Older Adult Community Centers: Building Powerful Connections

Catherine Brown believes that her job saves lives, but she doesn’t work in an emergency room. As the Director of the West Oak Lane Older Adult Center in Philadelphia, Brown coordinates activities that help older adults connect with each other. Together with her staff, Brown encourages social interaction in a population that often feels alone.

Loneliness can affect your mental and physical health. Studies show that loneliness increases a person’s risk of premature death from all causes. It increases your risk of stroke by 32 percent and your risk of dementia by 50 percent.

But the West Oak Lane Older Adult Center participants are too busy dancing, playing cards, shooting pool, and talking with friends to worry about that.

Older adult community centers help reduce loneliness. They offer a place to connect with others through a variety of fun, engaging activities. “Our place is beautiful and inviting,” Brown says. “People can check their issues at the door, come in, and have a good time. Having purpose every day, getting up and going to something you enjoy keeps the blues away.”

Something for Everyone

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation operates six older adult centers in the city. These centers are open to adults 55 years of age and older. On any given day, more than 100 people come to the West Oak Lane Older Adult Center. Each center has a schedule of activities that reflect the culture of the community. Brown encourages members to share their talents with each other and start clubs based on common interests.

“We have a sewing class where they make their own clothes. We did a Black History Month program where they made African head wraps and did a fashion show of what they made during the year. Some have started jewelry and crafting businesses,” Brown says.

The Next Part of Life

At work, people talk to each other, so connections form easily. But when people retire, those daily interactions are lost. For many older adults, retirement comes with different emotions. What often starts as excitement can turn to sadness, boredom, or loneliness. Brown adds, “If we’re not careful, that loneliness starts to feel heavy, like depression and its friend anxiety. We must get out and figure out what’s the next part of life.”

The West Oak Lane Older Adult Center helps people make new connections. “When people know that someone else cares, that someone literally has eyes on [them], they feel that [they are] going to be okay because [they are] interacting with another human. That in and of itself wakes up their happy, it wakes up their connection to others,” Brown says.

A Second Home

David Powell of Wyncote says the center gives him an opportunity to relax. “I am a Vietnam veteran, and I suffer from post‑traumatic stress,” he says. “So, it really helped my mental health a lot. You know, just being here around good people, happy people.”

Lafayette Daily, 91, of North Philadelphia agrees. “This is my second home. I just like the atmosphere. I like the folks here. It’s just a nice place to be.” He’s been coming to the center since 1997 and enjoys playing pool, cards, and checkers. “Coming to the senior center makes my day. Day in and day out. I just wish it was [open] more than five days [a week].”

Brown experienced first-hand the powerful difference the center can make on someone’s life.

“My mother was a beautician who had depression since childhood,” Brown says. “After a while, she stopped taking her medicine and bottomed out. I was able to bring her here and she came back around, got involved with chair exercise, and slowly but surely, she got her confidence back to drive. She went on a picnic, we played volleyball, and she sat at the card tables. After that, she would come on Mondays for lunch. So, when I say, ‘this place saves lives’, I know.”

Not Just Fun and Games

Older adult community centers are a lifeline for connection and support, with fun activities that can improve the physical, mental, and social well-being of older adults. Many centers also offer a wide range of services like meal programs, transportation assistance, public benefits counseling, and volunteer opportunities. Older adults can get more information about community centers in their area and the vital services they provide by checking out their state’s Department of Aging website.

For more information about mental health, self-care strategies, and where to find help, visit ibx.com/knowyourmind.

Conscious Queens

Event Time: May 25, 2023 4:30 pm

Event Location:

Finley Recreation Center, 7701 Mansfield Ave., Philadelphia 19150

> More Information

The City of Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Ability Services will host an educational workshop to promote wellness for girls of color. The workshop will focus on techniques to manage anger, anxiety, and traumatic encounters. Activities will include mindfulness, group discussion, therapeutic techniques, music, interactive engagement, yoga and more.

Interact Family Fair

Event Time: May 13, 2023 11:00 am

Event Location:

7372 Henry Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19128

> More Information

The Interact Family Fair promotes mental health awareness and connects local youth to summer camps, summer jobs, and apprenticeships. Free mental health screenings and resources will be available.

Black Women’s Wellness Forum & Expo

Event Time: May 6, 2023 11:00 am

Event Location:

5818 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19144

More information or email sistersofservice23@gmail.com

This free event provides resources and panel discussions on topics that impact Black women, including maternal health, organ donor awareness, long-term COVID, and more. Community Council Health Systems will provide free mental health screenings.

