Our Tennessee

Wellness is more than physical or mental health. It’s having what you need to live well—care, connection, purpose and security. Well-being isn’t just personal. It’s something we build together. Read the full issue: our.tennessee.edu

Almost 60 million people take care of an adult as a primary caregiver in the U.S., according to Keith Dooley, @utmartin chair of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences. To sustain a caregiver’s role, people have to take care of themselves. 🔗 bit.ly/4bjKri4

Center for Industrial Services Health and Safety Consultant Aaron Gillespie leads a lithium-ion battery safety class for several East Tennessee fire departments. Learn safety tips from IPS: bit.ly/3YVooXD

Drink Water. Read Poetry. Be Well. is just the beginning of what’s possible when pairing wellness and the humanities. That day, all 80 bottles that Jessica Conrad had set out were gone. Each one carried a powerful reminder for @UT_Southern students. 🔗 bit.ly/3Z3yJke

President Randy Boyd shares his thoughts on wellness with UT alumni. “Wellness isn’t just about physical or mental health. It’s about having what you need to live well—food, care, purpose, connection and security." – @UT_President Randy Boyd. 🔗 bit.ly/4709bc2

A photo by Steven Bridges sets the scene in the Winter issue. Smokey, the mascot, high-fives a student during a campus event at UT Knoxville.

Your paycheck deserves a plan. Learn from UT Extension’s Christopher Sneed on budgeting, saving and smart spending—because every dollar has a purpose. Watch the full video: bit.ly/4rUVnbv

Anyone who’s ever locked eyes with their dog after a long day or felt their cat curl up just when they needed comfort knows this truth: Animals get us,” says Pam Linden, interim director of the UT Center for Veterinary Social Work. Read her full letter: bit.ly/3ND1iCF

Using principles of positive psychology grounded in the PERMA Model of Well-Being, @UTKnoxville wants to help students thrive in every aspect of their lives. PERMA stands for positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning and accomplishments. 🔗 bit.ly/3LO3wi2

Lithium-ion batteries supply power to many of the devices humans depend on. However, if they are damaged or aren’t used or disposed of correctly, they can catch fire or explode. That’s where @UT_IPS consultants step in to help. 🔗 bit.ly/3YVooXD

Dr. Jessi Gold, the UT System’s first chief wellness officer, says wellness should sit at every table, not just in health offices. She treats wellness as practical, everyday work. Not an optional perk. Read about her approach to wellness: bit.ly/4bjpN1r

Growing up in a rural town, Kaylen Hamlen saw that needs weren’t always met when it came to health care. When she heard about @UTChattanooga MobileMOC outreach health clinic on wheels, she saw it as a way to help create positive change. 🔗 bit.ly/4qHo4rK

The first clues came as bookkeeping errors. Then came the blackout while driving to a tennis match. After a battery of tests, doctors diagnosed Margaret Vaughn with Alzheimer’s disease, a form of dementia. Read “Be Kind To Yourself:” bit.ly/4bjKri4

On one of the first sunny days last Spring, virologist Colleen Jonsson sat outside her office building at @UTHSC, face up to the sun. “You have to get your sun,” she says to a passerby. Jonsson learned the value of self-care like this the hard way. 🔗 bit.ly/3O5aoYT

Jessica Conrad, chair of the School of Arts and Humanities at @UT_Southern, circled the date—Oct. 10, World Mental Health Day—on her calendar. She hosted an event called Drink Water. Read Poetry. Be Well. Read more: bit.ly/3Z3yJke

Our Tennessee honors the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. on this national day of service.

Our thoughts are with the Haslam family.

That’s it. That’s the post. (But you’ll want to check back.) 😏 The winter edition of Our Tennessee is almost here.

New year. New energy. New stories. Something good for your mind, body and soul is brewing at Our Tennessee. Any guesses? 👀

A photo by Angela Foster (@UTChattanooga) sets the scene in our latest issue. It features UTC student Anna Schafer searching for plants during a field botany class near the Chickamauga Dam. Get lost in pages filled with beautiful scenes at bit.ly/3JnzFvv.