CARING FOR THE WHOLE PERSON
   SPIRIT   -  MIND   -   BODY

The Health and Wellness Committee has chosen to focus on evidence-based practices and programs for Older Adults.  Given the broad range of topics that can be captured within the topic of "Health and Wellness", the committee has chosen to break down this range into the categories of "Spirit, Mind, and Body".  That said, we also firmly acknowledge that the boundaries of research and program development are arbitrary, but we as complex humans are not so clearly bounded within these arbitrary definitions.  Our minds and our thought processes are informed by our Spirits and our Bodies, and our Bodies are clearly impacted by our thoughts, our spiritual beliefs and our emotional well-being.

What is Evidence-Based?
In the health care field, evidence-based practice (or practices), also called EBP or EBPs, generally refers to approaches to prevention or treatment that are validated by some form of documented scientific evidence.  What counts as "evidence" varies.  Evidence often is defined as findings established through scientific research, such as controlled clinic studies, but other methods of establishing evidence are considered valid as well.  Evidence-based practice stands in contrast to approaches that are based on tradition, convention, belief, or anecdotal evidence. 

The expertise, experience and judgment of practitioners are also valuable in providing the best care for individuals.  For this reason, many organizations have adopted definitions of evidence-based practice that emphasize balancing the "scientific" with the "practical."

CARING FOR THE WHOLE PERSON...SPIRIT

As physical abilities diminish, spiritual capacity increases.   Harvesting the spiritual energy of the elder not only prepares the soul for the ultimate developmental milestone of death, this energy can be harnessed and re-routed into essential areas of service:  planetary stewardship, spokesmanship for peace and justice, unconditional love for vulnerable populations.

The evidence-based parameters set by this committee preclude inclusion of many promising spiritual practices.  Although most spiritual practices have not been validated as evidence based, some of them have, partially because the links between emotional and spiritual wellness are clear.  The field of integrative medicine acknowledges the role that faith and spirituality play in the elder's health, wellness and healing. Human wellness interconnects spirit/body/relationships/mind/environments.  The challenge to quantify the effectiveness of any single intervention or practice is significant in an integrated model.

While science learns to measure the role of the transcendental, and while we search for these findings, Silverprint's Health and Wellness Committee offers this suggestion to the wise elder:  relish this time of life, focus on what you still do well, what you can still contribute.  If your spiritual regimen is working for you, keep it up!  If it's not, seek fellowship with those who will support you as you do the work to become a wise elder. Colorado has many options for the senior who seeks a spiritual path.

CARING FOR THE WHOLE PERSON...MIND

There is no doubt that a person's mental well-being is directly tied to physical and spiritual well-being.  Research abounds substantiating this connection: There are Evidence-Based Programs and activities available that demonstrate this interconnectedness.  The information on this portion of the Silverprint site will include links to mental health and wellness, and will include clinical descriptions of mental health conditions as well as self-help and treatment information for the consumer as well as clinician; and state and national community resource links.

CARING FOR THE WHOLE PERSON...BODY

Health and wellness for the body incorporates an entire spectrum of healthy living. More than just freedom from disease, healthy aging promotes actions taken to maintain, attain, or regain good health and prevent illness. Some components include healthy eating, physical activity and exercise, caregiver health, fall prevention, and others.