Author: Megan Murphy

[Published in Homer News 2/5/15]

If you could do one single thing that decreased the number of people within our community experiencing anxiety by 56 percent, life dissatisfaction by 67 percent, alcohol abuse by 33 percent, and recent depression by 40 percent, wouldn’t you be intrigued to find out what that might be?

Last summer, the community selected Family Well-being as the top priority for our collective community action. There are a variety of interrelated factors that influence family well-being in our community and are reflected in the recent Community Health Assessment. These variables range from economics, education, public transportation, substance abuse, domestic violence, family support and connectivity, built and physical environment, physical and mental health, and Adverse Childhood Experiences and trauma.

One of the underlying, root causes that prevent families from being well is the generational cycle of Adverse Childhood Experiences. Also known as ACEs, this term refers to traumatic or disruptive things that happen in childhood (0-18 years) such as abuse, neglect, witnessing domestic violence, alcohol/drug abuse and criminal activity/imprisonment.

Conducted in the early 1990s of more than 17,000 people (predominantly white, middle class population), the ACEs study linked toxic stress experienced early in life to mental, physical and behavioral problems. Very young children are especially vulnerable, and tend to develop a wide variety of health and social risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, smoking, alcohol abuse, and depression. The study also found that the more ACEs experienced, the higher the likelihood of experiencing health problems.

According to the Dr. Robert Anda, the principal investigator on the original Adverse Childhood Experiences study, addressing ACEs is “the most important opportunity for the prevention of health and social problems and disease and disability that has ever been seen.”

ACEs are prevalent throughout populations within the United States, Alaska, and the Southern Kenai Peninsula (SKP). However, recent data from the state-delivered Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System show cause for local concern. The ACEs questionnaire has 10 yes/no questions, thus scores range from 0-10 depending on the number of “yes” responses.

Of the adult male SKP respondents, about half (44.5 percent) had experienced zero ACEs before the age of 18 whereas the number of adult female SKP respondents who had not experienced any ACEs was only a quarter (26.3 percent).  Further, one out of every four female respondents experienced four or more Adverse Childhood Experiences before the age of 18 (BRFSS 2013).

While there are other causes of health problems and risk behaviors, ACEs play a key role. The amazing part about this story is that ACEs are preventable. Thus, focusing our community efforts on increasing family well-being and preventing ACEs would result in significant improvements in many other health and behavior areas.

 Yes, preventing ACEs is indeed one single way to decrease anxiety, life dissatisfaction, alcohol abuse, and recent depression by sizable amounts in our community.

The more we learn about ACEs and how traumatic events can affect people, the more it helps us to change the way we ask “what is wrong with me / you / them?” to “what has happened to me / you / them?”

Rephrasing this question increases our compassion for ourselves and for others and opens an avenue for healing.

The more we learn about resiliency, the more our incredible capacity to heal is revealed. From the online “Resiliency Cookbook”: “ACEs are not destiny, and early trauma does not have to dictate a life story. Research shows that protective factors — chiefly, the presence of a nurturing adult — can cushion the impact of adversity in a child’s life.”

As we focus on increasing protective factors for families in our community, remember that we all benefit and we all play a role in preventing the transmission of ACEs in our community. There are many ways that each and every one of us can be positively present for one another, particularly for children.

What role do you want to play?

Megan Murphy is the MAPP coordinator and can be reached at mappofskp@gmail.com. For more info on ACEs, see www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/acestudy or call 235-0570 to be directed to a local ACEs trainer in our community.

[Published in Homer News on 1/8/15]

The New Year brings opportunities for a fresh start and new beginnings. It provides a point in time where we individually reflect on the past year and think about how we might approach the upcoming year to be healthier and happier. What if we asked this question every day?

As a community we are spreading what can be a once-a-year reflection into an every day, year-round process and are presently focusing on working together to increase family well-being. When our families get the support we need and are resilient, the individuals within families can flourish and the result is a healthier community overall.

So what are some ways that each and every one of us can foster resiliency in ourselves and in our families (in 2015 and beyond)?

One of five key resiliency factors for all families is to have supportive relationships and warm, cohesive family interactions. Important forms of cohesive family patterns include having a positive family environment that cooperates, commits to tackle crises together and provides mutual support. It is also important for children to have a close relationship with at least one caring and supportive adult that believes in the child.

We all know that families are made up of individuals, so it makes sense that the family’s well-being is a reflection of each individual’s health and well-being.

If you are looking for a New Year’s resolution, here are two simple, research-backed and age-old ways to support your relationship with your family and your relationship with yourself in this fresh, new 2015.

The first practice is mindfulness. Mindfulness is intentionally observing our thoughts in the present moment and non-judgmentally acknowledging and then letting go of (rather than obsessing about) unhappy or stressful thoughts.

Another way to think about this is observing your thoughts without reacting to them. If we are aware of the thoughts we are having, we can then reinforce thoughts that we want to be having and give less energy to thoughts that we do not want to be having.

