Drake University’s Employee Assistance Program through Employee and Family Resources (EFR) is continuing their free monthly webinar series on Aug. 26 with Welcome Back, Kind Of: The Age of Starting Over. The webinar addresses this question: Are you prepared for the seas of emotion you and your co-workers may experience as a result of the new and different practices and expectations in many workplaces post-pandemic? The webinar will explore how to shift your mindset and the different ways you can adapt to thrive.

And don’t forget to check out the full list of past EFR webinars available on demand. Topics range from healthy eating, sleep, and financial tips to fresh perspectives on personal growth.

In addition to webinars, EFR offers a variety of employee support resources, including counseling and coaching sessions.  You may reach EFR by phone (800-327-4692) or visit their website. EFR is a great benefit for Drake employees and their family members. All EFR benefits are confidential and available 24/7/365.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

August is National Wellness Month. Here are Griff II’s top five tips for promoting self-care, managing stress, and promoting healthy routines.

Drink More Water: Whether canine or human, hydration is important for the mind and body—especially during the dog days of summer. Water is key to digestion, moving nutrients through your body, lubricating your joints, helping keep your skin clear, and can help with weight loss—if that is a goal of yours.

Play Outside More: Fresh air is good for the body and mind. Spending time in nature has been shown to lower blood pressure and heart rate, manage stress, improve memory, and elevate your mood.

Go for a W-A-L-K: Walking is simple, free, and it benefits you in many ways–it benefits your mental health, helps manage weight, gives you more energy, and assists with pain management. If you are not a regular walker, now is a great time to start. Just a 30 minute walk a day will render benefits.

Take a BIIIIIIG Stretch: Griff II strongly recommends that you start each day with a good stretch. Regular stretching helps preserve mobility, keeps your muscles flexible, and protects your joints and muscles from injury. Griff II suggests, and experts at Harvard Medical School agree, you focus on your lower extremities (calves, hamstrings, hip flexors in the pelvis and quadriceps in the front of the thigh).

Take a Snooze: Sleep plays a huge factor in our mental and physical well-being. Making sure you get enough sleep will help you keep your weight steady, reduce your risk of depression, help manage anxiety, keep your memory sharp, and your immune system strong. Griff II recommends you maintain a pattern of going to bed at night and getting up in the morning around the same time every day. We’re creatures of habit—this is a good habit to cultivate.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Employees who participated in Drake’s Health Plan between Sept. 1, 2015, through Oct. 16, 2020, may be eligible to receive payment from a Blue Cross Blue Shield class action settlement.  If you are an eligible class member, you will be contacted by JND Legal Administration.

If you think you may be an eligible class member or have questions regarding this class action settlement, please contact JND Legal Administration:

Website: www.BCBSsettlement.com
Email: info@BCBSsettlement.com
Phone: (888) 681-1142
Address: Blue Cross Blue Shield Settlement
c/o JND Legal Administration
P.O. Box 91390
Seattle, WA 98111

— Marlene Heuertz, Human Resources

Polk County is offering a vaccine lottery to help boost COVID-19 vaccination rates.  From June 15 through Aug. 22 individuals who have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson) can register at ImmunizePolk.org for a chance to win prizes.

If an individual’s name is drawn, they will receive a cash prize once they are fully vaccinated (2 doses of Pfizer/Moderna or 1 dose of Johnson & Johnson).  Participants must be 18 years of age or older and residents of Polk County.

Cash prize drawings will be held weekly starting June 25. Every Friday 10 $1,000 prizes will be drawn, and every other Friday one $50,000 prize and one $5,000 scholarship in addition to the 10 $1,000 prizes will be drawn.

For more details, go to ImmunizePolk.org.

As a reminder, all Iowans 12 years of age and older are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The University strongly encourages any member of the Drake community who qualifies for immunization to receive it as soon as possible.

Faculty and staff should submit documentation showing completion of their vaccination series to contacttracing@drake.edu. The University is monitoring vaccination rates on campus and in the surrounding community as it makes decisions related to COVID-19 policies for the summer and fall.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

As a reminder, employees on Drake’s health plan who complete an annual physical with a Primary Care Provider (PCP) will receive a reduction in their health insurance premiums.

