“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

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 .