My LifeGlider, Ozzie, Helps Give Me the Strength to Conquer FA (Health, Technology)

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About the Project

THE NEED

There’s nothing like an inspiring story to encourage future customers to take action.

Myrna Nickelson, Head of Marketing for LifeGlider, knew that for many, it’s the real stories about how others are using this fall-safe, hands-optional upright walker that help them fully understand why it’s worth a try.

LifeGlider had an active user group on Facebook where many were eager to share their stories. All Myrna needed was the support of an experienced storyteller who knew how to capture these stories and present them to target audiences.

THE APPROACH

To emphasize the personality of each storyteller, we decided to tell stories in the first person. From the interview to writing and editing, I worked closely with each participant to ensure their story was accurate and written in their voice.

Kelly Gregory

Our goal was to demonstrate the diversity of LifeGlider users. We captured stories that ranged from people in later life to young adults (and even one child story) who struggled to walk independently for a variety of reasons.

Kelly’s story was about her battle with Freidrich ataxia. This is one of several rare diseases LifeGlider users suffer from that affect gait, balance, and coordination. The fall-safe LifeGlider helps her maintain as much mobility as possible.

THE RESULTS

These stories are now powerful content assets for LifeGlider’s social media channels and for the Customer Stories section of the website. At a glance, this page presents a broad overview of the diversity of LifeGlider users.

The stories have had the greatest impact when shared by the participants themselves. As product ambassadors, they proudly share the links on their own social media platforms. Their influence has encouraged many to try the product.

Each story is a uniquely inspirational example of what people mean when they call the LifeGlider “life-changing.”

“Our customer stories are important to our marketing strategy. They’re extended testimonials that speak to how the LifeGlider is changing their lives. Beyond using them on the website to improve SEO, we also use them for email marketing and social media posts.

“Matt does a great job interviewing the customers and effectively ghostwriting for them. Each story is unique and conveys the customer’s voice. He’s an excellent writer and a joy to work with.” – Myrna Nickelsen, Head of Marketing

Click the logo to read the story at MyLifeGlider.com.

How to Prevent Degenerative Diseases (Health)

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About the project:

The Logan Institute for Health & Wellness wanted to announce their new physician to the practice. I interviewed Dr. Marwan Mustaklem to discover why patients should be as excited to work with him as his colleagues.

In capturing not only his passion for anti-aging research, but the results he has seen in patients, I created a compelling online companion piece to the waiting room announcement flier created by Anderson Creative.

LINK TO ARTICLE HERE.

Ahora es el Tiempo: Time for All Americans to Have Affordable Healthcare (Health)

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Image source: pixabay.com/photo-1993031

(Madison County Community Health Center, October 2016)

Are you uninsured? If so, there may be a solution available to you right now.

Now entering its fourth year, the Health Insurance Marketplace continues to offer Americans access to health insurance who had no other realistic option for coverage before. Here’s what you need to know.

  1. What is the Health Insurance Marketplace?

As a result of the U.S. Congress passing the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA for short), in 2014 the federal government began offering a low-cost alternative to individual health insurance for Americans too far above the federal poverty line to be eligible for Medicaid.

Among other benefits of Marketplace plans, Americans now:

  • Will not see their children excluded from coverage due to pre-existing conditions.
  • Do not have to pay for preventative care.
  • Can pay discounted premiums through federal subsidies.
  1. How do I know if I’m eligible?

Do you live in the United States? Are you a U.S. citizen? Are you in jail?

If your answers were “Yes”, “Yes” and “No”, you’re eligible to enroll. Pretty simple. It’s a bit more complicated if you are an immigrant to the U.S. Thankfully, the U.S. government has provided a useful tool to determine your eligibility based on your immigration status.

  1. When do I enroll, and when does my coverage begin?

The Open Enrollment period began November 1st.  There are two important deadlines to remember:

December 15th – Last day to enroll in coverage to begin on January 1st.

January 31st – Last day to enroll in coverage for 2017 or to change your plan.

