[KJW #097] Honoring And Facilitating A Better World For Our Elders

	Helen Thomas received the WEL Better Ways Award - December 10, 2007
	How to start your own "Whole-Person-Centered Wellness©" program, a WEL model of self-care that has been empowering elders and caregivers, for six years, to learn, test and implement holistic and meaningful life-styles.
	WEL, World Elder Land invited to join Wise Earth, a networking forum toward a better and sustainable world created by community members who are transforming and evolving our dear planet Earth.

Our dear elder Helen Thomas, Senior White House Press Correspondent and Kathy J. Ward, President of WEL World Elder Land

About Helen Thomas: A magnificent elders, a noted news service reporter, a Hearst NewspapersWhite House Press Corps. She has served for 57 years as a correspondent and White House bureau chief for United Press International (UPI). Thomas has covered every president since John F. Kennedy, was the first woman officer of the National Press Club, was the first woman member and president of the White House Correspondents Association, and the first woman member of the Gridiron Club. Helen has written four books. Her latest book is called Watchdogs of Democracy?: The Waning Washington Press Corps and How It Has Failed the Public.

About the WEL Better Ways Award; it was created in 2005 to:

1. Acknowledge global meaningful, creative, and better ways to facilitate a better quality of life for our elders.

2. Given to joyful elders that are an inspiration for other elders, their caregivers and their communities. An inspiration because they are an example of better and meaningful longevity.

3. Given also to people or institutions all over the world, that have made a difference facilitating healing, care and whole-person-centered wellness for our elders and their caregivers...for truly listening and empowering our elders.

Recipients of the WEL Better Ways Award:

- Pastor and Musician, Dale Jarrett, Maryland, 2005
- Lawyer, 97, Irene Slattery, Texas, 2006
- Dr. Robert and Barbara Muller, Costa Rica, 2006
- Social Worker, 78, Aura Aguiar, Venezuela, 2007
- Ambassador and Singer Harry Belafonte, Jamaica, 2007
- Journalist, Helen Thomas, Washington D. C, 2007

The award ceremony was hosted by
Kensington Nursing and Rehabilitation Center,
a beautiful health care community in Maryland, USA.

A group of residents, family and staff members with Kathy Ward.



A conversation with the residents about WEL, World Elder Land, our vision and how we can continue making a difference for the better, in the lives of elders and caregivers, all over the world. A special thanks for facilitating this program to; Sheila Leaf, Administrator, Maria Jimenez, Director of Quality Improvement, Cindy Hedgers, Dietary Services, Anne Ramsaur,
Director of Admissions, residents and volunteers.

Whole-Person-Centered Wellness workshop with elders at
Victory Terrace, Independent Living, Potomac, MD.

How each individual, elders and caregivers, can incorporate
and nurture all aspects of whole-person-living and the environment as our extended body, creating harmony and healing for a better life.

Special thanks to Ingrid Geissler, Jocelyn Poerstel and other members
of the resident council for facilitating this program.

A meaningful discussion about wholistic living, gratefulness,
life purpose, how and which environmental factors affect our lives, wellness and much more...

If you did not know how old are you, how old do you think you will be?

How to adapt our better practices to our personal circumstances.

How to allow discipline in wellness to give us the freedom and ease to enjoy our own process of betterment.

For our elders as for everyone, it is vital to be and feel connected with their community and the world. Therefore, we need to focus on better ways to facilitate meaningful inclusions of our elders in our communities.

Everyone is encouraged to start a meditation garden or peace corner at home, work, office... The practice of nurturing and connecting with our spiritual self is very important for our overall wellness and better health.

The JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, states that health care for the elderly in US remains fragmentated and non-comprehensive despite concerns for the need of an expanding elderly population. Everyone is invited and encourage to network, share better practices, listen to our elders and caregivers, host wellness support groups for elders, facilitate geriatric educational material for the betterment of our elders and people who provide services to our elders.

We have each other! We can always do better! KJW

Dearest source of love, help me become an instrument of peace!