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Blog archive

November 2024

Event of Remembrance
11/22/2024

Phishing Scams: What You Need to Know
11/22/2024

Pupusas Family Style: Another Adventurous Dining Winner
11/22/2024

Celebrating the Holidays
11/21/2024

Genealogy Group: Discovering Our Pasts
11/21/2024

Nathan Wolford – From Tragedy to Ministry
11/21/2024

Pasadena Village Board of Directors: A Brief Overview
11/21/2024

President's Message
11/21/2024

The Day of the Dead (Dia de muertos)/ Mexican Culture/Community
11/21/2024

Vintage Celebration: Aging Like a Fine Wine
11/21/2024

Review of Racism in Our Local Past
11/20/2024

Creative Juices Flow in The Village
11/19/2024

Checking In by Ed Rinderle
11/15/2024

Eagle Poem by Joy Harjo
11/15/2024

I Shall Forget You Presently, My Dear (Sonnet IV) by Edna St. Vincent Millay
11/15/2024

Pictures From Brueghel by William Carlos Williams
11/15/2024

October 2024

ARBORIST WALK: NOT FOR TREE HUGGERS ONLY!
10/29/2024

Bill Wishner: Visual Hunter
10/29/2024

Can a Village Group Fix Our Healthcare System?
10/29/2024

Community Board Directors Strengthen Village Board
10/29/2024

Connecting with Village Connections: The A, B, C, & D’s of Medicare @ 65+
10/29/2024

Grief is a Journey: Two Paths Taken
10/29/2024

Message from the President
10/29/2024

Promoting Informed & Involved Voters
10/29/2024

What Will Be Your Legacy?
10/29/2024

1619, Approaching the Election...
10/27/2024

Beyond and Within the Village - A Star is Born
10/17/2024

Happiness by Priscilla Leonard
10/11/2024

Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden
10/11/2024

Unpainted Door by Louise Gluck
10/11/2024

In the Evening by Billy Collins
10/10/2024

Wild Geese by Mary Oliver
10/10/2024

Betty Kilby, A Family History
10/01/2024

Betty Kilby, A Family History
10/01/2024

Betty Kilby, A Family History
10/01/2024

September 2024

August 2024

1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024

1619 Wide Ranging Interests
08/19/2024

First Anniversary
08/19/2024

Alexandra Leaving by Leonard Cohen
08/16/2024

Muse des Beaux Arts by W. H. Auden
08/16/2024

The God Abandons Antony by Constantinos P. Cavafy
08/16/2024

Ch – Ch – Ch –Changes
08/15/2024

Cultural Activities Team offers an ‘embarrassment of riches’
08/15/2024

Engaging in Pasadena Village
08/15/2024

Future Housing Options
08/15/2024

Message from the President
08/15/2024

There Are Authors Among Us
08/15/2024

Villagers Welcome New Members at the Tournament Park Picnic
08/15/2024

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas
08/14/2024

A narrow Fellow in the Grass by Emily Dickinson
08/13/2024

Haikus
08/13/2024

One Art by Elizabeth Bishop
08/13/2024

Poem 20 by Pablo Neruda
08/13/2024

Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
08/13/2024

Trees by Joyce Kilmer
08/13/2024

July 2024

June 2024

May 2024

Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready?
05/28/2024

Farewell from the 2023/24 Social Work Interns
05/28/2024

Gina on the Horizon
05/28/2024

Mark Your Calendars for the Healthy Aging Research California Virtual Summit
05/28/2024

Meet Our New Development Associate
05/28/2024

Putting the Strategic Plan into Practice
05/28/2024

Washington Park: Pasadena’s Rediscovered Gem
05/28/2024

Introducing Civil Rights Discussions
05/22/2024

Rumor of Humor #2416
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2417
05/14/2024

Rumor of Humor #2418
05/14/2024

Springtime Visitors
05/07/2024

Freezing for a Good Cause – Credit, That Is
05/02/2024

No Discussion Meeting on May 3rd
05/02/2024

An Apparently Normal Person Author Presentation and Book-signing
05/01/2024

Flintridge Center: Pasadena Village’s Neighbor That Changes Lives
05/01/2024

Pasadena Celebrates Older Americans Month 2024
05/01/2024

The 2024 Pasadena Village Volunteer Appreciation Lunch
05/01/2024

Woman of the Year: Katy Townsend
05/01/2024

April 2024

March 2024

February 2024

January 2024

Can a Village Group Fix Our Healthcare System?

