East Hill: The healing power of gratitude
With Thanksgiving approaching, many of us will take time to acknowledge what we're grateful for. Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated on various dates throughout the fall in not only the U.S., but also Canada, Saint Lucia and Liberia. Various similarly named harvest festivals also occur throughout the world during this season. Saying "thank you" is nothing new. But practicing gratitude — regularly focusing on the positive parts of our lives — can have a positive impact on our lives, and we don't need to wait for a holiday to show thankfulness.
The American Psychological Association specifically defines gratitude as "a sense of happiness and thankfulness in response to a fortunate happenstance or tangible gift."
At East Hill Medical Center, we have much to be grateful for, including our gifted and compassionate health care professionals who show up every day ready to care for those in our community. Many long-term employees have worked for East Hill for decades; others are newly minted to our community health center.
As a nonprofit organization, our work is overseen by a board of directors, the majority of whom must be consumers. This ensures representation among individuals served by the health center in decision-making that will directly impact their care. We are thankful to our board members who volunteer their time, energy and enthusiasm to help shape the direction of East Hill.
While delivering services to the individual, East Hill also works at the community level to address social drivers of health. These are defined as non-medical factors that affect health outcomes, such as poverty, housing and food insecurity. Community collaboration is essential to move the needle on social drivers through systems change. We are thankful for our partners, including faith institutions, governments, schools, businesses, nonprofits and funders working synergistically to tackle social drivers in Auburn and Cayuga County.
What sets East Hill and other community health centers across the country apart is our focus on health equity, and the operationalized belief that everyone deserves access to quality, affordable health care regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Care navigation, transportation assistance and an income-based fee discount are some of the ways East Hill helps patients access the care they deserve. We are grateful for the trust they place in us to care for them and their families.
Expressing gratitude is associated with many mental and physical health benefits. Multiple studies have shown that feeling thankful can improve our sleep, mood and even our immunity. Gratitude can decrease depression and anxiety, ease difficulties with chronic pain, and reduce our risk of disease. Many people think of gratitude as a trait but if we practice it, focusing on the positive things in life can become a habit.
With the holiday season upon us, now is the time to reinforce or start healthy habits that will carry into the new year. Here are some ways we can all intentionally incorporate more gratitude in our lives:
East Hill offers integrated primary care, dental and behavioral health services, caring for more than 9,000 residents of Auburn and Cayuga County each year. We are accepting new patients for primary care and behavioral health. Visit us online at easthillmedical.com for more information. If you or someone you know needs care, call (315) 253-8477 to schedule an appointment.
Jessica Charbonneau is a licensed clinical social worker with behavioral health department Inner Wellness and Tricia Kerr is a marketing specialist and grant writer at East Hill Medical Center, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community health center in Auburn offering primary care, dental and behavioral health services for all ages. For more information, visit easthillmedical.com or call (315) 253-8477.
Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly!
