Senior Education Conference returns to Council on Aging calendar

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Following a two-year absence from the calendar due to COVID-19, the Chatham County Council on Aging held its first Senior Education Conference since 2019 on Nov. 18 at Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center.

Attendees were treated to 11 distinctive educational sessions plus an afternoon keynote address from Dr. Tiffany Long of the UNC Division of Geriatric Medicine. Long, a Winston-Salem native, presented to the attendees on “The Art of Aging Well.”

Other sessions included “Finding Your Unclaimed Funds” from North Carolina Treasurer Dale Folwell. Folwell, a certified public accountant, gave remarks on nccash.com — which is home to over $1 billion in North Carolina’s unclaimed property fund. Carolyn Miller and Bryan Thompson, Chatham County assistant managers, presided over an “Ask The County Executive” session, where session goers engaged with county leaders regarding the county’s present and future. According to the North Carolina State Demographer’s Office, Chatham ranks 10th among the state’s 100 counties in percentage of residents over the age of 65.

“It has been quite some time since our last Senior Education Conference in the fall of 2019,” COA Grants and Communications Specialist Jimmy Lewis said. “Among our priorities at the Council was the reinstatement of this popular event as soon as it was safely feasible, and we were happy to welcome an eager group of individuals with an interest in senior-related topics. We have started digesting feedback and will strive to deliver another exceptional experience for attendees in 2023.”

Among the presenters were Eastern Chatham Senior Center manager Liz Lahti (“Meditation And You”), Chatham Hospital physical therapist Sandra Rende (“Making Your Home Senior Friendly), Chatham YMCA’s Lorraine Messner (“Staying Fit”), Chatham County Cooperative Extension Family & Consumer Sciences Agent Tara Gregory (“Food Safety In The Kitchen”), Janna Deegan and Nina Lloyd of Opus Financial Advisors (“Financial and Estate Planning”), Investigator Amy Marris of Chatham County Sheriff’s Office (“Fraud and Scam Awareness), Tracy Lynn of Truckin’ For Seniors (“Is It Time To Downsize?”), Betsy Barton of Transitions LifeCare (“Taking Care of the Caregiver) and Chatham County Cooperative Extension Horticulture Agent Matt Jones (“Gardening Tips and Resources”).

Sponsors included Carolina Meadows, UNC Health Chatham, Alignment Healthcare and FirstCarolinaCare, while lunch was provided by Allen & Son Bar-B-Que.