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This is Love & Longevity where we we dive deep into the heart of nurturing lasting relationships and the art of caring for ourselves and loved ones as we age.
I’m your host Christian Ross, the Founder and Chief Happiness Officer of Happy Talks, and I know how important love and connection are in life. Every day I see people being thrown into caregiving unexpectedly, and I wanted to create a resource that helps you prepare for love and longevity long before you’re in the throes of aging or grief. Making things approachable and digestible is my mission, and being able to do that for you as you explore love and longevity is my greatest honor.
Resources:
- Connect with Christian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianrossatl/
- Connect with Happy Talks: https://www.linkedin.com/company/happytalks/
- Learn more about Happy Talks: https://www.happytalks.com/
- Subscribe to the Happy Talks newsletter: http://eepurl.com/iDDtFU
Christian Ross [00:00:02]:
Welcome to the Love and Longevity podcast, where we are just having conversations here. And those conversations are based off of love and longevity. So that ranges from love, friendships, relationships, to aging. Aging in place, caring for our parents, caring for our grandparents, just caring in general for others, as well as just how to live your best life at every single stage, every episode, we want to provide actionable insights. And I'm so excited for our guest. But first, my name is Christian Ross. I'm the founder and chief happiness officer of Happy Talks, where we provide social calls for older adults. Our whole goal is to curb loneliness.
Christian Ross [00:00:42]:
Hi, and welcome back to another episode, our next episode of love and Longevity. And I'm so excited. I have Miss Shana Scott here with me today. She is just a mover, a shaker, and all around Atlanta and beyond. And she is a lawyer, she is a public health policy expert. She's a professor, she's a public speaker, and she is the vice president of impact at the American Heart association. And of course, most importantly, she is a mom. Thank you so much for joining us today.
Shana Scott [00:01:16]:
Thank you so much, Christian, for having me. I'm super excited about our conversation. It's probably going to be all over the place, but, you know, I'm excited.
Christian Ross [00:01:26]:
But question for you, because we're hearing so much in the news that's saying health equity. Health equity. Health equity. What is health equity?
Shana Scott [00:01:36]:
I love that question because I think a lot of people have an idea about health equity or equity in general. And so I'll just give a baseline definition. So according to CDC, health equity is the state in which everyone has a fair and just opportunity to attain their highest level of health. So what does that even mean? So, like, back in the day, right, we were all striving for equality. And a lot of people, they think that's the same thing, right? Like, we all want equality, but equity and equality is a very different thing. So equality, essentially is that everyone gets the same thing, right? So, like, you will get a pin. I will get a pin. Equality.
Shana Scott [00:02:19]:
We're equal. We can vote, right? Equity is equality plus. So, for example, if we want equality, then everybody gets a bike, right? Because everyone deserves a bike. So that should happen, right? We should all be able to have a bike. However, inequity says that you don't just give everybody the same bike. You and I are different heights, so I would need a different bike. Like, we're all different. Everyone isn't the same.
Shana Scott [00:02:47]:
So, for example, if you have people who have no use of their legs, you can't give them the same bike with the pedals. You have to give people different heights and different sizes and all of those things. And so that's really what equity is, or health equity. So what you do then is you give everybody a bike, but you specialize the bike to fit their unique needs. And that's what equity is. Equity is that adjustment that you make in equality, and so that it allows for everyone to be able to fit and have a better outcome based on their specific needs.
Christian Ross [00:03:24]:
I love that so much because I've never heard it explained like that. And I hope our audience also, it resonates, because that helps me understand exactly what it is. Especially, too, you see so many articles, you see so many things that mentioned health equity, and this is their goal, and this is what they're championing for. But what does it mean? And to know that, it's like taking that equality one step further of adapting it to that person's needs that can sit with me, I can digest it. I love that.
Shana Scott [00:03:53]:
And then in thinking about it, right as I was saying it, and I use the bike analogy, I'm like, shoot, I don't even know how to ride a bike. So do I even need a bike? So, do I need something else? For me to get to point a from point a to point b? Maybe a bike isn't what I will need. Maybe I need something else. And so if the mode of transportation is bikes, then bikes may not be what everyone needs in every community and maybe creating better access for me to get on the bus. How do you create equity in that way?
