New program offers masterful information on the aging process

Longboat residents can now master aging even better in paradise thanks to the Patterson Foundation.

The foundation announced Tuesday that the Aging in Paradise Resource Center is one of three Florida institutions selected to offer the National Council on Aging’s Aging Mastery Program, a 10-week health and wellness curriculum for seniors.

“These will be 10 very high quality, intensive, living-well sessions on all topics of value and interest to seniors,” Aging in Paradise Executive Director Donna Dunio said. “This program is exceptional. It provides seniors with a road map of healthy living in all forms.”

This is the first time the program will be offered in Florida. The Patterson Foundation also selected the Enrichment Center at Renaissance on 9th in Bradenton and the Friendship Centers in Sarasota and Venice.

“I believe we were a good match because we’re known in the community as providing a wide variety of diverse workshops on an ongoing basis,” Dunio said. “I believe our mission and our cornerstones of education, health and wellness, counseling and referrals is what they were looking for. We’re very proud to be one of the three selected. We’re so thankful for the Patterson Foundation for this wonderful opportunity.”

Each week of the program focuses on a new topic, and sessions include exercise, fall prevention, sleep, financial fitness, medication management and community engagement.

“These are very involved, interactive and fun sessions,” Dunio said. “They will be fun and informative. It will be about the little things people can be doing that could enhance their lives greatly.”

The Aging in Paradise Resource Center helps seniors age happily and healthily. It provides a variety of programs that meet many interests and needs.

“We provide programs that are as diverse as what to do with your cell phone to something really complex like advanced financial planning,” Dunio said. “We also have doctors come out and provide workshops or some type of screening. We have something for everyone.”

The program will be offered to up to 40 seniors at the Aging in Paradise Resource Center. It will begin Jan. 11 and will run for 10 consecutive Mondays. It will be $100 for the entire program, and participants will receive a certificate of graduation upon completion.

“As you know, our population ebbs and flows,” Dunio said. “We want to make sure that everyone who wants to participate has the opportunity to be one of the first 40 to sign up. This will be providing something that will make a difference in both the quality of life and the number of years lived. We’re very, very proud to offer this. It’s tremendously exciting.”

If you go:

When: Ten consecutive Mondays beginning Jan. 11

Where: Aging in Paradise Resource Center, 6200 Gulf of Mexico Drive

Cost: $100 per person

Info: Call 383-6493.