Abstract
Holistic health involves understanding health and wellbeing as an interplay between physical, mental, spiritual, and environmental factors. Applying the holistic health lens to senior health and wellbeing creates a more complete picture of what it means for seniors to be fully healthy. Using this model, this thesis explores health perceptions of senior citizens participating in a community wellness program at a faith community in Papillion, Nebraska, involving Tai Chi, senior exercise, and Yoga. Researchers representing the fields of medical anthropology, nursing, and physical therapy used both qualitative and quantitative methods to study participant perceptions of these wellness programs’ health outcomes and provide a commentary beyond the case study, informed by their diverse academic and professional backgrounds. The findings of this study underscore the value of the holistic health model, particularly the significant role the social environment plays in understanding participants’ health outcomes.|Keywords: Holistic health, senior health, medical anthropology, community-based health initiative, social ecological theory, social environment, multidisciplinary research