Christian Ross [00:04:24]:
And, okay, so I know you defined health equity, so I want to back up one point to your journey. What has been your journey to get you to now be the vice president of impact at the American Heart association? That is such a huge, not only role, but I know your background, all those things that have let out that and the amazing superstar that you are in public health.
Christian Ross [00:04:55]:
But what does that journey look like for you?
Shana Scott [00:04:57]:
Yeah. So, in thinking about equity inequality, back when I was in undergrad, there really wasn't even a word for any of this back then, right? This whole equity word came about in the two thousands. And even before then, like, you may also hear the term disparity and social determinants of health. Those words didn't exist when I was in undergrad. But when I was in undergrad, I wanted to do work where I understood what created the differences in health outcomes in black people. Like, why were we getting all the things? Why did we have all of the things? Why did we have the highest rates of cancers? Why did we have the highest rates of HIV? Like, those were the things that I was questioning. And for me, I was like, well, medicine, isn't it cause medicine, you're going to be one person at a time. And so I was looking for that thing where I could answer that question for whole groups of people, for populations.
Shana Scott [00:05:57]:
And I stumbled into public health. It was, I took one class in undergrad, which was an epidemiology class, which epidemiology is really about the numbers and the data. And I really still wanted to be able to meet people where they were and not necessarily focus on the data itself, but translate the data to actual people. And so I went to school to get a master's in public health to really be able to answer that question for myself. Again, at that time, there were not a lot of MPH programs out there. And so I was in one of those few programs. And then I came to Atlanta. CDC's in Atlanta.
Shana Scott [00:06:34]:
When you're in an MPH program, the goal is to get to CDC. And I came here to really do that work. And as I was doing the work, I'm like, okay, we're answering the question for people and populations, but then how do we solve the problem, right? The goal is to be able to solve for it. And I really started to look at laws and policies. Cause I'm like, well, we can tell people how to eat healthy and they can maybe get that bike or they can maybe, you know, address how they're eating and diet and exercise, et cetera. But if we have systems and structures that are in place that still keep people in the same communities, that still keep people in the same trajectories, we're really not going to solve the problem over time. And so for me, law and policy was a place that I wanted to make that connection. So then I went to law school to fuse that, my public health background into the legal background to really be able to understand how do laws and policies impact our whole person.
Shana Scott [00:07:32]:
Again, at that time, there weren't a lot of joint programs. Now, like, people are doing this all the time, but I had done it separately because I wanted to answer that question. And so that is what brought me here, to really be able to look at laws, policy structures, systems, and really to be able to make a systems change because we can diet and we can exercise, but if we don't have affordable housing, if we don't have access to health insurance, if we don't have walkable communities, all of these are driven by policies, then it really doesn't help to make a community change after all.
Christian Ross [00:08:08]:
It's so amazing because it's truly, I also feel like a testament to curiosity, the fact that you saw these things and that curiosity kept saying, well, wait a minute, how does this work and how can we make it better? Oh, we make it better with policies. We make it better with our healthcare system. And you've worked in the state healthcare environment. What does that environment look like? And what tips would you give someone who's navigating the system? Who maybe they're doing it for a parent, the loved one, or maybe they're doing it for themselves. What should they know when they are navigating that system?
Shana Scott [00:08:42]:
It's so hard because again, like, as professionals and as like people higher up, you know, we tell people, like, well, we'll just give you access to healthcare, right? But then what does that look like for just the everyday person who maybe isn't college educated, who maybe even doesn't have a high school diploma? And so it is very difficult to navigate the health system. I will say that there are now more resources. Going back to our initial question about equity versus equality, what I think the Affordable Care act tried to do back in 2011 was create that equality where services and programs and things were put in place to give everyone equal access. And so now there are navigators out there that can help you navigate the health system. There are people that you can take with you to appointments that can ask the questions that are important to your health outcome. And so there are different systems and things in place. And I would say people don't really know about it. So if you do have health insurance, regardless of it being government funded, which would be Medicaid or private insurance, you can access those resources.
