Healing Journeys: Baby boomers have programs to stay healthy

In Nevada County, we have a large population of elders and the leading edge of the baby boomers. They are beginning to feel the aches and pains of living an active life and are looking for ways to age gracefully. Since 2000, The Wellness Center, Debbie Wagner, RN, and Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital have helped patients move from health crisis to preventative medicine.

I interviewed Debbie Wagner and two teachers, Neil Massoud, the pharmacy manager at the hospital and Judith Pruess-Mellow, senior expert about two upcoming classes on aging.



Debbie, What was the impetus to start a Wellness Center at the hospital?

The Wellness Center idea came from many sources including: our employees, our physicians, and the realities of today's healthcare system. Participation in wellness and preventative health activities help improve the quality of life, avoid injury and illness and reduce the potential healthcare costs for the individual and the community.



What has been the response and benefit of the Wellness Center?

More than 10,000 community members have attended programs including those for employees, community education, health fairs, seminars, on-site visits and screenings for businesses, and schools. The 6th annual Kids Fun Run to promote Healthy Children is one of our programs, and we work with schools to promote Health Care Careers for Students.

We also collaborate with the SNMH Cardiac Rehab Center and Sierra Nevada Memorial Cancer Center to promote health and wellness in the community. We now offer many classes including Smoking Cessation, Weight Management, Nutrition, Asthma Education, Diabetes Education, Pre-Natal Classes, Yoga, Herbal Health, Prevention of Memory Loss, and classes for Seniors.



Neil, the name of your class, "Can you be 60 and look 30?" will make many baby boomers and perhaps their parents take notice - what is the class about?

The class focuses on ways to slow down the aging process. Information is provided as to medical data and complementary data. The class starts out with the basics, then further discusses specific areas, like: skin care, the eyes (e.g., can you prevent glaucoma), non-drug ways to help control cholesterol, blood pressure, and newer articles you have read in the paper (cinnamon for modifying cholesterol). We investigate what the current theories of aging are and if they can be modified. We provide a list of the best books and Internet web pages, on the subject of aging. The class is a little unusual in that it tries to combine the best of both worlds: traditional therapies along with complementary therapies, which are clinically driven and evidence based. Handouts are provided for you and your physician.



What are some important factors to consider about aging?

I think we are in an era of change. In the past we have had minimal evidence based data on the aging process and health in general. At the present, there is fairly good data to support the need for a yearly physical (very important to get the base-line for your health), but requesting a greater degree of review than we have in the past, meaning basic preventative disease management. This needs to start from primary care through elder care. The physician, pharmacist, and nurse practitioner need to be your coach as to what the basics are, and what the newer evidence is, as it evolves.



Neil Massoud, Pharm.D; MBA, FCCP will teach "Can You Be 60 & Look 30?" Tuesday, Sept. 19th, from 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., Registration required, 274-6124. www.snmh.org/calendar.php



Judith - what was the impetus for creating workshops on aging?

The negative views of aging in our culture, and the resultant depression in 20 percent of older adults was part of the reason. Two non-profit agencies created "Coming Fully Alive as You Age," a series of interactive workshops which have been held at many different Senior Centers.



What kinds of information will people be able to learn at your workshop?

The participants will examine their own and cultural images of aging; explore what gives them meaning in life and aging as a spiritual journey; learn about the uplifting power of humor and various ways of "Being Fully Alive in Mind, Body, and Spirit." Works by Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, Dr. Andrew Weil, Dr. Marian Diamond and Dr. Walter Bortz have excellent suggestions on how to become a "Sage" and discern your own wisdom; how to eat more of a Mediterranean diet for long life, how to establish a more balanced lifestyle, including meditation; how to do physical and intellectual exercises for brain fitness; and exercise and toning for body fitness in later life. Each of the four class sessions involves lecture and small group discussion.



How does one remain "Fully Alive?" What are some secrets to healthy living?

The bottom line for a positive aging experience is in one's attitude: In this course, we teach that you do have much control over the quality of your later years. Anytime you do something in a new way, choose fresh fruit over a sugary dessert, go for a walk rather than sit on the couch, reminisce about elders you admire, do four fun things a day, and laugh just for the sake of it, you are adding some 'life to your years.'

Judith Pruess-Mellow, Ph.D., M.Div., Executive Director of Senior New Ways will be teaching Being Fully Alive, each Friday in October, from 3-4:30 p.m. Registration required. For more information, call 274-6124 or visit www.snmh.org/calendar.php

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Suzie Daggett is the publisher of the INSIGHT Directory of Healing Arts Practitioners; she can be reached at (530) 265-9255 or www.insightdirectory.com