By Ed Mervine
Posted: 10/29/2024
Tags: small group gatherings, ed mervine, newsletter november 2024

Much of the power and dynamism of the Village lies with its Small Group gatherings. The level of engagement, the enriching interpersonal and social interactions, the friendships formed, and the joy experienced is rarely matched in other settings. Perhaps most amazingly is how groups are formed. I’d like to tell you about one such group, the Wellness Practice Group that is just beginning to take shape. 

First, let’s talk about how and why the Wellness Practice Group got started. The American Healthcare system provides excellent training in Allopathic medicine and the treatment of acute conditions, but doctors receive far less training in treating chronic diseases like high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, depression, dementia and many more. It also provides an overwhelming amount of information but little help with understanding and implementation. Our system has a hole and we need to fill it.

The marketplace has tried to fill that void with hundreds of books, videos, supplements, alternative medicines, commercial wellness programs and wearables of one sort or another, all offering solutions and information frequently for a price. Like many of you, Ive read scores of books, articles and watched hundreds of videos on health and wellness—some confusing, some more useful than others. In each case, initial enthusiasm faded and efforts to make lifestyle changes and develop practices were abandoned for lack of motivation.

For the past 22 years, Ive attempted to manage my diabetes through products and services available in the marketplace and 10-15 minutes with a medical physician 2-3 times a year . . . essentially I tried to do it on my own with mixed results. There have been some successful years but there have been many more unsuccessful years. Heart attack and stroke remain a high risk for me. Fear, it seems, is not sufficient motivation to change. Something more is clearly needed. 

I had a couple Aha! moments after two recent experiences. The first was joining the Village in 2022 and experiencing the power of small gatherings, the Village’s secret sauce.  The second was reading Dr. Casey Means’ book: Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health. A Stanford MD and surgeon, Dr. Means left a traditional medical career to study the root causes of chronic illness and disease; the topics missing from her formal medical training. Her book includes an explanation of metabolic science and gives suggestions for our full participation in our own health management. I call her book a ‘Users Manual for the Human Body’, a guide to taking charge by focusing on Metabolic Health.

Over several of those famous Friday morning Village Urban walks, I talked about Dr. Means’ book to anyone willing to listen. In one of those conversations, someone suggested that Good Energy might interest one of the many Village book groups. From there it was a small leap to form a new group to read Good Energy and explore together implications for managing our own health. 

The Wellness Practice Group was conceived as a forum for exploring various practices and for offering support to our fellow participants as they develop and adopt a Wellness Plan that best fits their needs. A wellness practice is defined as the cultivation of those life skills and habits that produce good health, and the energy needed to be fully present, available, connected and engaged with our families, friends and communities. We have not come across other similar groups, so we are developing this as we go. Currently, meetings have two parts: Check-in and discussion of wellness related topics or practices. During check-in, we share updates and experiences from our own practices. 

We have had only four meetings to date, but participation has been spirited and enthusiastic.  Paula Rao said she joined the group because “I thought it was great example of how Villagers can support each other in important ways. Health and wellness is something we all want to strive for but sometimes we need more information or a boost from others to hold ourselves accountable.” Jim Hendrick briefly sums it up when he said he wanted to “build a healthy aging lifestyle.”

Kayla Partridge, new to the Village and the Wellness Group says she is interested in how to work with “anything that might make being independent less difficult…  starting with not falling, better driving and memory improvement.” These topics and more will be covered in future meetings.

Will a Village small gathering fix the healthcare system? Not likely but just maybe it might make managing our own health a little easier and a whole lot more fun.

We meet on the second and fourth Monday of each month and all Villagers are welcome.  If interested, please contact Ed Mervine for more information.

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