Resident Spotlight: Shirin Velji, Inspire Positive Aging 2020 Award Recipient
July 1, 2020Paying close attention to your physical and mental health is especially important as people age and key for maintaining wellness, according to Shirin Velji, Emerald Heights resident and recipient of the Inspire Positive Aging 2020 Award in Health and Wellness.
Meet Shirin
81-year-old Shirin is a devoted community activist who inspires her fellow seniors to “age gracefully” by maintaining positive attitudes and daily routines. Among many other organizations, Shirin invests her time into being a part of the EvergreenHealth Community Advisory Board, the Redmond Senior Center’s Senior Advisory Council (SAC), and the Emerald Heights Health and Wellness Committee. She also served on the Senior Care Connections Council at Overlake Hospital. At Emerald Heights, Shirin and committee members have sewn masks for fellow residents to help keep them safe from coronavirus.
As an immigrant to the U.S. from Tanzania, Shirin has always looked for opportunities to get involved in her community, and she finds joy in helping others. While raising two children, traveling for her professional career and maintaining a happy marriage, Shirin has always found a way to engage with and support others around her. The impact she has made through her volunteer work and dedication to her faith’s community is what led Shirin to be nominated for an Inspire Positive Aging award.
Inspire Positive Aging 2020 Award
Sound Generations, a non-profit organization that serves older adults and adults with disabilities in King County, honored Shirin with the 2020 Inspire Positive Aging Award. The award is presented to one individual who has proven to be dedicated to promoting health and wellness through teaching or participating in physical activity, working in the field of healthcare, or serving as a caregiver.
Advice for Fellow Seniors
Shirin urges her fellow seniors to remain vigilant about their physical and mental health, stay involved in walking and fitness classes, enjoy reading, meditate to mitigate stress and always carry a positive attitude for aging gracefully. Her motto is to aim high and never doubt what you can do – the sky is the limit!
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