Shana Scott [00:09:57]:
You can ask for a navigator or some sort of home health person to help you navigate the system, to apply for insurance or even come with you to doctors visits to help ask the questions that are important.
Christian Ross [00:10:10]:
I didn't know that. So there's actually a role of a navigator that someone could, they could contact their local government and see what that.
Shana Scott [00:10:21]:
Would it be that their plan? Yeah, not necessarily the government, but like your contact, if you have Medicaid, contact the number and ask for a navigator to help you to come to your appointments or go with your grandma to her appointments. Yes, there are folks here for that.
Christian Ross [00:10:39]:
And, you know, I mentioned earlier that you are at so many different events. I think one of the things that a lot of people, when they see big organizations like the American Health Association, I mean, excuse me, heart association. They may say, oh, what are they doing in the community? And you guys are everywhere. Everywhere. And so I wanted to ask you, like, what does impact look like to you in your role as well as personally?
Shana Scott [00:11:06]:
Awesome question. So I'll just say, in my role, there is another. There are aha folks like me in other cities across the US. So many people, when they think about the American Heart association, they might think of CPR certification or they may think of blood pressure, right? But the AHa really has a vested interest in impact, in translating the science and the research into everyday practice. And so, for me, impact in my work, and when I think about impact, it's really about catalyzing collaboration and innovation. And so you might see me everywhere because I'm really invested in collaboration. This year, I said my quote for my work would be collaboration without duplication. So, meaning that I'm going to find those other people.
Shana Scott [00:11:58]:
Like, I'm not the expert in everything, but someone who's a housing expert. I need to collaborate with you. I need to collaborate with the health system, because y'all are the experts. And so, for me, impact is around catalyzing collaboration, innovation between public health businesses, health departments, health systems, et cetera, to create upstream opportunity for change in the health of our communities. And that can mean sometimes me not doing the work, but really figuring out who is, who's the expert and how can we support fiscally, how. What resources can we provide so that those experts are empowered to do the work.
Christian Ross [00:12:42]:
That's amazing. And I know that was the work side. That's who you are. But, like, on the personal side, how would you say you feel like your impact is? And how do you just kind of navigate that side as well?
Shana Scott [00:12:55]:
It's so hard for me to separate professional from personal because I've been doing public health for so long, literally 20 years to the day, is when I got my first job. And so for me, it's public health is a part of me and what I do. So I am also in academia. I do teach undergrad and graduate courses. So when I think of, like, in my personal life, I think about the students who are the next generation of public health professionals. I think of my kids who I'm like, oh, don't eat that, don't drink that. You know, like, yeah, this week we were, you know, I still fall into it. We might have some hot or some hot cheaters or something.
Shana Scott [00:13:38]:
And I'm like, oh, no, red 40. We're not gonna do that anymore. You know, we're gonna limit that. And so I really, impact for me is education. Impact for me is in my personal life, always walking the walk and talking the talk. Like, yes, we may fall short, but am I getting my physical activity? Am I communicating with my friends about their physical activity, their heart health? And, you know, I hope that I was about to say, I hope that I'm doing that. I hope that I am translating the message, whether it's through personal conversations or whatever I may post on social media that it is getting across to the people I come in contact with.
Christian Ross [00:14:16]:
And, you know, it's interesting with you saying Red 40, I downloaded Yuca, the Yuga app. And it's honestly heartbreaking. Not only is it eye opening when you download this app, and just for anyone who doesn't know what Yucca is, Yucca is an app that once you scan the food that you were eating that has a label, it will come back to you and tell you what things may be actually banned in other countries. What? Cancer. It gives you a health breakdown on a score rating of how that particular food fairs. And I remember scanning something the other day, and I was like, oh, I can't wait to buy this.
Shana Scott [00:14:54]:
And it was like, no, you won't. It was zero.
