wellness > the carpenters wellness program

The Carpenters Wellness Program

The Board of Trustees, along with many researchers and advisors in the health care industry, believe that improving the health status of plan participants is one of the remaining workable strategies for lowering medical costs, and keeping health benefits accessible and affordable for carpenters and their families.

Why is health status so important?

Like many healthcare experts, The Board of Trustees is convinced that every behavior or activity by an individual has an impact on his or her personal health. The question is whether the behavior is one that promotes health or one that promotes a higher risk for illness and injury. Our health status is where are, at a given point in time, on that continuum between optimal health and chronic illness. And the closer we are to optimal health, as a population, the better will be our personal happiness financial security, as individuals and as participants in the Carpenters Health and Security Plan.

How do we improve the health status of the Plan participants?

Active participation in the Carpenters Wellness Program can help members improve their health. Good health is its own reward, of course, but there are significant and tangible advantages to good health.

  1. Staying healthy protects a family's ability to work and earn a living.
  2. Staying healthy helps protect eligibility for fringe benefits.
  3. Staying healthy minimizes out-of-pocket expenses for medical procedures and medications.
  4. Staying healthy lowers medical costs, which can mean more money for fringes and more money for paychecks.
  5. Staying healthy helps people lead long and fulfilling lives.

What is a wellness program?

Wellness means being actively engaged in maintaining and improving your health. The Carpenters Wellness Program is a carefully planned effort to motivate participants to...

  • Engage in Assessment—which means observe, examine and measure; beware of your health strengths and health risks; understand and monitor your weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose; get regular exams and screenings.
  • Engage in Prevention—which is about staying current with immunizations; using credible sources to stay informed and learn ways to prevent illness and injury. It's about taking advantage of no-cost programs to help you make challenging but meaningful lifestyle changes that will nurture a healthy body and mind.
  • Engage in Exercise—which means get out of bed, off the couch, and preferably outdoors where there is plenty clean, fresh air to invigorate your senses while you engage in physical activity that you enjoy. Note the emphasis on doing something you enjoy.
  • Engage in Nutrition—knowing what foods are good for you and those are not; making good choices when it comes to ingredients, preparation method, and portion sizes; being aware of what your body needs for optimal health.
  • Engage in Self-Care—which means accepting full responsibility for your health and your ability to learn and understand health conditions; making practical choices about treatment options, even when they mean challenging lifestyle changes; using every available resource to monitor and manage your way to optimal health.
  • Engage in Lifestyle Change—which can be a simple as putting safety first and making practical yet impactful changes to your daily routine; which can be as challenging as quitting tobacco or ending an addiction to alcohol
  • .

What else can we do to help?

In this economic climate, it is imperative that we make wise use of Trust resources, especially when they have such enormous potential to change lives and improve the livelihoods of more than 30,000 people.

Our Board of Trustees has assembled a best-in-class team of health and wellness experts to deliver our Carpenters Wellness Program. Nurtur and Quit For Life provide a combined offering of research, information, tools and programs that is second to none–equal to or better than anything offered by other multi-employer groups.

Nothing of value is ever free. At the end of the day, the Carpenters Wellness Program is purchased by the carpenters, paid with dollars from their fringe package. Not using these excellent resources to their fullest capacity is not only a waste of resources. It is a squandering of opportunity to improve the lives of ourselves and others who participate in the Carpenters Health and Security Plan.

Programs offered by Nurtur and Quit For Life cannot help us improve health status without the cooperation and active participation of carpenters, spouses and dependents. If you're offered a program, make the commitment to complete it. And don't be surprised if you are once again reminded of the saying that you only get out of it what you put into it.

Who are the vendors supplying programs for the Carpenters Wellness Program?

The wellness program is supported by an A-team of health management heavyweights: Nurtur and Quit For Life.

Who is eligible to participate in the wellness program?

It is available to participants, spouses and domestic partners who are not covered by Medicare.

How does a person make wellness a habit?

Wellness is a lifelong pursuit. Do something every day to improve your health. The more you do, the healthier you'll be and better you will feel.