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 .

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 .