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© Copyright 2000 Rogers Media. The following article first appeared in the March 2000 edition of
BENEFITS CANADA magazine.
Better late than never
Wellness programs can make a difference to all of your plan members. Old and young alike.
BY ED BUFFETT
Last month in this space, it was suggested that wellness programs won't be of much help to an older
employee already living the consequences of his or her lifestyle. As a 56-year old male suffering from
coronary heart disease, you can imagine my sense of helplessness when I read this statement. For over five
years, I have stopped smoking cigarettes, altered my diet, walked two-and-a-half miles each day and have
striven to achieve greater balance and manage stress more effectively. Had all my efforts been for naught?
As a vocal proponent of wellness, had I inadvertently allowed my enthusiasm to create false hope for
others?
After reflecting on the contents of the article for a few days, I decided to conduct some research. I began
by accessing our corporate wellness database in an effort to allay my fears. Much to my relief, affirmation
of my belief in the benefits of wellness for those my age or older, and in a similar state of health, was
virtually instantaneous.
The first article I perused was published in the Journal of The American Medical Association last
December. This article detailed Dr. Dean Ornish's most recent study demonstrating that the progression of
even the severest coronary heart disease can often be reversed by making comprehensive changes in diet and
lifestyle. In fact, the study showed an even greater reversal of the disease after five years (compared to
after just one year). Perhaps as significant, the article went on to point out that older patients improve
as much as younger ones.
I then went to the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health Newsletter, and
reviewed an article in the December 1999 issue which pointed out that individuals aged 60 and older are at
higher risk for heart disease and stroke than the population at large. Moreover, the article contends that
it is never too late to quit smoking, and that if blood cholesterol levels are high, one should consider
cholesterol lowering medication. Studies for these drugs show the same benefits for older and younger
people.
LIFESTYLE BENEFITS
Encouraged, but not totally satisfied, I placed a call to my good friend Dr. John Kelton, professor and
chair of the department of medicine at the McMaster University Faculty of Health Sciences.
I asked John: "Do people over 55 with chronic conditions other than heart disease benefit from
employer-sponsored wellness programs and the adoption of healthier lifestyles?"
His response was unequivocal. "Ed, it is never too late to derive some benefit from a healthier lifestyle.
Quitting smoking, a healthy diet, regular exercise, the acquisition of stress management skills and
psycho-social skills are of benefit to all of us, but particularly to those who are over 55 and are
suffering from coronary heart disease, cancer, diabetes, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,
stress and depression.
"Furthermore, those who are 55 and over, and have chronic medical conditions such as bronchitis, emphysema,
heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease and cancer, are at much higher risk for the flu, and certainly
should be encouraged to get their flu shots annually," he said.
According to Dr. Kelton, the suggestion that wellness programs will not be of much help to older employees
already living the consequences of an unhealthy lifestyle just doesn't hold water. It flies in the face of
the current medical revolution towards wellness and maintenance of health.
Ed Buffett is chairman and chief executive officer of Buffett Taylor & Associates Ltd. in Whitby, Ont.
He is also chairman of the Wellness Councils of Canada.
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