ore than 60 percent of Oregon adults have at least one of the following chronic conditions: arthritis, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or stroke. For rural areas in the state, such as Douglas County, the news is even worse. Oregon's rural communities, as compared to urban, often have higher rates of tobacco use, poor nutrition, physical inactivity and as a consequence, higher rates of chronic disease and preventable death. The 2011 County Health Rankings indicate that Douglas County is ranked 31 out of 33 Oregon counties on health risk factors with 22 percent reporting fair or poor health, as compared to 14 percent statewide. While improving the health of our community may seem like a daunting task, our community is taking action.

Over the past year, I served as a member of the Pathways to Healthy Communities Assessment and Planning Team, a partnership between Douglas County Public Health and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, to explore some of the things that are working to promote health and where improvements are possible. We learned that many individual health decisions are influenced by community conditions that create opportunities or pose barriers to health. The Conference on Extraordinary Living, sponsored by Umpqua Community College Community Education, brings together many organizations and knowledgeable individuals to share information and effective strategies to promote health and well-being across the life span.

The 29th Annual Conference on Extraordinary Living is an informative event focusing on the health, financial, leisure and legal issues for those 50 years and older. The day is filled with guest speakers, informative workshops, exhibitor tables, door prizes, and most of all, enjoyment and celebration.

After the name of the conference was changed from Conference on Aging to Conference on Extraordinary Living several years ago, a few residents asked if the name change represented a denial of the aging process. Prior to the change in name, feedback was considered from conference attendees about how to meet the needs of today's seniors as well as the fastest growing segment of the 50+ audience, the baby boomers. The committee decided that a broader name would be more inclusive and that life is truly extraordinary and something to celebrate.

At this year's event, attendees are invited to embrace the theme of Enjoy the Ride, to experience new things, and improve or sustain the quality of life of those in our community. Several sessions are planned that focus on preventing the major risk factors for chronic disease: Staying Fit and Flexible as we Age, Head to Toe Body Care, Qigong and Zumba Fitness is for Everyone! These workshops give participants exercises to tone and strengthen muscles, increase flexibility, reduce stress, and improve cardiovascular health. A new session this year, Better Bones and Balance, previews an exercise program developed by Oregon State University that has been shown to slow bone loss and improve strength and balance. It can help those who are at risk of or suffering from osteoporosis.

For those who suffer from, or have a loved one experiencing a chronic condition such as diabetes, asthma, arthritis or heart disease, this year's conference program includes sessions on coping with these conditions. Diane Pietrzak, certified diabetes prevention coach at the YMCA, will share diabetes prevention tips based on research from Oregon Health & Science University. Pharmacists from the Veterans Affairs Medical Center will cover the common side effects and drug interactions in the session titled Medications Used for Chronic Disease. Don't forget to bring a list of medications you are taking to the Conference on Extraordinary Living and participate in What's in your Pillbox? This service is available at the Conference from 11:30 a.m. -1:30 p.m. in the UCC Campus Center. Roseburg VA pharmacists as well as pharmacy residents and students will be on hand to review your medications and answer your medication-related questions.

There are many fun and exciting things planned for this year's Conference on Extraordinary Living: gardening, traveling on a shoestring, identity theft, and going wild about volunteering. You won't want to miss our keynote speaker, Sue Ann Crockett, a newspaper columnist and author of the award-winning Gravy Days column.

Join us for a full day of extraordinary living on Sept. 16. More information can be found at www.regonline.com/Extraordinary2011 or by calling UCC Community Education at 541-440-4601.

Robin VanWinkle is the director of Community Education at Umpqua Community College and a participating member of Healthy Active Douglas County. She can be reached at Robin.VanWinkle@umpqua.edu or 541-440-4651

This column is one in a series of columns provided by the participating members of Live Well Douglas County.