07-04-24

32 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY July 4-10, 2024 www.montereycountynow.com FACE TO FACE Twenty years ago, Monica Eastway’s great-grandmother fell and wound up in a skilled nursing facility in Ohio. It was the beginning of a journey for Eastway, who experienced an epiphany about how society cares for its seniors. “It was on the sixth floor without access anymore to fresh air, to the outside, to nature, to these things that we can take for granted, and then to realize, wow, our current culture doesn’t value fresh air as a form of care,” Eastway remembers. Twelve years ago she came to Big Sur to work at the Esalen Institute, then Treebones Resort and finally at a traditional senior care facility. After her time working in nature, and the stark contrast to the senior facility where residents were separated from it, Eastway became convinced the old ways of caring for seniors were all wrong. She went back to college and earned a master’s in gerontology, studying the innovative green living communities of Europe, which emphasize integrating all ages and a connection to nature as ways to ensure quality of life of older adults. Now a passionate advocate for revolutionizing senior living, Eastway offers online classes to students from around the world. She also consults with companies and organizations and works with senior clients. Her goal is to one day facilitate the creation of a green living community in Monterey County modeled on those in Europe. Weekly: What exactly is an eco gerontologist? Eastway: Gerontology is the study and practice of throughout our aging life, not just over 60—we start aging from the moment we take our first breath. And we now have decades of research that shows that our environments have a significant impact on the aging process and on longevity. As an eco gerontologist, I am pioneering a new branch of gerontology that emphasizes the natural environment. You talk about how seniors are disconnected from nature once they enter senior living facilities. How so? The environment is often overlooked in our aging-friendly policies, projects and the way we design continuing care. So think about the structure and design of some of these places that we have for elders to age in place in, yet they don’t have access to nutrient-rich food, they don’t have access to nature-rich, blue and green spaces as part of their day-to-day living and care. I’ve collected hundreds of research studies, mostly from European countries that are way ahead of us as far as designing care, long-term care, dementia care. These nature-rich habitats, they promote healthy longevity, higher quality of life, brain health, lower risk of chronic health conditions, on and on and on. Even in an area like Monterey, we have outdoor spaces we have access to every day that are still not fully optimized for their therapeutic value. What else needs to change? Number one, the age segregation— we know now that intergenerational living is the way of the future. And the root of it, let’s start with ageism. A lot of institutionalized ageism happens, a lot of putting people into a box. That leads to age segregation, and then that leads to how we’re providing care. We have a servant-care model, so those we are caring for, they have gifts and contributions that aren’t being nurtured. The current model that we have is, if you come here, we’ll cook for you, we’ll do everything for you, and all of a sudden, where’s the meaning in your life? I also feel here in Monterey and other places in the United States, there’s a level of greed with the operators of these “communities.” They’re really profit-over-people focused. Who wants to end up in any of these places, let alone pay half-million dollars just to get a room? It’s that corporate greed, and they’re getting greedier. Private equity is involved now and other investors…once you’re over 60 you’re seen as a cash cow, and it’s horrifying. What advice would you give to people who are contemplating a senior living facility? Staying in the home, finding creative solutions—that would be my number-one advice, because once you do move into a corporate structure situation you’re kind of locked in. With what we have right now I advise aging in the home as long as possible. Any other advice? When we are visiting our loved ones that maybe happen to live in a [care facility], bring them outside in the fresh air. We might think of it as not very important but it is, it’s profound. More information about eco gerontology is available at monicaeastway.com. Natural Age Eco gerontologist Monica Eastway envisions a new kind of senior living connected to nature. By Pam Marino Eco gerontologist Monica Eastway envisions a new kind of senior living she calls “Eco Generation Park,” modeled on communities of Europe that feature multi-generational living and a strong connection to nature. DANIEL DREIFUSS Pick Your Favorite Farmers Market Sunday Marina 10am – 2pm Monday Pacific Grove 3 – 7pm Tuesday Alisal 11am – 4pm Wednesday Natividad 11am-3:30pm Thursday Seaside 3–7pm Friday SVH 12 – 5pm at est Gives! 2021 and programs le food: Fresh Rx Produce Prescriptions: healthcare essionals prescribe to families in need o buy produce rkets) hildren (WIC): WIC benefits r markets All markets accept CalFresh/EBT & double all EBT purchases up to $30 – www.everyonesharvest.org

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