More than 230 attendees took part in the two-day conference May 15-16, hosted by the UofL Trager Institute Republic Bank Foundation Optimal Aging Clinic and Kentucky Association of Gerontology. The conference, focused on the theme Art of Aging: Advancements in Aging Care, explored healthy lifestyle practices, new technologies, advanced research and community care that improve people’s lives as they age. Sessions also explored how health care professionals, social workers and caregivers help serve older adults.

“When we talk about the art of aging, we’re talking about each person’s unique aging journey and the new approaches and advances in the aging field they can incorporate in a way that suits them and their needs. It’s not an exact science—we’re all defining what aging means to us as we go and refining how we navigate the joys and challenges along the way,” said Anna Faul, executive director of the Trager Institute Optimal Aging Clinic. 

Joy Willenbrink-Conte, a music therapist from the University of Dayton and the conference’s opening keynote speaker, focused on breathing, vocalizing and singing for health and healing. Meantime, Josephine Gomes, a geriatrician at the Optimal Aging Clinic, gave a survey on the past, present and future of Alzheimer’s and related dementias during the day’s second keynote address. She discussed modifiable factors, which are ways people could alter their lifestyle to lower the risk of onset, and innovative care models, such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Guiding an Improved Dementia Experience, that can help people better navigate their diagnosis.

A reception with a demonstration of a HealthRHYTHMS drumming session and an opportunity for attendees to interact with the older adult painters showcasing their artwork concluded the first day.

On day two of the conference, keynote speakers Bob Blancato, executive director of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs, and Sandy Markwood, CEO of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, provided a timely update on aging policy in a changing political environment. A panel of four octogenarians and nonagenarians closed out the conference with humor and wisdom.

“This year’s conference really hit the mark. It provided not only education on a wide range of topics such as artificial intelligence in dementia assessments, using improv to improve communication skills in care settings, integrating behavioral health into aging care, music therapy and more, but also levity and inspiration during a period of great uncertainty for older adult services,” reflected Barbara Gordon, the institute’s director of community engagement.

Learn more about the .

View pictures from the conference on .

Article by Samantha Adams, UofL Trager Institute.��

“Health equity is essential to improving the aging journey for everyone in our community. We must view health holistically, accounting for the social determinants that impact one’s health and working to address each of them with patients so they can flourish,” said Anna Faul, executive director of the . “It felt necessary for health equity to be our theme this year, especially with the growing aging population in the U.S. and the recent challenges to DEI initiatives.”��

The Trager Institute/Optimal Aging Clinic and the Kentucky Association of Gerontology hosted the conference, held in person for the first time since 2019.

As the opening keynote speaker, Kentucky State Director of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives Charles Booker set the tone and mission of the conference, emphasizing the need to listen to the voices of those directly impacted by services and policies and the importance of strengthening community relationships.

Other keynote sessions included an update on Alzheimer’s and dementia research from Gregory Jicha, professor of neurology at the University of Kentucky; a call to action for women’s caregiver roles and health disparities from Sam Cotton, associate professor at the UofL Department of Family and Geriatric Medicine; a panel on health equity and aging policy with Bob Blancato, executive director of the National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs and Sandy Markwood, CEO of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging; and a panel of six octogenarians and nonagenarians who shared insights on aging optimally.

The nearly 300 attendees also had the opportunity to participate in sessions on animal-assisted therapy, the benefits of adult day care, lifestyle medicine for preventing dementia, ageism, expansion of senior center services, mental health challenges in older adults and other topics.

“The Optimal Aging Conference was an enlightening and rewarding experience. Participants were able to journey through the landscapes of aging and health equity with every keynote and workshop presentation they attended. This conference reinforced my belief that, by embracing inclusivity and understanding, we can make every year of life a rich and fulfilling adventure for everyone,” said Barbara Gordon, director of community engagement for the Trager Institute/Optimal Aging Clinic.�� ��

The annual conference aims to transform preconceptions about aging, hoping to ignite conversations in which aging is viewed as an opportunity rather than a disease. For more details and information about the 2025 event, visit the .

