The "first-of-its-kind" Aging Well Expo brought about 300 local seniors from across Simcoe County to Lakehead University on Wednesday.
Dr. Linda Rodenburg, principal of the Orillia campus, says the event helped connect seniors with local resources through workshops and guest speakers.
"Lakehead is really committed to lifelong learning," she said. "We know that older adults are excellent lifelong learners, and we want them to be a part of the Lakehead community."
Rodenburg says the conference brought a cross-section of vendors to the event; they were selected in partnership with Age Friendly Orillia.
"We know that the vendors that are here are who seniors want to learn more from," she said. "Many of the vendors are looking for seniors to volunteer but they are also here to provide services to our senior population as well."
Valerie Powell, co-chair for Age-Friendly Orillia, says the unique event helps meets a community need.
"People feel that it's important to have aging expos," she said. "We thought we might get 100 people here today and before we could even think about numbers, we already had 300 people register."
Powell says the event helps local seniors combat social isolation and is way for the group to give back to the community.
"Older adults have traditionally been the largest volunteer force," she explained. "After COVID, most of them didn't come back. That's why we need to promote that."
Powell says volunteering gets older adults back into the community, helps seniors end off dementia and other cognitive challenges.
Today's event was made possible through a grant Lakehead University received from the New Horizons for Seniors Program. Rodenburg says she hopes the university will be able to host more events for older adults going forward.
"The vibe on campus has been amazing today," she said. "This morning when we launched it was so clear that everyone was excited to come together this way."
Kevin Young, a former geriatric doctor at Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital who now is vice-president of medical affairs and chief of staff at Waypoint Centre in Midland, was one of the guest speakers during Wednesday's event. He says the conference provided a vital service for seniors.
"I think it's really important for people to think about their own goals and ambitions to understand what's available in the community and what they need to advocate for," he said.
"There are organizations here today that can bring about change and can help decision makers stretch our dollars even further."
Young hopes seniors left today's event knowing they can control their destiny if they are willing to put in the work to find tools, resources, and information about health and wellness.
"You need to seek help where you need it and help others where you can," he said. "Together, we can all move toward a society that really values older adults and understands the value of getting them the care they deserve."
