New in-person classes aimed at older adults to help them take charge of aging – Arizona Daily Star

Studies show Americans are living longer and are healthier later in life than in previous generations. A 10-week series of classes that begins Feb. 15 will help people 50 and older get more out of their lives.

Reservations will be accepted through Feb. 7.

This series is geared toward those wishing there was something to help navigate the next set of life changes looming ahead — from worker to retiree, from being middle-aged to being older. Mastering aging.

Pima Council on Aging, a local resource that helps older adults maintain independence and health, is starting the series next month dubbed the Aging Mastery Program®.

The series, a program of the National Council on Aging (NCOA), will take place in-person at PCOA’s Katie Dusenberry Healthy Aging Center at 600 S. Country Club Road, in midtown.

Local experts in Tucson will join Karen Ring, healthy living program director at PCOA in Tucson to discuss research-backed ways to gain skills and wellness choices and innovative approaches to stay healthier longer, extend our years of health at any age.

Ring says participants love the Aging Mastery Program.

“They want to learn more, stay engaged and stay connected with friends they have made,” said Ring, who directs the local program.

PCOA was hand-picked to offer the innovative curriculum for NCOA. The core mission of the Aging Mastery Program is to help people enjoy meaningful lives, to master the art of aging and prepare for the gift of a longer life.

In Tucson, the Aging Mastery Program aims to change societal expectations about the roles and responsibilities of older adults over time and to create fun and easy-to-follow pathways for getting more out of life, as tangible results of mastering the tenets of healthier aging.

Expert speakers, group discussion, peer support and small rewards will give participants the skills to achieve measurable improvements.