Outside of Open Enrollment, you can only apply during a Special Enrollment Period following a qualifying life event.

An Opportunity for Middle-Class Americans (y por la comunidad latino)

The ACA has made possible an historic reduction in uninsured rates for millions who may be under-employed, self-employed or for whatever reason don’t have reasonable access to health insurance.

This is great news for many Americans, but there may be no other community more positively impacted by this resource than the Latin American community. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in 2015 an estimated 8 in 10 uninsured Latinos qualified for some type of coverage, including plans with reduced monthly premiums, through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Now it’s your turn to enjoy affordable healthcare. To learn more, visit www.healthcare.gov and click on “Preview 2017 Plans & Prices” (disponible en español).

5 Essential Components of a 21st Century Corporate Wellness Program (Health)

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Image Source: pixabay.com

(Cover-Tek, September 2016)

It’s hard to miss the reality that obesity, anxiety and depression are plaguing your workplace. The stakes are high. If you do nothing, you know all about the long list of consequences: diabetes, heart disease, even suicide.

Time to put a smile on your face and STAY POSITIVE! Yes, it’s tough. You know wellness programs aren’t all created equal. Maybe you’ve tried one in the past and saw such low participation rates it didn’t seem worth it. You just want to do something that works.

Take a deep breath. Corporate wellness is changing, but it’s not a lost cause. Far from it. Here are 5 essential components of a successful program.

  1. Focus on at-risk employees.

According to a 2016 study by Rand Corporation, over the last 10 years employers have gotten the most bang for their wellness buck from the “disease management” component of programming. Companies saved $136 per member and reduced hospital admissions by 30%.

These are the folks who suffer from being overweight, having high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, etc. Doesn’t it just make sense that these individuals would be the most likely to participate in, and the most likely to benefit from, components like health screenings, lab testing, and wellness education?

  1. Include employees in program development.

This one isn’t new. When Harold Jackson started down the road to wellness at medical equipment company Buffalo Supply in the early 2000s, the ideas were pretty simple. He offered a bonus to employees who quit smoking. He put fresh fruits and vegetables in the break room instead of candy.

Real policies began to take shape when he asked his employees for input. In asking them about their concerns he learned that flu prevention was a high priority. On-site flu shots and a rotation of Lysol-spraying duties during flu season came as a result. Employee buy-in is a must for a successful program.

  1. Utilize technology.

Wearable fitness trackers like FitBit that communicate with smartphone apps are increasingly becoming a central component to both general lifestyle programs and disease management.

It’s never a bad idea to take queues from a major hospital’s employee wellness program for inspiration (since, you know, it’s a hospital). Houston Methodist subsidizes the cost of FitBits for employees to make it easier for staff to participate in performance tracking.

  1. Include an emphasis on mental health and sleep.

Mental health is harder to measure than physical health. Sleep is not something employees can do while working (unlike walking meetings, biking to and from appointments, etc.). Maybe this is why these components are sometimes overlooked.

Poor mental health means poor sleep and vice versa. When depression costs U.S. companies $44 billion per year there is no question it pays to promote mental health. If employees can track steps, they can track mood and sleep quality. A successful program provides access to mental health resources as readily as medical resources.

  1. Consider making it, uh, fun!

Pokémon GO may be the greatest app for promoting wellness ever devised. It gets people moving. It gets people talking. It provides challenges and rewards. It requires exercise and nobody seems to mind … because it’s fun.

Anything you can do to incorporate fun into your wellness program at reasonable or no cost, do it! Most people don’t walk for walking’s sake. For some of us, the health benefit is sufficient reward. Other people need to collect fictional animated critters. To each his own.

Ready to Start?

Whether you’re starting a new program or revamping an existing one, we hope you feel empowered to encourage wellness among your employees. Remember that you’re not just improving your business’ bottom line. You’re also saving lives.

But don’t dwell on that serious stuff. Take a break and go catch some more Pokémon!