Director's Message November 15, 2024
VAPIHCS Veterans, VA Pacific Islands Health Care System (VAPIHCS) continues to offer the updated COVID-19 and flu vaccines, which target more recent strains. Due to changes in the viruses and waning immunity, it is important to get your updated COVID-19 and flu vaccines as soon as you can.
VAPIHCS also offers Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccines. These vaccines are recommended for everyone 75 and older and people 60-74 with risk factors. If you’ve already had an RSV vaccine, you don’t need another one this season. Call us at 1-800-214-1306 to schedule an appointment.
All adults should receive one flu vaccine every year and at least one updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine dose. People over 65 years of age and people with certain high-risk conditions may get more COVID-19 vaccine doses. Talk to your provider to see what is right for you. Everyone 75 years and older should receive one RSV vaccine dose. People 60-74 years old should receive one dose if they have chronic heart or lung disease, certain medical conditions, or if they live in a nursing home. Only one lifetime dose of RSV vaccine is currently recommended for older adults. People who are pregnant during RSV season, which is September through January in most of the U.S., may also need an RSV shot to protect their baby.
Upcoming Events
VAPIHCS will hold a PACT Act Registration and Community Call event on Saturday, November 16, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (HST) at the Maui Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC) at 203 Ho’ohana Street, Suite 303, Kahului, HI 96732. In addition to this community event, VAPIHCS will be presenting two Veterans over 100 years old the Secretary of the VA coin and certificate of appreciation.
VAPIHCS will hold a Chaplain and Tea event on November 18, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. (HST) at the Spark Matsunaga Ambulatory Care Center (ACC) in Honolulu. This event is open to Veterans and staff. Spiritual care materials will be available, and light refreshments will be provided.
VAPIHCS will hold a Thanksgiving Lunch on November 28, 2024, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. HST at the Daniel K. Akaka VA Clinic at 91-1051 Franklin D. Roosevelt Ave in Kapolei. Veterans are welcome to come to this event an enjoy a hot meal with our staff. There is no need to bring a dish, just come and enjoy!
For more information on any of our events, please call 1-800-214-1306.
November Whole Health Message
As Marine Veteran Alex Stallworth said, “I could never have told my story if there were no ears that wanted to listen.” Stallworth found hope through Whole Health, recovering from addiction and homelessness. Join other Veterans who are taking charge of their life and health. Watch Whole Health Video here: https://youtu.be/0nkO-3PA29c
Thoughts from Chaplain Richie Charles
A pile of banana peels, moldy bread, eggshells, or potato skins might seem like nothing more than rubbish to be tossed out along with other waste. But a skillful gardener sees what most would not – precious nutrients to enrich his soil. The gardener understands that while on the surface, these food scraps may appear to simply be a person’s trash, it can also be repurposed as compost, serving as nature’s treasure.
Composting is an agricultural technique where organic waste materials, like food scraps, are thrown into the soil, where they decompose, break down, and over time, release nutrient-rich material into the soil. The breaking down of these scraps improve soil structure and helps contribute to healthier plant growth. While gardening may not exactly be what you’re into, we can all admit that we’ve experienced moments in our lives that we wish we could simply throw away. We may have chapters in our experiences that would be tempting to erase. But the soil shows us that sometimes, the scraps of our life experiences can hold a greater value than we might expect.
Like a jeweler who holds up a diamond to watch it glisten from different angles, there is value in taking a step back, and looking at every situation from different angles. We can often unearth hidden value that can be extracted from even challenging experiences. Regrets, mistakes, setbacks, and trials are part of the menu that life serves us. But the gardener understands that it’s not so much what life throws at us that is the most consequential, but what we decide to do with it that ultimately makes the greatest difference. A mistake can be repurposed into a valuable lesson. A rejection can result into greater resilience. A setback can set the stage for a comeback. What has life thrown your way? How can you take the unpleasant elements of life to repurpose it for something better?
One Team, One Ohana!
Adam M. Robinson, Jr., MD, MBA, CPE
Director, VA Pacific Islands Health Care System
VADM, MC, USN, (RET)
36th Surgeon General, USN
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