Paula’s Background

I have lived in Verwood for over 30 years and am now enjoying the delights of being semi retired, working part time as a reflexologist.

I have a background in healthcare, as a nurse, health visitor and for a shorter period of time a midwife, as well as over a decade spent in nurse education.  I worked predominantly as a health visitor with its focus on family and community health . As a young Health Visitor it was always an ambition of mine to play a role in promoting health in later years as I felt that older age should be celebrated and whilst acknowledging the challenges that it can present I wanted to look to look at ways that  individuals  might lessen the impact of these, enabling them to lead healthier and happier lives.

Having entered into the post 60 age bracket I can honestly say that I am even keener to optimise my chances of leading the best life I can as I grow older and would like to support others in this, whatever your current age or health.  After many years of working in healthcare I realise that many individuals live with chronic illness and disability, often having to deal with a number of personal, social or environmental issues which can impact negatively on their health. I believe it is important to look at health in a holistic way if we are to make improvements in our own health, or if looking collectively, in the health of our community.

Inaugural Session- What does being healthy mean to you?

I want to ‘test the waters’ with respect to forming a Health and Wellbeing Collaboration by offering a session looking at ‘What being healthy means to you?’ in order to encourage group discussion around this to then identify some of your health priorities. This could then lead on to subsequent sessions focusing on different aspects of health and looking at the potential to make improvements.

Within the session we will explore some of the  changing definitions of health, from a traditional aspect where health is seen ‘the absence of disease’ to a more holistic definition which includes other dimensions of health such as social, emotional, mental, and spiritual health as well as physical.

 At the session I will use a questionnaire entitled ‘What being healthy means to you’ and will ask you to complete it individually. There are no right or wrong responses as these are personal to you. There will be opportunity to share your responses with each other  if you wish to. Sharing will allow us to see whether there is any common ground and whether there are any significant differences.

I am hoping that this exercise will allow you to reflect on and become more aware of your own health and be able to identify possible areas where you may be able to make improvement,  in addition to identifying health topics that you might like to explore in more depth.

I hope I have whetted your appetite a little, enough to bring you to the session and we’ll take it from there!