Thursday, 17 August 2023
This August, Amy and I have been owners of the Roslyn Pharmacy for 18 years! It’s been an incredible journey and one that I’ll never forget. My youngest daughter Ella was a newborn. And now she is 18, ready to leave school at the end of the year.
Over this time, I’ve met and gotten to know so many of you in our community. It’s been the privilege of my life to grow older with you all. One of the most important things we have observed over this time is that we all age differently. Some 70 year olds are out there doing things as they always have: fit, strong and active; many of them more active than mid-40’s me! On the flip side, some 70 year olds are not great: mired by chronically ill health, we see them on a slippery slope downwards, a vicious circle of ill health, inactivity and loneliness.
This fact has spurred and motivated us on a direction for our next several years at the Pharmacy. A) How do we become the best version of ourselves at 70 years old, and b) how do we actively promote and influence our community into action? We all know what we are supposed to do. How do we actually put steps in place to make sure we DO IT??
Part of the solution is relationships.
Our connections with others greatly impact our mental and physical health. A strong social support network can be critical to help us through the stresses of life. Being part of a community can lead to increased feelings of belonging, purpose, and happiness. It can also improve our self-worth and help us cope with traumas and major life changes.
The Harvard Study of Adult development stated the number 1 determinant of a good life is Social Fitness. Social Fitness means the ability to engage in productive personal and professional relationships.
Finding a trusted team of health professionals to build a relationship with in this time is hard. It seems like there’s a constant roundabout of health professionals and you’re seeing new faces all the time.
And this is the Roslyn Pharmacy difference.
We are the very embodiment of a COMMUNITY pharmacy. We are built up from the relationships we have with you all. For 18 years, I’ve been lucky enough to be the custodian of this place. I'm so thankful that my team that have joined us on the journey have stuck around ( shout out to our senior technician Sarah whom I've worked with for 18 years!!) It takes a village to help grow people and make them succeed. You have brought me and my family up - we are here for you. When we don't live up to your expectations, I take it personally. When we do it right, our team have high 5s all around.
We’ve got your back, because you have had ours, and that’s what good people do. Thanks so much for all your support over the past 18 years. We will continue to grow and learn together.
Till next month,
Andy and team