September 5, 2019
Media Contacts:
Mark Miller, Administrator, Office of Public Information, 410-313-2022
Courtney Barkley, Department of Community Resources & Services, 410-313-5957
ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Learn to reframe your concept of aging and consider new and innovative ways to age well at Howard County’s Master Aging: Engage, Educate, Inspire on Saturday, October 19, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Howard Community College (HCC), 10901 Little Patuxent Parkway, in Columbia, MD 21044. The event will be held in three buildings within easy walking distance of each other on HCC's campus - Duncan Hall, the Health Sciences Building and the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center. Admission is $1.00.
“Our Master Aging event is going to make a statement: in Howard County, everyone can age with dignity and enjoy the very best quality of life. The future of our community will be age-friendly, building on our strengths to provide the highest quality resources that enrich your lives,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball. “We are dedicated to serving our older adults through education opportunities, affordable living, a culture of wellness, and all the services you need and desire.”
Presented by the Department of Community Resources and Services (DCRS) and coordinated by the Office on Aging and Independence (OAI), Master Aging is a reimagination of the 50+EXPO, which has been the premier event for older adults in Howard County for 20 years. Plenty of free parking is available on campus, with 75 accessible spaces and an additional 275 spaces reserved for those with handicapped placards. Accessible six-person carts will run between the buildings (not on the street) to transport attendees who need assistance.
The event kicks off with a free keynote address at 11:00 a.m. in the Smith Theatre in the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center by Kerry Hannon, one of the nation’s top experts on careers for older adults. Hannon is the author of “Great Jobs for Everyone 50 Plus” and “What’s Next” – about finding your passion and dream jobs at an older age. Her new book, and the title of her keynote address, is “Never Too Old to Get Rich — The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Starting a Business Mid-Life.” Pre-registration is requested at www.hocomasteraging.eventbrite.com. From 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., Hannon will hold an open discussion and book signing in the Health Sciences Building lecture hall.
In addition to 62 onsite exhibitors, a series of free seminars will carry out the Master Aging theme, including Master Your Fitness, offering a variety of instructor-led fitness demos to try; Lifelong Learning and Leisure where you can learn travel tips from Howard County Recreation and Parks, explore gardening with a Howard County Master Gardener, and explore continuing education opportunities with Howard Community College staff. Other seminar tracks are Master Smart Tech, with one-on-one guidance on the use of smart devices from students from the Applications and Research Laboratory; Not Your Parent’s Senior Center which offers an inside look at what really happens at Howard County’s 50+ Centers; and Live Well, Be Well, where you’ll learn how to take charge of your health from the Maryland University of Integrative Health and University of Maryland Faculty Physicians. Lastly, visit Encore Howard County to Master Your Encore and explore the possibilities of life after 50.
Back by popular demand, the Capitol Steps will perform one show in the Smith Theatre in the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center (HVPAC) at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $5.00 and may be purchased at the HVPAC ticket booth while quantities last. All show proceeds benefit the Vivian L. Reid Community Fund which provides emergency financial assistance to older adults and adults with disabilities in Howard County, whose needs are not covered by Medicare or other assistance programs.
Master Aging is presented in part through the generosity of sponsors. Platinum sponsors include First Care, Inc.; Howard Community College; Howard County General Hospital; Howard County Recreation & Parks; and University of Maryland Faculty Physicians, Inc. The Gold sponsor is Maryland University of Integrative Health, and Silver sponsors include: Columbia Association, Dr. Park Acupuncture, Evergreens at Columbia Town Center, and The Lutheran Village at MILLER’S GRANT. Media sponsors are: Baltimore Sun Media Group; The Beacon; Focus on Women Magazine; Her Mind Magazine; Positive Aging SourceBook; and Regional Transportation Agency (RTA).
Breakfast and lunch options are available for purchase at the event from indoor food vendors. For more information and a full schedule of Master Aging events, visit www.howardcountymd.gov/masteraging or www.Facebook.com/HoCoCommunity, #HoCoMasterAging. To request a sign language interpreter or other ADA accommodations to attend, call 410-313-6410 (voice/relay) at least one week in advance.