Staff Matters

Achieving Wellness for Life at Pitt

In this column, the Office of Human Resources answers questions most frequently asked about Pitt’s wellness programs.

 

What are the “Dimensions of Wellness”?

The Dimensions of Wellness is meant to help you balance all aspects of your life, from family and friends to work and play. When you attend to each of the eight dimensions — emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, mindful, occupational, physical and social — they work together as a whole to help you find a more meaningful balance in life and within yourself.

Resources, tools and services are available at Pitt to help you learn how to maintain a healthy and fulfilling life.

How can I get the most out of these eight dimensions?

Dimensions of Wellness involve more than just caring for your physical health. For example, to find optimal balance in life, it is important to focus on each dimension for overall well-being.

In addition to physical wellness, you can attend to your financial wellness by signing up for monthly TIAA live webinars. Intellectual wellness can be improved by participating in FSDP courses, available for the Spring term in early March of 2018. Work toward occupational wellness by exploring resources for new parents. Mindful wellness can be enhanced by joining the Mental Wellness Task Force’s new mental health book club.

All eight dimensions and a complete list of resources, tools and services can be found on the Wellness for Life page online.

What kind of services does the MyHealth@Work Health and Wellness Center offer?

The MyHealth@Work center is Pitt’s faculty and staff health and wellness center and it treats a variety of health issues, including headaches, sunburns, coughs and colds at no cost to employees, regardless of insurance coverage. Wellness incentive programs and one-on-one health coaching are also available to faculty and staff enrolled in a UPMC Health Plan.

The MyHealth@Work center is staffed by UPMC health care professionals and is conveniently located on the Pittsburgh campus in the Medical Arts Building (3708 Fifth Avenue, 5th floor, suite 505). No appointment is required.

Where can I go for answers to any health-related questions I may have?

The MyHealth@Work Health and Wellness Center is open five days a week from 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. to answer your questions in person or over the phone. For more personal inquiries regarding nutrition, physical activity, lifestyle choices and more, consider submitting a question to Pitt’s health coach online.

How can I keep up with my resolutions to stay healthy?

One-on-one health coaching is available for Pitt faculty and staff with a UPMC Health Plan online, on campus and over the phone.

With the help of a health coach, you can manage your weight, eat healthier, get active and stick with your resolutions. The Wellness for Life program can also help you keep your resolutions by teaching you to focus on proactive health care management techniques, like participating in free biometric screenings or taking the MyHealth Questionnaire online. If you missed signing up for the 2018 Pitt Weight Race, there are many other opportunities to get fit and stay healthy on the Wellness for Life page online.

Schedule a one-on-one appointment with an on-site health coach and learn more about the Wellness for Life program on the human resources website.

How can a health coach help me?

When you partner with a health coach, you are teaming up with an individual who can help you reach your health and wellness goals through one-on-one lifestyle support. Health coaching services can help you get active and eat healthier, as well as learn how to handle stress and improve productivity in the workplace.

Health coaching services are free to faculty and staff with a UPMC health plan. You can set up an appointment with a health coach by calling 412-647-1879, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m.-3:30 p.m. or by checking out the Health Coaching at Pitt page online.

What are other ways can I work on attending to my wellness?

With Pitt’s help, you can pay attention to your wellness as a whole beyond just your physical wellness. Attend to your social wellness and network with your colleagues or connect with like-minded people by joining an affinity group on campus. Focus on your occupational and emotional wellness by working with a Life Solutions specialist on childcare, financial and legal matters and elder care. Boost your environmental wellness and give back to your community by supporting the Farms to Pitt program or volunteering with Pitt Cares.

More wellness resources are available online at the Dimensions of Wellness page.

Also, the Office of Human Resources has created an Instagram account to promote the Dimensions of Wellness, as well as highlight what the offices does to connect with and assist the Pitt community. You can explore and follow our new Instagram page at instagram.com/pitt_hr.