When Sue Chapman considered the best gadgets to represent Living Well Week March 12-18, she decided to go with a tape measure, the small roll of plastic and metal that takes the guesswork out of so many things.

Starting in 2002, Living Well Week is a time for special efforts to educate adults, youths and families on ways to better their lives inch by inch, dollar by dollar, day by day, said Chapman, a University of Georgia Cooperative Extension coordinator in the UGA College of Family and Consumer Sciences.

"For us, it's a time to recognize the work of our family and consumer sciences agents and other staff throughout Georgia who deliver our content," she said. "Basically, we offer educational programs and information using a holistic approach that improves the quality of life."

Measurements are needed for everything, she said, in "Raising Kids, Eating Right, Spending Smart and Living Well." That's the theme of Living Well Week.

"We're measuring the impact of chronic disease and nutrition for all families," said Nancy Bridges, an FCS Extension agent in Oglethorpe and Madison counties. She's also president of the Georgia Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.

From eating right to managing finances to raising teens, the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences is focusing on living well from March 12-18. "In housing, we're concentrating on energy conservation, home ownership, first-time home buyers, financial goals, family budgets and savings programs," Bridges said.

"For children," she said, "we're emphasizing training for child care providers and foster

parents to help them

not only to meet their training needs, but help make an impact on quality of care."