsibilities, effectively handling emergencies and actively pursuing social, economical, cultural, and recreational interests. Wellness involves adopting a sense of balance in one's life. The six dimensions of personal wellness are:
Physical
Do you get enough exercise? Eat a balanced diet? Do you practice safe driving and medical self care? Do you avoid the use of tobacco, drugs, and excessive alcohol consumption? Taking good care of your body will repay you with years of good service.
Social
How satisfying are your relationships with your spouse, your family, your friends, and associates? Are you active in community affairs? Do you contribute to protecting the environment by conserving and recycling? Social wellness is based on your ability to interact harmoniously with people and the Earth.
Emotional
Are you able to recognize and accept your feelings, your strengths, and your limitations? Can you manage your emotions and cope with stressful events? Emotional wellness allows you to experience life's ups and downs with enthusiasm and grace and maintain satisfying relationships with others.
Intellectual
Do you feel creatively and mentally challenged? Are you continually seeking to expand your knowledge and skills? An intellectually well person uses available resources to expand knowledge, improve skills and to increase the potential for sharing with others.
Spiritual
Do you have an appreciation for the meaning of life and the expanse of nature? Are you at peace with your place in the universe? Do you have a set of beliefs and values that give purpose to your life? Spiritual wellness involves developing a strong sense of personal values and ethics.
Occupational
Do you find your work satisfying? Do you have a balance between your work and leisure time? Do you enjoy new responsibilities and look forward to achieving better results? Your attitudes about your work can greatly affect your job performance and interactions with co-workers.
Credit: National Wellness Institute, Stevens Point, Wisconsin
A lack of wellness is so often the root of many common problems, such as a lack of energy, looking and feeling out of shape, difficulty coping with daily pressures, diminished work performance, and frequent emotional upsets. Over time, a lack of wellness leads to a decrease in the efficiency of critical body functions, therefore increasing the risks of major disease and illness.
IPFW Wellness Programs and Services
The following programs and services are coordinated for the IPFW campus community (students, faculty and staff, and retirees), IPFW alumni, the general public, and their families.
IPFW Hilliard Gates Sports Center
The sports center provides a safe site for people to achieve and maintain a healthy physical fitness status and receive wellness information. The facility features a multi-purpose gymnasium, 1.9 mile indoor track, five racquetball/handball courts, dance floor, strength training room and cardiovascular room, free initial fitness/nutrition consultations, personal training, and fitness classes. It is staffed by certified health/fitness instructors, personal trainers, fitness instructors, registered dietitians, and students. Memberships are available for students, faculty, staff, alumni, general public, and their family members. Contact the customer service desk at 219-481-6655 or go to www.ipfw.edu/athletics/fintess for more information.
IPFW/Parkview Health and Wellness Clinic
The clinic provides comprehensive health services to meet the medical and psychological needs of students, faculty, and staff at IPFW. It is staffed by nationally certified family nurse practitioners and a certified medical assistant. They are available to assess/diagnose, treat, provide immunizations, monitor, speak to classes, and promote healthy living. There hours are Monday - Thursday 8 am - 5 pm and Fridays 8 am - noon. For more information visit them at IPFW Walb Student Union, Room 234 or call 260-481-5748 or go to www.ipfw.edu/clinic.
Wellness Resource Center
A large variety of materials are available for check out. Videos, cassettes, books, and brochures are available. Topics include wellness, exercise, nutrition, smoking, drugs, sex, STD's, and more. Contact the fitness/wellness coordinator (260) 481-6647 or go to www.ipfw.edu/health
Wellness Presentations and Seminars
Various presentations, seminars and workshops are coordinated throughout the year (i.e. nutrition education, beginning an exercise program, stress management, alcohol abuse awareness/ prevention, tobacco use prevention/cessation, weight management, women's self-care, men's self-care, strength training, low back care, effective communications, etc.) These are provided to classes, groups, organizations, departments, and general public. Contact the fitness/wellness coordinator for upcoming opportunities or to schedule an event at (260) 481-6647 or go to www.ipfw.edu/health
IPFW Employee Health and Fitness Program
This program provides IPFW employees personal health and physical fitness attention and incentives to promote achievement and maintenance of a healthy body and improved total wellness. To register contact the wellness/fitness Coordinator at 260-481-6647 or go to www.ipfw.edu/health .
Benefits:
IPFW Student Health and Fitness Program
This program provides IPFW students personal health and physical fitness attention and incentives to promote achievement and maintenance of a healthy body and improved total wellness. To register contact the wellness/fitness Coordinator at 260-481-6647 or go to www.ipfw.edu/health .
Benefits:
Physical Fitness Services and Classes
Certified health and fitness professionals are on staff at the Hilliard Gates Sports Center to offer the campus community and sports center members “getting started” fitness consultations, nutrition consultations, personal training, physical fitness assessments, workout guidelines, resources, and support to promote better energy, strength, and endurance for disease prevention and improved overall health. 4 personal trainers can be hired at a reasonable fee to assist with long term enjoyment and commitment to a fitness program. Contact the wellness/fitness coordinator at 260-481-6647 or go to www.ipfw.edu/athletics/fitness.
