Posted: 5/15/2019
Patients encouraged to take small steps for lifelong rewards
As children, we’re taught how to be successful adults, but by contrast, no one teaches us how to age well. As a result, many older adults can feel unprepared for this new stage in life. May is Older Americans Month and Parkland Health & Hospital System providers want to remind patients that aging well isn't just about the number of years you live – it’s also about how you live those years. With this in mind, Parkland’s Aging Mastery classes aim to help patients navigate and successfully overcome the challenges that come with age.
The National Council on Aging (NCOA) created Aging Mastery as a guide to building a playbook for aging well and making the most of the gift of longer life. Aging Mastery comes in two formats, the Aging Mastery Program® (AMP) classes and a self-directed Aging Mastery® Starter Kit. According to NCOA, both versions provide a comprehensive and fun approach to positive aging by focusing on key aspects of health, finances, relationships, personal growth and community involvement.
“At Parkland, we are piloting the Aging Mastery Program at our Amelia Court and Bluitt Flowers health centers,” said LaTrica Hicks, PhD. “Classes for the 10-week program are free and open to patients 55 and older. We have great speakers lined up to teach the courses, including gerontologists, registered nurses, physical therapists and social workers, among others.”
Dr. Hicks says patients will be taught to embrace the central philosophy of Aging Mastery –the belief that modest lifestyle changes can produce big results.
“Mastery comes from making lifestyle changes into habits,” said Chiffon Kinney, RN, Geriatric Case Manager at Parkland. “Since people are living so much longer now, ‘aging well’ isn't just about time but rather how we can build new habits that lead to improved health, stronger economic security and an overall better state of well-being.”
The curriculum courses focus on the following topics:
• Exercise and you: Discussion of the importance of exercising both the mind and the body with a focus on strategies for incorporating meditation, aerobics, strengthening, flexibility and balance into daily routines.
• Sleep: Overview of how sleep patterns change as we age, the importance of monitoring the sleep cycle and simple strategies to improve sleep.
• Healthy eating and hydration: Review of nutrition as it relates to aging with a focus on strategies for incorporating healthy eating and hydration into daily routines.
• Financial fitness: Introduction to strategies for remaining economically secure in an era of longevity with an emphasis on setting financial goals and setting financial boundaries with friends and families.
• Advance planning: Guidance around key steps needed to manage health care, financial, and housing/care decisions with a focus on considering the role of personal values and beliefs in these decisions.
• Healthy relationships: Exploration of the benefits of being socially active, as well as the risks of isolation with a focus on practical strategies for continuing to build and strengthen friendships and family connections as we age.
• Medication management: Best practices on how to take medications as directed, how to store medications safely, and how to keep track of multiple medications.
• Community engagement: Introduction to the value of continuing contribution and small acts of kindness with a focus on identifying personal aptitudes for meaningful volunteer and civic opportunities.
• Falls prevention: Overview of the importance of falls prevention among older adults along with strategies to prevent falling.
The first of the 10-week courses will take place at Parkland’s Amelia Court Health Center located at 1936 Amelia Court, Dallas, 75235. The classes are scheduled every Friday from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. starting May 3 through June 21. To RSVP, contact Rochell Milton-Braimer at 214-590-0407.
The second course will be offered at Parkland’s Bluitt Flowers Health Center, 303 E. Overton Road, Dallas, 75216. The classes will be offered every Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. starting May 1 through June 19. To RSVP, contact Beth Goad at 214-266-4259.
Patients may sign up for the courses through May 15, 2019.
For more information about Parkland, please visit www.parklandhospital.com