Granby Senior Center Offering Aging Mastery Program This Fall

Fun and engaging program prepares boomers and seniors for unprecedented longevity.

Granby, CT – The Granby Senior Center is excited to announce the kick-off of the Aging Mastery Program, a national, evidence based program developed by the National Council on Aging that provides a comprehensive and fun approach to positive aging.

Today’s boomers and older adults will live nearly a decade longer than their parents, with twice as many years in good health past age 65. This incredible gift of longevity comes with both opportunities and challenges, including how to make the most of these bonus years.

“Growing up, we learn the skills necessary to carry us through adulthood—how to get a job, keep a home, and support our family and community,” said James Firman, president and CEO of the National Council on Aging (NCOA) and creator of the Aging Mastery Program® (AMP). “However, few of us learn how to make the most of our bonus years and how to prepare for the complex health and financial challenges facing us as we age.”

NCOA developed AMP to engage boomers and older adults in this new phase of their lives. The program addresses three societal trends—increased longevity, rising health care costs, and a population of older adults with unprecedented free time. The program combines three key elements:

• Classes: The program is anchored in a 10-week core curriculum that covers topics such as exercise, sleep, healthy eating, financial planning, healthy relationships, and advance planning. The classes combine evidence-informed materials with knowledge sharing, goal-setting, feedback routines, and daily practices. Classes are led by expert speakers and are held at a variety of community sites.
• Peer Support: Classes bring 20-25 older adults together for shared learning and encouragement. Participants take the AMP journey with one another and support each other along the way.
• Merit Achievements and Rewards: AMP encourages and recognizes mastery—helping older adults develop sustainable behaviors across many dimensions. AMP also uses token rewards to incentivize small actions that can lead to big rewards.

The Granby Senior Center is one of twenty sites selected to implement this program through grant funding from the North Central Area Agency on Aging (NCAAA). An informational session and Kick-Off party will be held at the Senior Center on Tuesday, September 10th at 1:30PM. This program is valued at $150 per person, however we are able to offer it for free with the help of the NCAAA grant.

For more information call 860-844-5352.