Relaxing in Philadelphia Parks: Find Peace in Nature

“I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.”
– John Muir (1838-1914), Naturalist, “Father of the National Parks”

Spending time in nature is a great way to relax and reconnect with your inner self. Did you know that Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park is the largest landscaped urban park in the world? Its system of 63 parks occupies nearly 9,600 acres. That’s a lot of space to enjoy the outdoors.

And Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, which manages all the parks in the city, offers a roster of activities that’s just as impressive.

The Power of Parks

As Muir stated, being in nature, among trees, woods, and rivers, has powerful effects on our well-being. Parks are places of serenity that lift our spirits, inspire creativity, and provide quiet spaces for reflection.

In addition to the parks, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation manages more than 150 recreational centers where people of all ages and abilities can connect while participating in healthy indoor and outdoor activities.

“Whether you’re five years old or 65 years old, that shared sense of community is valuable,” says Commissioner Kathryn Ott Lovell. “Parks & Rec is among the city’s most valued services because it connects us to green space, to coaches and mentors, and to each other with activities that promote both our physical and mental health.”

Good for Your Body and Your Mind

Being outdoors — whether playing sports, exploring trails, or enjoying a picnic — is a great way to support mental health and wellness. And, in most cases, it’s no- or low-cost.

“The physiological response to being outside in nature is real, and it’s measurable,” says Michelle Kondo, a research social scientist with the USDA Forest Service. Studies show that being in nature reduces stress, cortisol levels, muscle tension, and heart rate – all of which are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Being in nature is also restorative. It can help us unwind, relax, and refocus.

Build Your Social Network Outdoors, Not Online

Sometimes, being outside can lead to unexpected connections.

Teenagers, for example, are often a hard-to-reach group that faces a lot of mental health challenges. But Ott Lovell said that connecting with teens can be as simple as walking in the park. “Some rec centers host teen walking clubs where participants share things with group leaders that they might not have said face-to-face or indoors. When they were walking along the trail, teens were more willing to engage in real conversations about important issues,” Ott Lovell said.

Something for Everyone

Whether you’re into biking, hiking, or learning about local plants and trees, there are hundreds of healthy activities sponsored by Philadelphia Parks & Recreation that can boost your mood. Other offerings include swimming sites for Philadelphians with physical disabilities, a wide variety of indoor and outdoor activities for seniors (including the popular Philadelphia Senior Games), and a week-long summer camp in the Pocono Mountains for city youth.

Sheep Shearing Day at Fox Chase Farm? Coffee with the Birds at Wissahickon Environmental Education Center? A summer job as a lifeguard? Volunteering at a community garden? Sign us up!

For more information about mental health, self-care strategies, and where to find help, visit ibx.com/knowyourmind.

Original photo: Daniel Knoll for VISIT PHILADELPHIA®

Trigger Film Available for Viewing

“Trigger,” is now available for viewing via PBS/WHYY. This impactful documentary was produced by DBHIDS as part of the Engaging Males of Color Initiative. “Trigger” aims to create a safe and inclusive space for discussions about hope, help, and healing, while also addressing the critical issue of reducing stigma surrounding mental health. You can catch “Trigger” on WHYY, the public broadcasting station, until Nov. 12. Click to view “Trigger” and join us in making a difference in our community’s mental health awareness.

2023 Philly Spring Cleanup

Event Date and Time: April 1, 2023 9:00am-2:00pm

Rain Date: April 15, 2023

Event Location: Various Locations

>More Information

The Streets Department is excited to announce the 16th annual Philly Spring Cleanup (PSC), its signature event that has served as the City’s largest cleanup event taking place citywide in a single day. Boost your mood and meet new people while cleaning up Philly! Residents can register as a volunteer for an existing project at phillyspringcleanup.com

Make Your Mood Bloom: Mental Health Benefits of Gardening

Since the days of the visionary nurse Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), people have used gardens to promote healing and reduce stress. What is it about a garden that lifts our spirits, and how can gardening improve our mental health?

Studies show that observing nature or even images of natural scenes have positive effects on our mood and mental health. Patients who can see plants from their hospital rooms need less pain medication and have fewer surgical complications. Hospital courtyard gardens lift the spirits of patients, visitors, and staff.

Gardening is great for your mind and your body. Activities like digging and weeding build strength and dexterity. They can also increase focus and decrease anxiety and depression. Outdoor gardening exposes you to sunlight, which increases vitamin D levels. This can help lower your blood pressure and heart rate.

Even Better with Others

While gardening offers a lot of personal benefits, it doesn’t need to be a solitary activity.

Working with neighbors to beautify a park, school, or other outdoor space can increase community pride. It can also restore social connections that may have been lost during the pandemic.

