health + we l l n e s s ▲ Living Your Best (Napa Valley) Life by Dr. sharon ufberg, D.C. the art of Here in the Napa Valley, if we’re talking about the art of aging, we’re almost always talking about wine. But what about us residents? Over 13% of our population—that’s more than 1 in 8 people —are part of a growing population of older adults. And given that we’re living longer these days—the average life expectancy of a sixty-five-year-old is 19.2 more years—it’s time we started talking about how we can age gracefully (while our wine does the same). How can we create and maintain healthy, life-affirming habits in our older years? It comes as no surprise to any of us that two of the biggest recommendations any health practitioner focuses on are diet and exercise. Eating a fresh, heavily plant-based diet rich in fruits and vegetables and whole grains and low in processed foods is a good idea for people at any age. Managing what we eat to maintain a healthy weight is also an important element for older adults. The critical importance of staying physically active cannot be overemphasized. Gentle, regular stretching and strengthening exercises to improve and maintain balance, gait and muscle flexibility and strength are crucial to avoid falls and enhance daily functioning. A twenty-minute walk every day is a good way to stay fit and strong. We are fortunate to have the Area Agency on Aging in the Napa Valley that supports our older adult population. One of the most important pieces of their work is to connect people to the services they need. The Area Agency on Aging (AANS) serving Napa and Solano is an umbrella organization that administers a number of programs directly and contracts with local community-based organizations to provide services that support communitydwelling older adults and caregivers. AANS is a wealth of resources and information for older adults, their caregivers and families. Some of their impressive programming includes chronic disease self-management, a Latino Outreach Program and a support group for grandparents raising grandchildren, to name only a few. This autumn the Napa Valley is host to several events that focus on the work of the AANS and their partner organizations: • A Walk to End Alzheimer’s is being held September 7 in Yountville Community Park. One mile walk through the park or 3-mile walk through the Veterans Home. Registration begins at 8:30 am. • Fall Prevention Awareness Week Events are set for September 23 in American Canyon, September 25 in Napa and September 26 in St. Helena. Hosted by the Napa Valley Fall Prevention Coalition and StopFalls Napa Valley, the Napa event will take place at the Napa Valley Hospice and Adult Day Services, 414 S. Jefferson Street. • Celebrating Seniors – A Stroll Down Memory Lane will be held on October 5 at Veterans Park, Second and Main Streets in downtown Napa from 11:00 am – 3:00 pm. More information about the festivities can be found at www.celebratingseniorsnapavalley.com The Area Agency on Aging has just published an updated and very useful resource guide for seniors and caregivers, that’s also available in Spanish and can be found on their website: http://www.aaans.org. Find AANS on Facebook: www.facebook.com/AAOANS. Let’s all keep working on being much like our fine Napa Valley Cabernet – “aged to perfection.” september/ october 2 0 1 3 33 aging
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