Christian Ross [00:14:59]:
And I was like, oh, gosh, yeah, one thing, just like you said, you know, oh, I'm going to eat this one day. That's the one thing I use Yuga for, too, is to say, okay, well, I know what it is.
Shana Scott [00:15:10]:
I'm going to, like, eat that in very little moderation. Right? Yeah.
Christian Ross [00:15:15]:
Hi, I'm Christian Ross, founder and chief happiness officer of Happy talks, where we provide social phone calls for older adults. So while you're thinking about the care of your loved one, remember, connection is key to optimal health. And we would love to partner with you. Go ahead and visit www.happytalks.com.
Christian Ross [00:15:36]:
But also, too, I love the fact that it gives, what do you call that? It gives other things that you can eat. It gives alternatives. You can eat that turkey sausage, but here's a better turkey sausage that doesn't have all those nitrates.
Shana Scott [00:15:49]:
Nitrates and sodium and all of those things. Yeah.
Christian Ross [00:15:54]:
And going to heart health, what do you see as the biggest factors? I would guess it's diet. But what do you see as the biggest factors with people when it comes to their heart health?
Shana Scott [00:16:05]:
Oh, it's, you know, it's not just diet, actually. So the American Heart association has this educational tool called life's essential eight, and it looks at the four health behaviors and then the four impacts. And so when we talk about diet, diet isn't the only one. So there are four, three additional things that we may be doing that can impact our health. So our sleep. And I know you mentioned that I'm everywhere and I'm like, yes, I am. But I also get my 9 hours of sleep because sleep is very important to our heart health. When we are sleeping, we are regenerating our organs, our brain, all of the things are being regenerated during sleep.
Shana Scott [00:17:00]:
And so sleep is very important. But your diet, so eating better, eating a balanced diet, eating the rainbow, as we call it. So, leafy greens, colorful foods, ensuring that you are think back to grade school and the food pyramid, go back to the food pyramid, eat the things that you see on the food pyramid. So nothing is wrong with having your meats. But in moderation, our fats, we still need healthy fats, we still need our grains, we need our fruits, our vegetables, etcetera. The third one is being active. We are in the work from home generation now, but you can still be become more active. So incorporate in on physical activity in your daily.
Shana Scott [00:17:41]:
So getting at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day is very important. So you can break it up 15 minutes in the morning, 15 minutes in the afternoon. We don't have to be in the gym. People have this misconception that you need to be like lifting weights, working out physical activity, cardio, gardening, vacuuming, housework, those things count as physical activity. And then the fourth one is quitting tobacco. So if you are using tobacco products, quitting tobacco, getting into some sort of program where you can reduce your tobacco intake, get in, help with your tobacco use. So those are the four things, and then the four factors. So manage your weight, however you choose to do that.
Shana Scott [00:18:26]:
Control your cholesterol, manage your blood sugar, and then manage your blood pressure, your hypertension. So those are the portion, the pieces of life, essential aid. So what are the things that we can do, the things we have in control, and then the health factors that our behaviors can impact. But I'm telling you that sleep is the most important one. I think. For me, I think sleep is.
Christian Ross [00:18:52]:
And it's funny too, because one day, I do not do this often. I used to. I used to do this a lot. I do not anymore. This was like a once in a year happening, maybe twice a year. But I stayed up all night, like all night. I was over 24 hours. I slept actually for about an hour and a half.
Christian Ross [00:19:11]:
And then I went back on with my day and I. I was fine throughout the day. But I said to my, I scolded myself throughout the day because I was like, you know, better, like, how does your body have a chance to rest? How does your brain even have a chance to rest if you're just taking an hour? That's not right. So I'm glad you mentioned sleeve because I think a lot of people discount the importance. And it's so important. It is. Like you said, it's part of that top four.
Shana Scott [00:19:37]:
Yeah. You know, when we're in this, like, this hustle generation where it's like all about getting money, making money, how many side hustles can you have, which you named? I have multiple. Many. But I don't think that any of this should be at the detriment of how much rest we are getting. Research and science tells us that our brain health is very important. Sleep impacts our brain health. And so if we want to live a longer, healthier lives, getting at least 7 hours of sleep is super important. And the older you get, the more sleep you need.