Community vegetable gardens are growing in popularity. They provide nutritious food for people who live in food deserts or are struggling with food insecurity. And growing food is good for you, too. Studies show people who grow food tend to make healthier food choices.

“Gardening is an all-ages activity, but it’s a great activity for seniors,” says geriatrician and Independence Blue Cross Medical Director for Government Markets Heidi J. Syropoulos, M.D. “Most people think of gardening as an outdoor activity. But gardening is also watering houseplants, growing fresh microgreens on a kitchen windowsill, or tending strawberry bushes on your porch. You get physical and mental health benefits from plants, regardless of whether they are indoors or outside.”

No Green Thumb Necessary

Some people have a talent for growing plants. If that’s not you, don’t worry. Gardening websites and home and garden centers can help you find your inner green thumb.

Seed mats make it easy to grow flowers or veggies. These thin sheets have seeds woven into them. You put the sheet in dirt, cover it with soil, and water as directed. In a few weeks, you have a beautiful garden. If you need something easier, mini-cactus blooms can brighten your space and your mood.

A Local Tradition

In our region, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) promotes horticulture – the science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, and plants – to advance the health and well-being of the people of Philadelphia. The PHS plans and oversees the Philadelphia Flower Show, which is the largest, longest-running horticultural event in the country. In addition to working throughout the year to maintain free public gardens in more than 250 neighborhoods, PHS offers educational activities for gardeners of all levels.

Gardening improves your mental and physical health. Whether it provides a creative outlet, a chance to strengthen community ties, or a way to brighten your home and mood, the benefits of gardening keep blossoming.

For more information about mental health, self-care strategies, and where to find help, visit ibx.com/knowyourmind.

Making Sure the Kids Are Alright

It’s a question parents, teachers, and researchers alike are asking. The COVID-19 pandemic robbed many teens and young adults of precious learning and socializing time. Add to that the challenge of not having enough mental health providers to meet the demand for counseling, and you’ve got a serious problem.

According to the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, the pandemic led to a decline in kids’ overall mental health. But that impact varies, depending on factors including age, family circumstances, and preexisting conditions.

Results from a 2021 National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that nearly half of kids ages 12 to 17 who had a major depressive episode (MDE) in the past year said the pandemic negatively impacted their mental health either “quite a bit or a lot.” That’s concerning because only 12.4 percent of their peers without an MDE reported similar levels of impact.

Not a New Problem

Although the pandemic may have put a spotlight on teen mental health, rates of depression and anxiety in children have risen steadily in the last ten years. Many experts think this trend is unlikely to improve without rethinking how we approach teen mental health care. As a result, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now recommends regular anxiety screenings for children ages 8 to 18 and regular depression screenings for adolescents ages 12 to 18.

The Power of School Connection

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the most important factors in boosting students’ emotional resilience is “school connectedness.” This is the feeling of being supported and belonging at school. Students who felt connected to adults and peers at school were significantly less likely to report feelings of sadness or hopelessness.

Experts believe that students can benefit from multiple support systems in school. But given the shortage of available counselors, only about half of U.S. public schools offer mental health assessments, and even fewer offer treatment services.

In Philadelphia’s public schools, the STEP Program provides mental and behavioral health and social services to students and families. The school district works with the Mayor’s Office of Education, Community Behavioral Health, Drexel Community Partners, and the Department of Human Services to provide this support.

At the state level, Pennsylvania recently made $190 million available for school mental health and safety programs for the 2022‒23 school year. Districts that applied by August could receive a base grant of $100,000 for safety and security improvements, with another $100,000 for mental health programs and training. Additional funding may be available based on population.

“What we need is to build capacity through all of the systems that are part of children’s lives — in families, in schools, in the education of everybody who interacts with children,” says psychologist Ann Masten, Ph.D., a professor of child development at the University of Minnesota.

Focusing on Student Mental Health at Girard College

Youth from underserved communities are less likely to receive mental health care services. To address this disparity, the Independence Blue Cross Foundation is funding a multi-year pilot initiative to provide access to mental health care for every student at Girard College. Girard College is an independent, five-day boarding school in Philadelphia. It serves approximately 300 students in first through twelfth grades from families with limited financial resources. More than 80 percent of the student population identifies as African-American.

This innovative care model integrates school support with telehealth services provided by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. “The pandemic amplified the urgent need for access to mental health care as young people were faced with additional difficulties such as school closures, family stress, social isolation, and economic challenges,” said Foundation Executive Director Heather Major. “A key goal of this collaboration is to create a replicable model for bringing mental health services into schools in a sustainable way.”