By Samantha Adams, UofL Trager Institute

“UofL is committed to its role as an engaged institution passionate about partnering and collaborating with external constituencies and communities. This partnership between the university’s Trager Institute and its partners is a win-win for both UofL and the community,” said Douglas Craddock Jr., UofL’s vice president for��. “The university benefits from engaged scholarship, and our elderly citizens receive necessary services that help them live their best lives.”

In 2015, the Trager Institute led efforts to support Louisville’s participation in the Network of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities by AARP and the World Health Organization (WHO), resulting in Louisville becoming the 120th U.S. Age-Friendly city.

With 40 percent of Louisville’s population projected to be 60 years or older by 2050, creating an environment where seniors could age well in place was essential to promoting well-being and ensuring the city continues to thrive. The Trager Institute guided the creation of a strategic plan using a needs assessment and participatory community engagement approaches, including listening sessions, concept mapping methods and presentations to the public.

“The Trager Institute started on this journey in 2015 to engage community partners in the vision of Age-Friendly Louisville. Community-based organizations, local government and residents across Louisville have worked tirelessly on the strategic plan to realize the dream of becoming age-friendly for all regardless of one’s age or abilities. It has been such an honor to engage in this collaborative leadership,” said Anna Faul, executive director of the Trager Institute.

The Trager Institute partnered with Metro Louisville, AARP and KIPDA to successfully implement Age-Friendly Louisville’s long-term plan to address the needs of the aging population and promote inclusive and accessible communities for people of all ages and abilities.

The internal nominating process for the award was coordinated by UofL’s Office of Community Engagement, which provides coaching and mentoring to faculty prior to final submission. UofL has been recognized for all five award nominations submitted in the past. These awards help to enhance UofL’s national profile in community-engaged scholarship.

APLU also announced that four of its member universities have been selected as regional winners of the 2023 W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Engagement Scholarship Award. North Carolina State University, The Ohio State University, the University of Pittsburgh and Texas A&M University will compete for the national C. Peter Magrath Community Engagement Scholarship Award, which will be announced at the 2023 APLU Annual Meeting in November.

Since 2007, APLU and the��, with support from the��, have partnered to honor the engagement scholarship and partnerships of four-year public universities. The award recognizes programs that demonstrate how colleges and universities have redesigned their learning, discovery, and engagement missions to deepen their partnerships and achieve broader impacts in their communities. The national award is named for C. Peter Magrath, APLU president from 1992 to 2005.

“Congratulations��to the regional winners of the Kellogg Community Engagement Scholarship Awards and exemplary projects,” said APLU President Mark Becker. “Community engagement is a critical part of public universities’ mission and we’re pleased to highlight the work of institutions that are engaging communities to solve challenges. From the underserved areas of their communities and states to overlooked regions of the world, public research universities are engaging communities to solve the most pressing problems they face.”

A team of community engagement professionals from public research universities judged this round of the award. A second team will pick the national winner following presentations at the 2023 National Engagement Scholarship Conference.

“Being a model of optimal aging means continuing to evolve and flourish as we age to the best of our ability. It is a state of being and mind that one grows toward over a lifetime,” said Anna Faul, executive director of the Trager Institute. “It is choosing not to passively accept society’s ideas of what aging means but rather to find what matters most to you and pursuing it.”

Adults who achieve the age of 85 by Sept. 1 and who live according to the physical, social, creative and spiritual principles of optimal aging are eligible for the Gold Standard of Optimal Aging Award. Anyone may nominate an older adult at the until July 15. Sponsorship information for the award ceremony also is available at the site.

“This award is one of the cornerstone events of Optimal Aging Month, a time dedicated to promoting the view that aging is an opportunity, not a disease,” said Christian Davis Furman, medical director of the institute. “We are so excited to share with the community all of our older adults who are optimally aging.”

Honorees will receive their awards during a luncheon on Sept. 30 at the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage as part of UofL’s Optimal Aging Month. Each honoree and one guest may attend the event for free and may either join in person or virtually. Additional tickets at $40 per person may be purchased at the later this summer. The event benefits the and its efforts to empower older adults to flourish.

For more information, call 502-588-0433 or email tragerinstitute@louisville.edu.