Shana Scott [00:20:09]:
So, like, our babies, babies get like 1112 hours of sleep. As they get a little bit older, they need less sleep. Teenagers, we're always ragging on them, but they're supposed to get the sleep. They're supposed to be sleeping. So that's why they're always sleeping, because it's helping with their growth. And then when you're in your twenties to early forties like that, seven to 8 hours, but then as you're in your sixties and up, that 910, 11 hours is back to the baby sleep again.
Christian Ross [00:20:39]:
Yeah, that's what's so interesting, too, because before my beautiful mother in love passed, I remember her looking out the window and she said, once a baby, twice a baby. Yeah. And it's so interesting to, you know, if you see changes, I always think of, like, changes in your parents that someone may see. It's like, just remember that this is a new age, that they're going to a new part of life. And it was interesting. I actually talked to some ladies yesterday. They were in their late eighties. And I think when you talk about longevity and heart health made me think of what they said about longevity, that now that time is longer for them.
Christian Ross [00:21:24]:
Like, what am I going to do.
Shana Scott [00:21:26]:
In this next with the day?
Christian Ross [00:21:28]:
Yeah, they're like, my days? What is this next stage of my life? And I'm like, that's amazing to think that you're 87 and you're like, what's next?
Shana Scott [00:21:36]:
What's next?
Christian Ross [00:21:37]:
What am I going to do? Who am I going to impact? Where am I going? What are my days gonna look like? How am I gonna fill them? So I think that's incredible to think of, of course, the longevity of what you can do. But then two, just knowing that this is one act, so you have to make sure you're maintaining your heart health so you can even get to that next phase.
Shana Scott [00:21:55]:
Get to the next phase. Right. Like, we all want to be there. I want to be that cute little 80 year old. Yes. Not hunched over like, I can still walk around the track maybe one time, but yeah, I want to be out there for sure.
Christian Ross [00:22:10]:
And, you know, you've talked about understanding the policy part and the integration of law with how it basically rules our lives and how it impacts health. What are some legislative updates that you think people should know about or, you know, and things that you would implore people to do to make sure that their voice is heard.
Shana Scott [00:22:33]:
Yeah. So I would definitely say, you know, right now we are in election time, so making sure that you're paying attention to what's happening regardless of your political affiliation, ensuring that you are caught up with the policy priorities of that particular party. What are they focused on, especially if we're thinking about health. What are their health priorities? So do the digging, do the research to identify the health priorities of whomever you are interested in voting for the second thing. So that's, I'm more so speaking federally. But really, for me, local is very important. When we think about, we don't live in DC. Right.
Shana Scott [00:23:12]:
Unless you live in DC, but like wherever else you are, your local government politics is what's very important. So understanding those city council, those county commissioners, like, what they are interested in and how to stay plugged in, they work for you. Reach out to them, contact them, go to listening sessions that they are doing. Get your voices to be heard, because again, your dollars pay for their salary. So I would say ensure that you are voting in your local election and then beyond voting, you are keeping up with whatever they are doing. You are staying connected to them and you understand the priorities that they have. Because if you want to walk in your community, they're the ones that's going to make it happen. So they are responsible for creating walkable communities.
Shana Scott [00:24:02]:
They are responsible. If a streetlight is out, they are going to be the ones that are going to bring that back. If you need parks in your local neighborhoods, that is going to be your local elected officials, not Washington, DC. So just ensuring that you are engaged in the legislative process from a federal perspective. I mentioned the Affordable Care act earlier and a lot of the Affordable Care act really, again, focused on equality, but from an equity perspective. Recently, the Health Equity and Accountability Act HEAA was reintroduced, and it is a comprehensive and strategic roadmap to now address the health equity pieces. So it will address and help eliminate healthcare inequities that are being experienced by people, persons, and communities of color. And so it is a multi sectoral caucus of the Congressional Black Caucus, the Hispanic Caucus, and the Asian Pacific Islander Caucus, they have all come together to reintroduce this act in July 2024.