Mindfulness helps us be more intentional with our thoughts and this results in more intentional actions. Practicing mindfulness can help us be more present in life, rather than shuffling through it blindly. Mindfulness is scientifically proven to not only help us feel more centered and relaxed, but it also supports healthy brain function.

We are fortunate to have so many resources to support mindfulness in our community. Among many educational and spiritual opportunities advertised through the Homer News calendar and on flyers around town, there are great resources available at the City of Homer Library and there are free Mindfulness meetings every Wednesday from 5:30-7 p.m. at 3691 Ben Walters Lane. Call 235-7712 for more info.

The second practice for a healthier and happier New Year is to make a routine out of sharing family meals, particularly dinner. Research has shown that sharing meals is one of the single most important activities that parents can do to enhance the life of their children.

Mealtime provides an opportunity to share feelings, stories, opinions and experiences — it fosters personal connection and understanding. Dinnertime might be a time to catch up on logistics — who needs to be where and when — but the key for shared meals is that there is a chance for everyone to move beyond logistics and get involved in a shared conversation.

A national study published in 1999 demonstrated that young children (ages 3-12) having more shared meals at home was the single strongest predictor of better achievement scores and fewer behavioral problems (University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research). The largest federally funded study of American teenagers found a strong association between regular family meals (five or more dinners per week with a parent) and academic success, psychological adjustment and lower rates of alcohol use, drug use, early sexual behavior and suicidal risk. These results were still present when both controlling for socioeconomic factors and one-parent and two-parent families (National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University).

Experimenting with the practices of mindfulness and sharing meals could result in a revolutionary 2015. Would you like to join the revolution?

Megan Murphy is the MAPP coordinator and can be reached at 235-0570 or mappofskp@gmail.com. 

[Published in Homer News 12/4/14]

As a community we are identifying the best ways to support and increase family well-being. When families get the support they need and are resilient, they can flourish and the result is a healthier community overall.

So what are some of the factors that foster resiliency?

A key resiliency factor for all families is to have stability. Important forms of stability include adequate income and housing and a stable living environment.

Hard times hit many of us — at different times and in different ways. When this occurs, both our stability and resiliency can be weakened. Experiencing a lack of stability and the related relationship, mental health, and family function stresses it can bring is one of the most significant strains on family well-being.

Financial hardships are common here in Alaska and in our community. According to the July 2014 Alaska Economic Trends report, Alaska ranks as the fourth most expensive state to live. The high cost of living adds extra stress to southern Kenai Peninsula families, 24.7 percent of which have annual incomes below $24,999 (American Community Survey averages 2007-2011).

On the southern Kenai Peninsula, the average household income ($59,799) is less than the state average ($86,208) and national average($73,034). Data collected for our recent Community Health Assessment reflects that 38.8 percent of southern Kenai Peninsula mortgage-owned households and 48 percent of renter households pay more than 30 percent of their monthly income on housing, and thus meet the definition of “cost burdened” (American Community Survey averages 2007-2011).  It is not surprising that Economic Health ranked as the highest health concern for individuals and families in the 2013 MAPP community surveys.

Factors that play into an individual or family experiencing financial or other hardships can be complex and challenging to untangle. One simple way that our community comes forward every year to help families most in need is through “Share the Spirit,” a collaborative, well-coordinated effort that provides food and gift baskets for those who most need it during the holidays. In its 22nd year, Share the Spirit’s 2014 goal is to provide baskets to 200 families. The simple act of having food or gifts provided for the holidays greatly contributes to one’s sense of stability during what could normally be an even more stressful time. One easy thing that we can do this holiday season that contributes to family stability is to participate in, volunteer for, or give to Share the Spirit.

Many individuals and organizations come together every year to make Share the Spirit a success. The food drive collaborating organizations include: Safeway, Save-U-More and Kachemak Wholesale. The gift tree collaborating organizations include: AK USA Credit Union, First National Bank, Homer Book Store, Homer’s Jeans, Kachemak Gear Shed, Timeless Toys, Total Office Products, Ulmer’s, and Wells Fargo Bank. Additional collaboration comes from the Anchor Point and Homer food pantries, American Legion, Anchor Point VFW, Homer Public Health Center, and the Salvation Army. We are fortunate to have so many generous organizations in this town.

The applications for those in need will be available at many local human service agencies and area churches through Friday, Dec. 12. Monetary donations can be dropped off at Wells Fargo Bank or mailed to “Share the Spirit” at P.O. Box 3218, Homer AK.

What are you doing that supports family stability?  Connecting with Share the Spirit doesn’t just help individuals and families, it makes our community a better place to live overall. If you want more information or want to volunteer, please call the Share the Spirit information line at 235-7466.

Megan Murphy is the MAPP coordinator and can be reached at 235-0570 or mappofskp@gmail.com.