This year’s conference, hosted by the and the Kentucky Association of Gerontology, follows the theme “Aging Inspired. Aging Reinvigorated,” and emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach to the aging experience that includes advances in medical research, lifestyle and culinary medicine, trauma-informed care and more.

“Participants in this year’s Optimal Aging Conference will have the opportunity to hear from esteemed experts in various fields, including octogenarians, speaking to the many opportunities we all have to age well,” said Anna Faul, executive director of the Trager Institute. “Although the pandemic has been challenging, those working in the field of aging and older adults themselves are inspired to continue to create opportunities for change, innovation and implementation of models of care that will reinvigorate the aging field.”

This multi-day event will feature two preconference speakers, five keynote speakers, more than 30 breakout and poster sessions and opportunities to network and earn continuing education credits.

2022 Optimal Aging Conference keynote addresses:

• Aging inspired. Aging reinvigorated: Panel honoring octogenarians; facilitated by Sandy Markwood, MUP, CEO, USAging.��Honorees: Mattie Jones, Marie Clay, Marie Vessels, State Representative Tom Burch, Father Jim Flynn
• Alzheimer’s update;��Gregory Jicha, MD, PhD, director, UK Sanders-Brown Center on Aging
• Culinary medicine: Hungry for change;��Robert Graham, MD, MPH, ABOIM, FACP, chef and co-founder, FRESH Medicine
• Aging as an opportunity;��Robert Friedland, MD, professor, UofL Department of Neurology
• Integrating lifestyle medicine into standard medical practice,��Dexter Shurney, MD, vice president. and chief medical officer of Adventist Health and Blue Zones Institute

In addition to the keynote presentations, experts in breakout and poster sessions will discuss such topics as creative interventions for social isolation, trauma-informed care, acupuncture as an evidence-based therapy for addressing stress and burnout, age-friendly cities and communities and coding for seniors.

Participants who attend the preconference on Sunday, April 24 may attend a full-day session from Anthony Watkins on assessing and managing suicide or a half-day session with Claude Drouet on addressing the complexities in social work ethics. Participants can also register for a free webinar by Teepa Snow, an occupational therapist who specializes in dementia care and dementia education, on April 24 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. The discussion will focus on how to cope when one is the sole caregiver.

“The Optimal Aging Conference has its origins more than four decades ago in the Kentucky Association for Gerontology Conference, an event for everyone who cared about issues related to aging in our communities including professionals from all disciplines as well as students, older adults and caregivers,” said Barbara Gordon, Trager Institute’s director of community engagement. “The Trager Institute continues that tradition with its conference this year making sure that a diverse and inclusive group of individuals are not only participating but also presenting at the conference.”��

Last year, the conference moved to a virtual platform in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and will again be held virtually this year. Register .

“Our strong line-up of speakers, breakout sessions and poster sessions is not to be missed for anyone working in the aging field or who has interest in inspiring our understanding of aging,” said Anna Faul,�� executive director of the Trager Institute. “After having to cancel last year’s event, we are excited to bring back the Optimal Aging Conference this year on a virtual platform that allows for an incredibly rich and engaging experience.”

The 2021 conference, scheduled for April 18-20, will feature experts in aging, dementia and Alzheimer’s research, innovation and public health and will be held virtually.

“The 2021 Optimal Aging Conference will provide outstanding resources, inspiring ideas and continuing education for Kentucky’s aging service professionals,” said Anne Wildman of the Kentucky Association of Gerontology. “The conference is a great opportunity for networking and professional development.”

2021 Optimal Aging Conference topics and speakers:

Aging Inspired in Kentucky: Directions in Aging Policy (Panel Discussion)

• Sandy Markwood, CEO, National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
• Eric Friedlander, acting secretary, Kentucky Cabinet for Health & Family Services
• Lindsey Hix, deputy director, Office of Senior Protection & Mediation, Office of the Kentucky Attorney General
• Victoria Elridge, commissioner, Department for Aging and Independent Living

A Community Network Approach to Health

• Eric Feigl-Ding, chief health economist, MicroClinic International; faculty member, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston

Ending the Alzheimer’s Pandemic

• Dale Bredesen, professor, UCLA; founding president and professor emeritus, Buck Institute for Research on Aging; author of New York Times bestseller, The End of Alzheimer’s

AARP Keynote: Examining the 50-plus Experience During COVID-19

• David Wolf, professor and chair, Department of Health and Aging Services Leadership, Bellarmine University

Alzheimer’s Update

• Gregory Jicha, professor of neurology and director, Sanders-Brown Center on Aging at the University of Kentucky

Guided by the theme “Aging Inspired,” conference attendees also will hear from experts on how to prevent financial elder abuse, national programs and arts activism counteracting ageism, programs for caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, the future impacts of artificial intelligence and robotics in senior care, trauma-informed care of older adults, international evidence-based falls programs, lifestyle medicine nutrition and more.

through April 16.��

“We are thrilled to be able to honor this year’s Gold Standard of Optimal Aging cohort through such a special recognition,” said Anna Faul, executive director of the . “It is our tradition to invite the honorees to a luncheon to celebrate their inspirational and vital role in our community. Instead of an in-person event this year, we are celebrating with a creative social-distancing video tribute as well as a variety of other media recognitions. We are thrilled to have so many leaders recognize the incredible strength of our state’s older adults during this difficult year.”

The ninth celebration of UofL Trager Institute’s Gold Standard of Optimal Aging honors individuals age 85 or older who are outstanding models of optimal aging and exhibit inspirational involvement in various aspects of their lives, despite any challenges they may face.

Recipients of the Gold Standard of Optimal Aging are recognized each year in September, the Trager Institute’s Optimal Aging Month, as part of the institute’s effort to foster a more age-inclusive community.

“What makes this award so special is that it is a recognition of the active and ongoing contribution older adults make in our families and communities,” said Christian Davis Furman, medical director of the UofL Trager Institute. “This year, more than ever, we have been inspired by the example of the older adults in our lives as we navigate the current pandemic. The whole Trager Institute team is deeply humbled by their inspiring stories and grateful to be able to celebrate them, even from a distance.”

Furman was one of the original creators of the Gold Standard of Optimal Aging in 2011.

The 2020 Gold Standard of Optimal Aging honorees:

This year’s honorees include writers, avid bowlers, musicians, artists, immigrants, activists and educators. Many are active participants in the . These individuals volunteer all across the Louisville community in hospitals, homeless shelters, meals on wheels, assisted living communities, veterans’ services, the Red Cross and more. Members of this year’s cohort also are long-time advocates for social and racial justice and environmental protection. Several honorees have been active in their community’s COVID-19 response by helping to make masks for health care providers.

Profiles of the 2020 honorees are now and the video tribute will be added to the page Friday, Sept. 11.

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Behavioral Health Service Organizations fall under a license category created by the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. The designation was established to increase the number of entities in Kentucky that provide behavioral health services to Medicaid recipients in community-based programs.

“This classification allows our team to provide behavioral health services to a broader spectrum of our community, as many vulnerable individuals rely on these programs to receive mental health care,” said Anna Faul, executive director of the UofL Trager Institute.��

Faul says the change means the institute can hire more providers and scale services to their already existing statewide network established through the��Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) and Behavioral Health Workforce Enhancement Program (BHWEP).

The UofL Trager Institute grant-supported GWEP and BHWEP programs provide health care and behavioral care training, care coordination and health resources through a partnership network that includes all 15 Area Development Districts covering 120 counties in Kentucky.

The institute philosophy integrates behavioral health and primary care, as reflected in their����– a care coordination approach to health and well-being that addresses six comprehensive determinants of a patient’s health.��

“Mental health is deeply connected to our overall health and well-being as we age,” said Joe D’Ambrosio, director of wellness at the UofL Trager Institute.��“The greater emotional strain of loss, mobility restrictions and physical changes can cause older adults to be at greater risk of developing serious, chronic mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety. In our practice, we are finding that both depression and anxiety are on an increase across all ages.”

Approximately 20% of adults in the United States age 18 and older are affected by . For older adults, but least recognized disorders.

D’Ambrosio says, “In addition to the emotional and psychological toll, untreated mental health issues can cause greater physical distress through increased inflammation and stress on the body. Untreated mental health issues can, therefore, lead to further negative physical decline, especially for those who may have multiple chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease or COPD.”

