While many people have future plans for their lives, most people don’t have a plan for aging successfully. Long Beach organization Independence At Home is helping seniors create that plan with a free, 10-week online course: the Aging Mastery Program.
Independence At Home (IAH) is an offshoot of the Long Beach Senior Care Action Network, and provides seniors with free programs and resources that help their physical, social and mental wellbeing. These services include mental health programs, long term care management, technology coaching, staying at home help and health education programs including Trading Ages and now the Aging Mastery Program.
While many of IAH’s programs revolve around meeting seniors where they are struggling, the Aging Mastery Program will help older adults create a holistic health plan for themselves, before they need to reach out for help.
“So there’s a shift happening, and by 2034 there will be more people over 65 than under 18 [years old], and one of the things we can do to prepare for this shift is to familiarize ourselves with programs and resources,” said Reina Oliver, director of IAH Contract Programs.
The Aging Mastery Program is meant to help seniors prepare for the challenges of getting older by learning about the importance of exercise, sleep, nutrition, social connectedness and financial fitness. The course was developed by the National Council on Aging, an organization that has been advocating for legal rights for seniors since the 1950s.
Through this 10-week virtual course, seniors will learn about options for their physical, mental and social health, and the power they have to create their own futures.
“The goal is to provide an overview of some challenges seniors might encounter while helping them by offering new support skills,” Oliver said. “We’re really targeting older adults, we really want to talk to them and emphasize some of these core principles.”
The two research studies done on the program, by Temple University in 2018 and by the University of California Los Angeles in 2019, found that participants showed specific improvements in physical activity, advanced care planning and mental health.
Each Monday from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., seniors will take to Zoom and learn about these core principles:
- Navigating longer lives – Feb. 24
- Exercise and you – March 3
- Sleep – March 10
- Healthy eating and hydration – March 17
- Financial fitness – March 24
- Medication management – March 31
- Advance planning – April 7
- Healthy relationships – April 14
- Fall prevention – April 21
- Community engagement – April 28
The first week will be an overview of the course, as seniors will learn the importance of creating a plan for their lives, and how these steps can contribute to their overall health. The following three workshops will focus on physical health, such as the need to incorporate light exercise like aerobics and meditation into daily routines.
Seniors can also learn about how sleep patterns work, how they change as we get older and how to create a sleep pattern that contributes to healthy sleeping. IAH will teach the importance of hydration as well as tips and meal ideas for eating healthy.
By the end of March, seniors will begin learning strategies to retain their economic independence, the importance of having financial goals and how to set financial boundaries with family and friends. Oliver highlighted the importance of seniors maintaining some form of economic security.
According to the National Council on Aging, one third of seniors in the United States are below 200% of the poverty line, with Black and Mexican seniors having higher rates of economic insecurity.
Classes will also go over how much power seniors have to choose their healthcare physicians, the importance of having a plan for where they would like to live and the need for seniors to remain socially active. To curb the risk of social isolation, participants will learn strategies for building and maintaining friendships and relationships, and the value of contributing to their community.
“It can be something so small like showing an act of kindness, or more broad like a meaningful volunteer activity,” Oliver said. She added that of the 33,000 people nationwide who have gone through the course over the last near-decade, 97% of people said the classes were fun and 98% said they would recommend it to a friend.
Eighty percent of participants “graduated” the course, which means they attended seven out of the 10 courses. Seniors are encouraged to attend every class, Oliver said, but they understand it’s not possible for everyone.
Seniors who are interested in attending the Aging Mastery Program can sign up at https://bit.ly/4fXDGSb through Feb. 21.
Those who miss the deadline to register can still sign up for classes by calling IAH at 866-421-1964 or by emailing communityoutreach@scanhealthplan.com.