The Art of Aging: Life Begins at 50

The Art of Aging: Life begins at 50, a free expo hosted by Partners in Aging, Inc. was held recently at the Fredericksburg Expo and Conference Center. Some 80 organizations and agencies, including AARP Virginia, participated in the 15th annual event. They shared information about recreational activities, health services and educational workshops.

These workshops included: Downsizing and Decluttering; Aging in Place; Medicare 101; Warning Signs of Alzheimer’s; Project Lifesaver; Communications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; Senior Fraud and Scams: and Brain Health.

AARP Virginia volunteer Mike D’Otillio presented the workshop on brain health titled “The Six Pillars of Brain Health.” The workshop focused on the following pillars:

· Engage your Brain--Continue to learn new things.

· Remain Social--Engage with friends and family.

· Exercise--Get at least 150 minutes of exercise per week.

· Eating Healthy--Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables.

· Sleep--Establish a routine.

· Reduce stress--Remember, you don’t stop laughing because you got old, you got old because you stopped laughing!

Zachary Daniel, program manager at Brain Injury Services, discussed a relatively new threat to brain health—Long COVID. Long COVID refers to symptoms and conditions that persist or develop after the initial COVID19 infection that lasts months or years. Brain Injury Services is working to help those struggling with Long Covid.

Carol Murray, a representative from the Alzheimer’s Association, shared facts and figures about dementia; how it affects not just the patient but the caregiver, the family, and the supporting community as well.

An interesting tidbit was shared about the different colors of forget-me-nots on the association’s table: purple is to remember someone lost to Alzheimer’s; orange shows support of someone with Alzheimer’s; yellow symbolizes an Alzheimer’s caregiver and white will be given to the first person to be cured of Alzheimer’s. It hasn’t been given yet.