“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.

“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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