A wide variety of fitness classes like Mid Day Yoga Stress Break, Total Body Conditioning, and Saturday Ultimate Intervals are offered through Continuing Studies (481-6619) Classes meet at the Hilliard Gates Sports Center, in the fitness/conditioning room. All classes are taught by certified and experienced instructors from the Fort Wayne community. Maximum number per session is 25. The fitness/wellness coordinator organizes these classes. Registration is run through Continuing Studies, Walb Union, 481-6619.
IPFW Mind and Body Workout
This televised exercise program is produced through IPFW College Access Channel 56 and is broadcast Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 9:30 am and 6:00 pm, Saturday at 9:30 am and Tuesday and Thursday at noon and 6:00 pm. This 30 minute program is geared toward the beginner to advanced fitness levels, providing a variety of workouts.
On Going Awareness/Education Strategies
These free campus health intervention strategies are completed by IPFW health care professionals and offer ongoing health awareness/education and promotion materials for the campus community. Wellness stations, racks, display windows, and bulletin boards are located in most buildings.
Personal Mental Health Services
Personal mental health counselors are available free for all students. Major areas of assistance are: depression, anxiety, stress, addictions, marital/relationship difficulties and low self-esteem. Sessions are scheduled through the Office of the Dean of Students, Walb Student Union, Room 111 (260) 481-6601. There is no charge for this service!
Employee Assistance Program
This complimentary service is available for IPFW employees through Parkview Behavioral Health (5 visits per person/per family). They provide confidential counseling on health issues such as smoking, substance abuse, stress management, family conflict, parenting and much more. Contact Lynn Patrick at 260-373-8060 for more information.
Special Screening, Services
Various health screening are scheduled throughout each semester. The topics include depression, eating disorders, alcohol, blood pressure, blood health profile, body fat, physical fitness, bone density, massage, nutrition, and CPR. Contact the wellness/fitness coordinator at 260-481-6647 or go to www.ipfw.edu/health for details.
Flu Shot Day
Flu shots are offered annually in the fall to promote decreased risk of sickness and absence from work.
Tobacco Use Prevention/Cessation Programs and Services
The ongoing interventions are designed to help tobacco users think more about quitting, assist individual who are ready to quit,, help non smokers stay quit, promote a healthy IPFW campus environment. “Kick Butts” classes, “Kick Butts” 1:1 consultaions, weekly support/information table, interventions at IPFW Dental Clinic, interventions at IPFW/Parkview Health and Wellness
Clinic, ongoing awareness/education strategies, and special events like to Great American Smokeout “stop smoking” Block Party are available to the campus community
IPFW partners with Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Agency, Smoke Allen County, and American Cancer Society to provide the events. For more information contact wellness/fitness coordinator at 260-481-6647 or go to www.ipfw.edu/health
Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention/Cessation Programs and Services
The ongoing interventions are designed to help individuals think more about not abusing alcohol or other substances, assist individuals who are ready to stop abusing alcohol or other substances, help non abusers stay free of substance abuse, and promote a healthy IPFW campus environment. Group/class presentations, interventions at IPFW Personal Counseling, interventions at IPFW/Parkview Health and Wellness Clinic, interventions at IPFW Joanne Lantz Counselor Education Clinic, ongoing awareness/education strategies, and special events like National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week, IPFW Health Fair, and IPFW Alcohol Awareness Day are available to the campus community
IPFW Annual Health Fair
This special event provides the IPFW campus community and general public wellness awareness, education, screening, learning activities, and resources on a variety of topics. Over 80 campus and off campus organizations have a display table. Contact the wellness/fitness coordinator at 260-481-6647 or go to www.ipfw.edu/health.
IPFW Mastodon Stomp
The 5 km walk, 5 km run, and 1 mile kids run provide a motivational, fun fitness event as an IPFW cross-country and track program fund raiser for people of all ages and abilities. IPFW collaborates with Fort Wayne Track Club to offer this event. Contact the wellness/fitness coordinator at 260-481-6647 for more details.
Health Councils and Committees
IPFW Campus Health Coordinating Committee - Chair-Edna Neal, 260-481-6844
IPFW Wellness Council - Chair--Judy Tillapaugh (219) 481-6647
IPFW Advisory Committee on the Aging and the Aged - Chair-Elaine Blakemore (260) 481-6400
IPFW Biological Hazards Committee- Chair - Frank Paladino 260-481-6304
IPFW Campus Safety Committee - Chair-Renee Eshcoff (260) 481-5744
IPFW Substance Abuse Council - Chair-Don Smith (260) 481-6601
Conclusion
Personal wellness is a dynamic state. Everyone is encouraged to seek lifestyle choices for health promotion, disease prevention, and health care savings. The wellness programs and services provided by IPFW are opportunities for people of all backgrounds, ages and abilities to support short and long term health and wellness goals.
If there are topics or concerns not addressed, please contact the fitness/wellness coordinator (260) 481-6647. Perhaps a service or program could be tailor made to meet your needs.
Return to Athletic Department Policy and Procedures Manual
Copyright © 2004 Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne.
Send comments and corrections on this web site to
Tim Heffron
Revised: November 1, 2004
URL: http://users.ipfw.edu/heffron/deptwellness.html