Shana Scott [00:25:19]:
And hopefully it will be passed because it will impact multiple communities.
Christian Ross [00:25:26]:
It's so important because there are so many caregivers that are doing the work, not taking promotions at work or not just being able to fully engage in everything they want to be because of the fact that they are in a caregiving role. Like, how do you see in the future that there will be more legislative changes in that?
Shana Scott [00:25:46]:
Do you anticipate that for caregivers? So cares. And think about cares. Cares has many different sections. So cares, Washington, the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security act. And so it has a variety of things that it covered, and it was signed into law by President Trump a couple years ago. But I would say that caregivers, when we look at what HHS and the agency on age and look at the things that they are putting out, I definitely think that as we are looking at the generations and we are moving into more older adults and how many Americans are now older adults, there will probably be some more legislation to not only cover older adults, but the caregivers and the families that support older adults.
Christian Ross [00:26:42]:
Thanks for leaving us with hope, as we.
Shana Scott [00:26:47]:
Yes, and I would say also in our specific states as well. So while it might not happen federally within states, the area agencies on aging, they are definitely putting out a lot of funding opportunities and educational resources for.
Christian Ross [00:27:08]:
Caregivers, which is so good. And I love the approach that the American Heart association and other volunteer groups that you're affiliated with there. It's really a holistic approach because not only are you dealing with things with specific to heart health, but then you're also dealing with the equity piece where you're going to neighborhoods that have food deserts. There isn't an actual grocery store nearby with fresh produce. And, you know, so one day you may be there doing something for making sure that there's fresh food in a neighborhood, and the next day, like yesterday, you're with an ambassador. I mean, your days, your days vary greatly.
Shana Scott [00:27:47]:
My days do vary, yeah.
Christian Ross [00:27:49]:
What do you see as kind of your. The legacy that you want to leave.
Shana Scott [00:27:56]:
That is such a hard question. The legacy. Well, you know, in thinking about my days, so the American Heart association, we have priorities, and the mission, of course, of the AHA is to be a relentless force for longer, healthier lives. Right? And so how can I be that force for the people that I come in contact with? So how can I create opportunities for people in general to live longer, healthier lives? And so when I think about my legacy, it's really about that, creating opportunities for generations, generational and multi generational conversations about longer, healthier lives. We are now in a time where less and less people are moving out, right. Like we are now in multi generational homes where you have the grandmother and the mother and the grandchildren. And so if we are in those homes where, let's say, maybe grandma wasn't eaten as healthy because grandma was or is used to some of the more like traditional soul food, and those things are being passed down. Well, what can we do to create multigenerational health but still not like, phase grandma out, right? So that the grandchild is now getting, being able to come and bring some healthier options to grandma so that we can create generational health, which is then related to generational wealth.
Shana Scott [00:29:27]:
Because our health is our wealth. That is the greatest wealth that we have.
Christian Ross [00:29:31]:
It sure is. Thank you so much for joining us today. And, yeah, I say that all the time, your health is. Your health is your wealth. Because when I wake up every day and I can see and I can hear and I can walk and I can, I can operate at 100% capacity, I figure it is a blessed day and whatever happens, happens in the day. Thank you so much for your time. And is there anything you would like to share with us before we say ciao for now?
Shana Scott [00:30:03]:
You know, just continue to think about your health. Think about ways that you can maintain a healthy lifestyle. Even if it is a small step of eliminating something from your diet or reintroducing something healthy, taking a few steps around your community, anything will help. That first step is beyond. So that's it.
Christian Ross [00:30:26]:
That is so true. Well, we have so many wise words. The vp of impact at the American Heart association and so many other titles. Thank you so much for your time and keep living, keep loving, keep doing what you do. And we look forward to seeing you back here again. And love and longevity.
Christian Ross [00:30:50]:
Thank you for joining us at Love and longevity with Christian Ross. If you enjoyed what you heard, give us a five star review on your favorite podcast platform, and be sure to follow us and if you like more from me, you can subscribe to the Happy Talks newsletter at the link in the show notes. Thanks for listening.