Discovery Channel’s Jay Ingram will talk about Alzheimer’s disease at a special presentation March 20, at the Kelowna Community Theatre as part of Embrace Aging Month.
March is Embrace Aging Month in the Okanagan
UBC Okanagan’s Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention has teamed up with Interior Savings Credit Union and the Interior Health Authority to present dozens of free events and activities to mark Embrace Aging Month.
For the past five years, March has traditionally been set aside as a time to celebrate growing old, while also getting pointers and tips on how to embrace the process. The aim is to inspire and inform the community on steps everyone can use to age well—both mentally and physically, says UBC Professor Joan Bottorff.
Bottorff, director of UBC Okanagan’s Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention, says not only are the number of older adults in BC increasing, but they are living longer than anywhere else in Canada.
“Focusing on how well we age is key to enhancing the quality of our later years,” says Bottorff. “There are many ways to support older adults so they can enjoy healthier and happier lives in a variety of settings and circumstances, and we want everyone to know about them.”
Topics such as the science behind sleep, technology tips, fraud prevention, maintaining mobility, understanding arthritis, and introductions to Pickleball and PokemonGo for older adults are a few of the events organized for March.
Along with those activities, organizers have planned a special presentation by Discovery Channel’s Jay Ingram. Ingram will be in Kamloops, Kelowna and Oliver in mid-March, where he will address the three questions everyone has about Alzheimer’s disease: Will I get it? What can I do to reduce my chances of getting it? And if I do get it, what happens then? His Kelowna presentation takes place Wednesday, March 20 at 7 p.m. at the Kelowna Community Theatre.
The month is co-hosted by the Interior Health Authority and Interior Savings. Kathy Conway, Interior Savings’ CEO, hopes the calibre of speakers and wide array of topics will help move the needle on building a more connected and age-friendly community.
“Interior Savings was the first financial institution in Canada to receive certification as an Age Friendly Business,” says Conway. “Our support of this event is an extension of that commitment. It has been remarkable to see the dedication of researchers, experts and local organizations who are all interested in helping our community age well.”
A full list of events is available at okanaganembraceaging.com. All events are free; however, registration is required.
About the Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention
The IHLCDP is a research centre based at the UBC’s Okanagan campus. It encourages and supports research that brings the community and the university together to generate and use new knowledge for the benefit of individuals, families and communities.
About the Interior Health Authority
Interior Health is committed to promoting healthy lifestyles and providing a wide range of quality health-care services to more than 740,000 people living across B.C.’s vast interior.
About Interior Savings
Interior Savings is a member-owned, democratically-controlled credit union dedicated to creating local money while helping to build vibrant communities. The credit union offers personal and commercial banking and a full range of insurance and wealth management services to more than 70,000 members across 14 interior BC communities.
About UBC’s Okanagan campus
UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.