Cost: Member: $35 | Student: $15 | Non-member $65
Abstract: Midlife and aging are so often talked about in terms of decline — hormones shifting, energy dipping, memory changing, heart health becoming a bigger concern. But there’s another, quieter issue that’s just as important and far less talked about: disconnection and isolation and its impacts on aging and chronic health. So many people in midlife are struggling with loneliness, isolation, and the slow fading of community. These aren’t just emotional experiences; they have real, measurable effects on the body, from increased inflammation and stress hormones to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and even shorter lifespans. This session is an invitation to look at mid-life and aging medicine differently. What if every treatment plan — whether it’s about nutrition, movement, or hormone support — also included tangible care for connection? What if belonging, purpose, and social health were seen as essential parts of healing, not optional extras? What are the ways that we are serving this disconnection in our practices in the name of boundaries and technologization? How can we look at this from a sustainability lens? And in what ways are we "walking our talk" as providers and a profession? How can we view community partnerships and engagement as part of our medicine, not just an "add on"? Dr. Sunita Iyer will share stories, tactical strategies, and prescribing frameworks for helping people rebuild and sustain meaningful community ties. We’ll look at how our current healthcare and wellness systems sometimes unintentionally make isolation worse — and explore our contributions and what we can do to change that.
Presenter Bio: As a midwife and a naturopathic physician, Dr. Sunita Iyer has always enjoyed a bit of the “town doctor” life. Working with families to achieve health, welcome babies, navigate parenthood, and grow older has been a central part of her practice over the years. In recent years, she has also embraced her role as an educator—an identity that is woven into everything she does. Having taught at Bastyr University since 2009, she transitioned to the University of Washington - Bothell in 2016 and is now an Associate Teaching Professor there. Dr. Iyer teaches in the School of Nursing and Health Studies, educating future healthcare professionals, including nurses, health educators, and public health advocates at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
This presentation is worth 1 Category 1 CE credit, including 0.5 Health Equity credit, for Washington-licensed NDs.
(Originally presented May 1-3, 2026, at WANP's 2026 annual conference.)