By Matthew Keck —

The University of Louisville and the city of Louisville will be celebrating optimal aging month this September for the fifth consecutive year.

“Optimal aging is a new understanding of the aging that allows people to flourish physically, socially, and emotionally from birth to death in compassionate intergenerational communities,” states the U of L Trager Institute website.

The Trager Institute is the former U of L Institute for Sustainable Health. The name changed because both the Trager family and Republic Bank made donations to the program.

With their continuous optimal aging research, U of L is re-defining aging as people know it.

“Importantly, our clinic utilizes a new model of care that integrates behavioral health and community services with medical care plans,” said Natalie Pope, marketing and business specialist at U of L Trager Institute. “We believe that optimal aging is more than treating illness with medication…we instead address our patients’ entire health picture to help them flourish.”

“The University of Louisville Trager Institute innovates the aging experience through research, workforce development, and clinical practice.”

To make the month interactive the Trager Institute encourages people to participate in their challenge. This includes people printing off sheets that say “As I age, I dare to…” and the participants fill in the blank. They also encourage those who do partake in the challenge to share it on social media with the hashtag #DareToDo.

Some of the other events they sponsor during September include the Walk to End Alzheimer’s and a mental health and aging symposium. They close out the month with a 2020 optimal aging conference.

On Sept. 6 the Trager Institute recognized 60 individuals 85 and older as recipients of the Gold Standard of Optimal Aging. This award was presented to those with engaging and flourishing lives under this program.

The Republic Bank Foundation Optimal Aging Clinic offers hands-on services for the clients involved in the program.

“This state-of-the-art clinic is a hub of health and wellbeing – providing everything patients need to maintain their health as they age as well as be their source of expert care,” said Pope. “The new clinic has easy parking for patients and includes ten exam rooms and four therapy rooms, a full cooking demonstration kitchen, a student/faculty/community training center, a wellness area with exercise equipment and on-site PT services.”