To receive the wellness health insurance premium discount in 2022, employees on Drake’s health plan need to complete a physical with a Primary Care Provider (PCP) between Dec. 1, 2020, and Nov. 30, 2021, and submit a Physician Exam Completion Form by Dec. 2, 2021.  This is the only option to receive the discount in 2022.

Besides receiving a premium discount, an annual physical is a great way to receive important health information through age and gender specific examinations, schedule recommended preventative screenings, and create a doctor-patient relationship.

If you have not scheduled your annual physical yet with your primary care provider, you are encouraged to do so as soon as possible.

Please send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu with questions.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

As communicated in an email to campus on May 19, Old Main is currently running on a back-up generator due to a bad transformer. As a result, Human Resources will have limited in-person office hours from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. through Tuesday, June 1.

Human Resources can be reached anytime during business hours (8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.) through Microsoft Teams, phone, and email.

For questions, contact drakehr@drake.edu. 

— Debra Wiley, Human Resources

The Drake University Home Incentive Purchase Plan provides financial support to full-time Drake employees who purchase an owner-occupied, single-family dwelling in the Drake neighborhood. Drake University will provide up to $3,500 for reimbursement of loan origination fees and/or closing costs for purchases made adjacent to campus.

View additional information about the program, including applicable boundaries.

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Join HR in June for virtual HealthyU BINGO. The goal is to fill up a blank BINGO card (or two) throughout the month of June with healthy activities completed from a provided list. At the end of the month, participants will be invited to meet virtually, over Microsoft Teams, to play multiple rounds of HealthyU BINGO for prizes. Family members are invited to play as well.

You are welcome to fill out the HealthyU BINGO card without playing the BINGO games, but who doesn’t like playing BINGO!

To get started, send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu. Deadline to register is Friday, May 28. All participants will receive an email with an attached packet that includes directions, a list of HealthyU BINGO activities, and a blank BINGO card. You are welcome to make multiple copies of this card.

Please feel free to reach out with questions. This is a great event for the whole family!

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Play virtual HealthyU BINGO in June. The goal is to fill up a blank BINGO card (or two) with healthy activities completed from a provided list. At the end of the month, participants will be invited to meet virtually, over Microsoft Teams, to play multiple rounds of HealthyU BINGO for prizes.  Family members are invited to play as well.

You are welcome to fill out the HealthyU BINGO card without playing the BINGO games, but who doesn’t like playing BINGO!

To get started, send an email to linda.feiden@drake.edu. Deadline to register is Friday, May 28. All participants will receive an email with an attached packet that includes directions, a list of HealthyU BINGO activities, and a blank BINGO card. You are welcome to make multiple copies of this card.

Please feel free to reach out with questions. This is a great event for the whole family!

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources

Are you feeling overwhelmed by work or is your work-life balance out of whack? Have you skipped out on vacation plans this past year? If so, you are not alone. But there are many health benefits to taking vacation time and completely disconnecting from work.

Cut your risk for a heart attack. Taking vacation to get away and spend time with loved ones can lower your blood pressure and the risk of a heart attack. That alone should be a wake-up call.

Reduce stress. Sounds obvious, but it needs to be heard.  Vacations can reduce stress.  Even knowing that a vacation is coming can keep stress at bay.  And studies find that the effects can last beyond the duration of the vacation.

Better sleep. Restless nights and disrupted sleep are common complaints, often stemming from the fact that we simply have too much on our minds.  Taking a vacation can help interrupt the habits that disrupt sleep, like working late on your laptop before bed.

Increase happiness. The first big boost in happiness comes from planning the vacation.  A person can feel the effects up to eight weeks before the trip.  The more active you are with your leisure time, and the more control you have over your free time, the happier and more satisfied you will be.  And when you come back to work, the ‘good vibes’ you bring back from vacation rub off on the people around you, creating a ‘viral happiness pandemic’.  That’s a pandemic we can get behind!

Improve productivity and decrease burnout. You need time to mentally recharge in order to stay sharp and engaged.  Vacations help restock your energy storage, and reduce burnout, making it easier to tackle projects.  Relaxation can also increase your creativity.  You often get those ‘aha’ moments when your mind is relaxed.

As summer approaches, if you’ve been putting off your vacation, think again. Take some time off for your health and wellbeing.  It’s good for everyone!

— Linda Feiden, Human Resources