The pandemic showed us students of all ages need greater access to mental health care. “The focus needs to shift up toward preventive care and secondary and early intervention,” says Archana Basu, research scientist and clinical psychologist at Massachusetts General Hospital. Independence Blue Cross will continue to support efforts to improve access to mental health care for youth in the community.

If you or someone you know may be experiencing anxiety or depression, please seek help. If you don’t know where to begin, visit ibx.com/knowyourmind. If you are having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988.

Eating Disorders: Advice for Parents and Caregivers

Aside from opioid use disorder, do you know what the second deadliest kind of mental health problem in the United States is?

Eating disorders.

Tragically, eating disorders are very common in children and adolescents.

  • Nearly a third of children aged five – six have a body size ideal that’s thinner than their current perceived size.
  • By age seven, one in four children has engaged in some kind of dieting behavior.
  • 93 percent of young women engage in “fat talk” (criticizing each other’s appearance and weight) in everyday life.
  • 53 percent of American girls report being unhappy with their bodies at age thirteen, 78 percent at age seventeen.
  • 95 percent of people with eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25.

If anything, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the prevalence of child and adolescent eating disorders by compounding the stress that young people experience daily. If you’re a parent or caregiver, it’s vitally important for you to be aware of these disorders and know what to do if you notice any troubling eating behaviors in your home.

Types of Eating Disorders

There are many kinds of eating disorders. The most common ones include:

Anorexia Nervosa

People with anorexia severely restrict how much food they eat. They may also exercise compulsively and/or purge (see Bulimia Nervosa, below). They usually see themselves as overweight, regardless of their body size. This can cause thinning of the bones and infertility, and can ultimately result in heart, brain, or multi-organ failure and death.

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia is characterized by binge eating (devouring large amounts of food uncontrollably) and then purging (trying to undo these binges through vomiting, fasting, laxatives, compulsive exercise, and other methods). Purging can cause an inflamed or sore throat, tooth decay, acid reflux, and severe dehydration. Ultimately, bulimia may create electrolyte imbalances that can lead to stroke or a heart attack.

Binge Eating Disorder

As with bulimia, people with this disorder will eat large amounts of food at one sitting. They may feel shame, disgust, or guilt about this. But, unlike people with bulimia, they don’t purge. They face an increased risk of complications like heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID)

People with this fairly newly recognized disorder only eat a very limited number of foods. This is easily dismissed as just “picky eating,” especially in children. But individuals with ARFID don’t ingest enough calories to develop properly, or even maintain basic body functions. This can create dangerous electrolyte imbalances.

The Role of Body Image

Many kids and teenagers (and grownups) have body image issues, and this can play a big role in anorexia and bulimia. There’s so much pressure in our society to look a certain way — coming not just from in-person peer interactions, but also social media, TV, and other sources.

Kids and teenagers may compare themselves to unrealistic ideals and try doing something drastic to look the way they think they’re supposed to. Or to fit into a particular weight class for their favorite sport.

One thing you can do to help keep your child healthy is to encourage them to accept themselves the way they are and recognize that they’re attractive and worthy. Bodies come in all sizes and shapes. We can’t all look like [insert your child’s celebrity role model here].

Eating Disorders Aren’t Just for Girls

It’s commonly believed that only girls get eating disorders. However, the truth is much more complex. People of all genders and sexualities experience eating disorders. So it is important to tune in and recognize the signs of an eating disorder in all persons.

If You Think Your Child May Have an Eating Disorder

As a parent or guardian, you’re better positioned than anyone else to notice changes in your child’s eating patterns or an ongoing obsession with food or their weight. With that said, don’t try to diagnose or manage your child’s eating issues yourself. You and your child may not be the best judges of whether their weight or eating habits are healthy, or what to do if they’re not.

If you think your child may have an eating disorder, talk to their pediatrician or family doctor. They’ll also be screened for eating disorders at every well visit. If a health care provider believes your child has an eating disorder, they will probably be able to recommend where to take them for treatment.

There are many strategies for treating eating disorders. Treatment usually begins with some form of psychotherapy as well as nutrition education. More advanced cases may require hospitalization, a day treatment program, or a residential treatment program.

Independence Blue Cross members can find all these resources on our Provider Finder. All our health plans cover nutrition counseling and behavioral health treatment. And Registered Nurse Health Coaches are available to our members 24/7; call 1-800-ASK-BLUE (1-800-275-2583) (TTY/TDD: 711). You can also call the National Eating Disorders Helpline at 1-888-375-7767.

If your child has an eating disorder, they will have to learn to change their relationship with food. And you’ll need to learn how to support them along the road to wellness.

It probably won’t be a “quick fix.” It could be a long, tough journey. But it’s a necessary one, for your child’s immediate and long-term health. And the sooner it begins, the better.