Retiree News

Innovation

This week I am thinking about innovation, and how much it matters to bring the best care possible to Veterans across the Pacific Islands. Innovation isn’t just about new technology – it’s about new ways of thinking, serving, and delivering care. For our nation’s Veterans, who have sacrificed so much, we owe a system that evolves to meet their needs with the same courage and commitment you’ve shown us.

Diabetes Education Matters

Diabetes is a disproportionately large problem in the Pacific Islands, so diabetes education has always been part of our programming. However, Nurse Educator Dr. Jessica Taylor-Spurrier and Veteran Health Education Coordinator (VHEC) Elizabeth Kawana were recently awarded a VA grant to bring a new Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support  (DSMES) program to VAPIHCS.

Veterans may be high risk for developing Type II diabetes if they are overweight, 45 years or older, have a family history of diabetes, and if they are Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islanders. Therefore, it’s important that Veterans in VAPIHCS learn how to spot diabetes, and how to manage it. With more than 97 million Americans having pre-diabetes, education could even help many avoid getting the disease.

I’m excited to pilot this new program in American Samoa, and glad that we have staff who are passionate about reducing the number of Veterans who develop Type II diabetes, while also helping those who do develop it to continue to lead full lives.

New Physical Therapy Program

VAPIHCS has always offered Veterans the option to see a physical therapist. We are excited to implement a new pilot program at the Windward Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), which introduces a new model of care which allows a physical therapy consult– when applicable – to be part of a primary care appointment. No referral. No waiting. Just the physical therapy care you need as soon as you need it.

Thoughts from Chaplain Richie Charles

John A. Shedd once said, “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”

A boat owner might take great comfort in knowing that his vessel is securely anchored in the calm, protected waters of the harbor. There, it is shielded from the unpredictable waves, the violent storms, and the crashing waters of the open sea. But a ship left in the harbor for too long can deteriorate faster than one in motion! Its hull gathers rust. Its mechanical systems and engine degrade from inactivity. And though appearing safe, the owner may be slowly sabotaging the boat’s purpose.

It’s natural to seek safety, to avoid risk at all costs. Wisdom indeed urges us to steer clear of needless danger, and to be prudent. But it’s also true that sometimes, the illusion of absolute safety at the harbor is no more secure than launching for the seas. Sometimes, taking no risk is itself the biggest risk, because staying in the harbor can come at the expense of not fulfilling our deepest goals.

The truth is, most decisions have some sort of trade-off, some sort of risk – sometimes obvious, other times, hidden.  Risk of failure. Risk of rejection. Risk of embarrassment. But there is also the risk of regret—which can overshadow them all.

Daniel Pink, in his survey across 109 countries, gathered more than 23,000 regrets, and discovered a sobering pattern: as people progressed further into their years in life, it wasn’t the things they did that weighed on them the heaviest, it was instead what they did not do. It was the opportunities they let pass. It was the words left unsaid, the dreams deferred, the journeys never begun.

So yes, the harbor might seem safe—but were you built for the harbor?

I believe we were built to take wise, judicious steps towards continued personal growth and effective service to those whom we serve.

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