The importance of expanding accessible and affordable behavioral health services to all individuals, and especially older adults, is underscored by data showing 30-to-80% of all primary care visits are driven in part by behavioral health conditions. Evidence equally suggests that integrating a comprehensive behavioral health approach to primary care can improve emotional and mental well-being while increasing adherence to chronic disease treatment protocols.

The UofL Trager Institute provides a variety of behavioral health service options and modalities at its Republic Bank Foundation Optimal Aging Clinic, including individual and group therapy, couples and marriage counseling and����for addressing depression in older adults. All services are available virtually.

To learn more about the behavioral health and tele-health offerings, visit��.

The interactive info session can be viewed on the Zoom platform at: . To learn how to access a Zoom meeting, .

“As most of us have heard by this point, older adults and individuals with serious chronic diseases such as respiratory conditions, heart disease and diabetes are at elevated risk for serious cases of COVID-19. Given the expertise of our leadership team in the areas of older adult health and chronic disease management, we want to provide practical advice and guidance for people who are scared and concerned for their safety and health,” said Anna Faul, PhD, executive director of the UofL Trager Institute.��������

This session addresses the following pressing questions:

• How best to protect yourself from getting the virus
• What to do if you think you have the virus
• How to prepare for quarantine
• How to address the anxiety that may arise because of the pandemic
• How to care for older adults who may be quarantined in nursing homes
• How to combat loneliness during quarantine and social distancing
• How to care for chronic illness during this pandemic
• How to maintain your weight and physical activity
• How to handle lost earnings
• How to prevent coronavirus-related scams

This session is recorded from the live March 17 event and available for distribution.��������������

“Even though older adults and persons with chronic diseases face greater risk relating to COVID-19, there are simple precautions all of us can take to keep ourselves, our families and our communities as healthy and resilient as possible. If you are high-risk it is important to take proactive steps now to try to prevent the disease – such as washing your hands, avoid touching your face, avoiding crowds and non-essential travel – as well as developing safety plans in the event of quarantine or illness,” said Christian Davis Furman, MD, medical director of the UofL Trager Institute.

Important COVID-19 resources:

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N-AGE is a non-profit membership organization representing geriatric education centers and other organizations that provide education and training to health professionals.��The organization seeks to improve the quality of health care for older adults, including underserved and minority groups. N-AGE is a leading national voice for building a robust pipeline at every level of education to increase the size and skill set of students and professionals in the aging-related workforce.

“I am honored to be selected for this national leadership position. As a long-time educator in the field of gerontology, I am deeply passionate about increasing the workforce size and improving the skills of the aging-related workforce,” Faul said. “Workforce development is one of the UofL Trager Institute’s strategic initiatives and we have received several HRSA-funded grants to support this goal. I look forward to taking what we have learned from these programs to a national level.”

“We are thrilled that Dr. Faul has joined the N-AGE Board of Directors. She is an experienced leader in the field who brings a wealth of knowledge about aging services and geriatrics,” said Catherine P. Carrico, PhD, president of the N-AGE board.

As a new board member, Faul will serve as chair of the ����ֱ�� and Training Committee. In this role, she will further the committee’s goal of enhancing nationwide opportunities for the education of health care practitioners in geriatrics and gerontology. Specifically, Faul will work to increase the visibility of HRSA s and . This builds on her experience as principal investigator for both the UofL Trager Institute’s HRSA Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program and HRSA Behavioral Health Workforce Enhancement Program. She also has served as mentor for Samantha Cotton, PhD, program manager at the UofL Trager Institute and 2019 Geriatrics Academic Career Award recipient.

Faul learned of her board selection during the 2019 Gerontological Society of America’s 2019 Annual Scientific Meeting in Austin, Texas. She begins her 3-year term on the N-AGE board in January 2020.

“I am grateful and excited to begin this new role on the National Association for Geriatric ����ֱ�� Board. This is an incredible opportunity to elevate the leadership of the UofL Trager Institute, and the University of Louisville in shaping the future of geriatric education in our country,” Faul said.