SCIENCE & HEALTH
Optimal Aging conference to focus on the inevitable
Conference to be held Nov. 4 on BGSU campus
10/28/2013
Students walk and study on the campus of Bowling Green State University with the clock tower of the Bowen-Thompson Student Union, where the Ohio Masonic Home and the College of Health and Human Services at BGSU are looking to get folks not only talking, but planning for aging, during a one-day seminar Nov. 4 that will focus on the topic.
We plan for nearly everything in our lives — careers, vacations, starting a family, retirement, and even death — except aging.
Though we know it is inevitable, we ignore it. No one wants to think of nursing homes, hospitals, and hospice as his or her end point, so instead we look at aging as something far off in the distance.
The Ohio Masonic Home and the college of health and human services at Bowling Green State University, are looking to get folks not only talking, but planning for aging, during a seminar Nov. 4 that will focus on the topic.
Optimal Aging is a concept that focuses on enhancing the wellness of older adults through research, education, and information related to physical, emotional, intellectual, social, spiritual, and purposeful wellness.
“Instead of talking about the disease paradigm, the decline, this focuses on aging successfully,” said Nancy Orel, acting dean of the college. “You can be doing things today that will allow you to age successfully.”
If you go
The seminar on Optimal Aging will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 4 in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union ballroom on BGSU’s main campus in Bowling Green. Parking is available in the Stroh Center parking lot and a shuttle bus will transport guests to the union. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Lunch will be provided for the first 200 registrants. To register, call 419-372-7773 or send an email to: HHSEvents@bgsu.edu.
National speakers will discuss optimal aging across the lifespan, along with care-giving issues. Vendors will provide information about programs, products, and services to assist caregivers and older adults, including information on care-giving, Alzheimer’s, and speech and hearing. Demonstrations of some of the services, products, and programs to assist caregivers will be available.
Keynote speakers are Dr. David Gobble and Dr. Mike Magee. Dr. Gobble is a specialist in wellness across the lifespan and serves as director of the Masterpiece Living Academy.
Dr. Magee is president and founder of Positive Medicine Inc., a strategic health communications firm. He serves as Senior Fellow for Health Policy at the Center for Aging Services Technologies in Washington.
The event will include sessions on domains of wellness, demystifying the aging myths, a panel presentation, and an open discussion about the challenges and benefits of providing care.
In addition, there will be companies on-site to discuss using technology to communicate when providing long-distance care. Builders will be available to discuss home renovations to accommodate physical needs for adults.
“There are numerous things we need to do and think about as far as aging,” Ms. Orel said. “Our culture has a tendency to deny we’re aging, but it’s happening. We’re all aging and hopefully like it.”
Contact RoNeisha Mullen at: rmullen@theblade.com or 419-724-6133.