Thank You From Vivalon’s Healthy Aging Director
A message from Stephanie McNally
Wow – looking back on this year, it’s difficult to put into words how proud I am of our Vivalon family. I joined Vivalon because I believe in its mission and I want everyone in Marin to have the opportunity to learn, grow, and connect at any age. Our society tells us what aging is or isn’t, but all of the information out there today is proving that healthy aging isn’t just about our physical abilities. It’s about the perception we have of aging and of ourselves.
My mother turned 83 years old last year. Her balance isn’t what it used to be, so I was grateful when she started physical therapy. The fact that she made the decision to improve something that had been challenging for her made me proud. It made me appreciate the resilience in all of us.
At Vivalon, I’ve seen so many people just like my mother who challenged themselves to learn something new, make a new friend, or forge new healthy habits, and I’m grateful to live in a community where so many people are working to make this possible.
I want to thank each person in our Vivalon family for helping create a very special community at our Healthy Aging Center. All of our members, volunteers, instructors, and partners have had a hand in providing healthy aging services for our community. I’m most proud of the connections participants have formed with each other, bonds fostered by our instructors, and the boundless compassion volunteers have extended to our clients.
There were some really exciting and unexpected events like Sky News visiting us from the UK. They interviewed our members to learn more about their healthy aging paths and learned how the model of aging is changing in Marin. See their coverage of Vivalon here.
We also made enormous steps toward bringing new programs to the Healthy Aging Center. These achievements were made possible thanks to our community partners who have provided support at all levels and our instructors who lend their talents to our community.
In 2022, we piloted new programs like Bingocize, which became an official Vivalon program in January with a new 10-week session, launching our Body Strength and Balance program to prevent falls. You can learn more about this program here.
Vivalon also adopted the Corte Madera Age-Friendly Intergenerational Center, which brought a host of new classes and instructors to Vivalon, including Mah-jongg with Leslie and Painting classes with Debra.
Now in 2023, I’m very much looking forward the coming year with all of you. With more technology classes, new additions to our Body Strength and Balance program, and exciting new member benefits, my hope is that there is something at our Healthy Aging Center that helps you learn, grow, and connect in a meaningful way.
With a new year ahead of us, I invite you to become a member today and enjoy many new benefits, including “Bring a Friend” passes to our Jackson Café and access to exclusive member-only events. We will host our first member event in February with Operations Share the Love. Become a member today to join the fun! Click here to learn more about Vivalon membership.
Vivalon’s Healthy Aging Team (left to right) Michele Levine, Stephanie McNally, Rebekah Wilson
