Create your own Blue Zone 5.16 on witf
Don’t worry, be happy,eat well and live longer.That’s the essential message behindDan Buettner’sbestsellers “The Blue Zones”and“Thrive.”He studied places around the globe that feature a high concentration of centenarians to unlock the keys to their longevity. We’ll talk to him tonight at 8 onSmart Talkand then explore what’s happening right now in Central Pennsylvania communities to get us moving more, eating healthier, being more joyful and living longer. Post a comment below, or onFacebookorTwitter, to join the conversation.
Every generation in every culture around the world searches for the elusive key to a long and fulfilling life. The truth is there isn’t one key. There are multiple ways to unlocka longer, healthier and morejoyful life. Mike Ridgeway of theCoalition for a Bicycle-Friendly Lancasterwill join us tonight. He literally wants to get people moving. Ridgeway leads an effort to encourage bike riding as an alternative to cars, vans and trucks. Regional cooperationcould create safe bike lanes and bike-friendly routes, and when necessary, convince mass transit agencies and Amtrak to allow commuters to bring their bikes onboard. He says bicyclingcuts pollution, trims waistlines and reduces stress. But first, we have to surmount some bureaucratic speed bumps.
“We have a geographic challenge in Central Pennsylvania,” Ridgeway contends. “Number one is metro planning. We have about five different planning organizations – York, Tri-County, Lebanon Valley, Lancaster – and they do not always agree regionally on a transportation corridor. We have to have the culture and political will, the leadership, to encourage this change in behavior.”
Dr. Jennifer Chambers, vice president and chief medical director of Capital Blue Cross, says the workplace can play a central role in leading the transformationto healthy living and greater longevity. The U.S. healthcare system, under theimpetus of the Affordable Care Act, is shifting from a reactive approach to disease treatment to one that emphasizes early intervention and prevention. Dr. Chambers believes the Blue Zones’Power 9 principles offervital guideposts tobetter health outcomes. She’ll share some of the successes Capital Blue Cross has had with major employers to nurture healthier workplaces and improve employees’ productivity and well-being. What’s good for the waistline, it seems, is good for the bottomline.
Erin Shrader, R.N., is a nurse care manager at WellSpan Health’s“Bridges to Health”program. Patients who are considered“superutilizers”are invited to participate in the program. These are patients whose medical expenses each year exceed $50,000 and who often require treatment in the emergency room — one of the most expensive places in the hospital. They are assigned a health care team including a doctor, a nurse, a social worker and a health coach. The team’s goal is to better serve the individual’s medical needs while driving down the cost of his or her care. A member of the team is available to the patient 24/7, and can even make house calls. Shrader is a big proponent of the Blue Zones’ principles and says the Bridges’ staff encourages family and community connections to bolster the well-being of their patients.
We’d love to hear your thoughts on the key to longevity and a healthier Pennsylvania. Join the conversation!
