People seeking to age with grace are encouraged to become avid walkers, eat a highly varied diet and have a healthy distrust of medications.
At least that’s the advice health care professionals doled out Saturday at a half-day class all about the science of aging well. Approximately 250 people gathered at the College of Marin in Kentfield to take part in the event, which was sponsored by the college and the University of California at Davis.
Derek Parker, of Tiburon, attended the class with his wife Nancy Parker. He said they received a wealth of information.
“I thought it was very well done with a broad range of topics from nutrition to medications,” Parker said.
During the free class, four professors with ties to the UC Davis School of Medicine gave presentations to an audience filled with middle-aged and senior Marin County residents. UC Davis developed this “Mini Medical School Sampler” class after launching its full Mini Medical School program in 2002. Those who participate in the full program attend six, two-hour classes at the university to learn how to avoid the pitfalls of aging and receive information about the latest medical research.
Impressed by the one-day class, Sue Torres, of Fairfax, said she wants the six-part series to come to Marin.
“(Saturday’s) class just gave you a taste of all the topics,” Torres said. “We could use the six-part series here because we have a high percentage of seniors living in the county.”
Of the more than 258,300 people living in Marin about 19 percent are ages 65 and older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Julia Geist, of San Rafael, said she enjoyed the class, but believes it should also be advertised to a younger demographic.
“I think it should be marketed to younger people, so they change their ways earlier in life,” Geist said. “My children are in their 40s and they should have been here.”
Dr. Michael McCloud, a clinical professor of medicine and geriatrics, talked about the anatomy of aging while Dr. Charles Whitcomb, a professor of medicine and cardiology, spoke about heart health. He was followed by dietician Marlia Braun, who talked about nutrition and supplements. Pharmacist Timothy Cutler, a professor at the UC San Francisco School of Pharmacy, spoke about medications.
Torres said she learned from McCloud that only six of the nation’s 141 medical schools have a department of geriatrics, which is the medical specialty of age-related health. She suggested the College of Marin create its own geriatric-centric program.
“People here need jobs,” she said.
For Parker, he found Cutler’s presentation about medications helpful. Cutler stressed the importance of asking questions about medications and their side effects, keeping an updated medication list and asking for less-costly generic brands.
“I think as you get older, you start collecting a long list of medications,” Parker said, adding that at one point his mother was on 18 different medications and had no idea what any of them were for.
Cutler said it’s vital people understand what their medications are intended to treat and how they should be taken. He said patients shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions to make sure they understand what their doctor is prescribing.
Dianne Sheridan, of San Anselmo, said she enjoyed the way Cutler and the other presenters addressed the audience.
“Nobody talked down to us. They knew that we know what they’re talking about,” she said.
For more information about the classes, visit www.agewell.ucdavis.edu.
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