Impact

Living longer, being mindful the focus of ‘Living Well’ event on Sept. 13

'Living Well' is a daylong event organized by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Penn State.

Kathryn Maxwell, certified health education specialist and mindfulness instructor through The Center for KORU Mindfulness, will present “Why being Mindful Matters” during the OLLI at Penn State "Living Well" day-long event. Credit: Kathy MaxwellAll Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — “Living Well” and what does it mean to you? Join the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Penn State to discover this and more from 8:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 13, at Shaver’s Creek Environmental Center. “Living Well” is designed as a daylong event featuring a selection of wellness sessions centered around topics of physical, mental, social, and emotional well-being with speakers, classes and opportunities for socialization and personal exploration.

“In this crazy, fast-paced, do-everything-in-a-hurry world, we often lose touch and do not stop to check in with ourselves and ask what we are thinking, doing, feeling,” said Kathryn Maxwell, certified health education specialist and mindfulness instructor through the Center for KORU Mindfulness. She will explore this topic in her session titled “Why being Mindful Matters.”

“My interest in mindfulness was sparked when I realized that being unaware of what was happening within and around me in the present moment caused me to lose many minutes in the day. Over time, these lost minutes will add up to hours and then turn into days,” Maxwell said. “Life is too short and precious to waste when we can take steps and use our senses to be alive in the moment.”

Kristopher Struckmeyer is an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Studies in the College of Health and Human Development. He will examine why people may expect to lead more active retirements during his session “Is 60 the New 40? Understanding our Expected Lifespans.”

“Advances in public health, nutrition, medicine and many other areas are seeing generations aging into late life healthier than in previous generations,” Struckmeyer said. “Why retire at 65 and do nothing for 20-plus years? We are seeing many people retire from one job to begin working at another, pursuing leisure activities and volunteering. So, 60 does really appear to be the new 40!”

Other “Living Well” sessions include “Living Life Like It’s Golden: Keys to Wellness and Well-being,” with Dr. Sandra Charles, chief medical officer for the Health Services Division of the Library of Congress; “Social Media: The Ups and Downs of Participation and Privacy"; “Navigating Cognitive Decline"; “Dance! Dance! Dance! An Evolution of Dance through the Years"; “Fostering Deeper Relationships with Nature”; and more are all listed within the complete schedule of events.

The cost to attend “Living Well” is $35 per person, $30 with OLLI member discount.

A continental breakfast and midday lunch will be served. Attendees will also receive a journal to use during and after the event.

Registration, which closes on Thursday Sept. 8, is required for “Living Well” and can be completed online or by calling 814-867-4278.

OLLI at Penn State, a service of Penn State Outreach, offers community members aged 50 or better the opportunity to learn, explore and connect through educational experiences, travel, social and volunteer opportunities.

Last Updated September 6, 2022

Contact