Foundation Launches Signature Luncheon Series
The UMRC-Porter Hills Foundation introduced its Signature Luncheon Series with Living Well: A Conversation on Health & Aging on September 24, hosted at the Cascade Hills Country Club.
Dr. Bill Baer, President & Chief Medical Officer of Exponential Health in Grand Rapids, shared his insights surrounding preventive health, personalized care, and practical ways to optimize our health—for ourselves and our loved ones—as we age.
This event was made possible thanks to generous sponsors, including Presenting Sponsor, Huntington Bank.
Approximately 100 guests attended this inaugural event, including residents from Brio Living Services’ Porter Hills Village and Cook Valley Estates, members of Avenues by Brio Living Services, our sponsors, and other guests.
Dr. Baer spoke about the Five Pillars of Healthy Aging or, has he described them, “Five things you can influence today that determine how independent you’ll be tomorrow.”
These include:
- Pillar 1: Bone Health – Can I prevent a fracture?
Dr. Baer shared that bone loss is not inevitable, but it is common, and bone density declines with age, particularly after menopause in women. Ways to build and maintain bone include resistance exercise and strength training; weight-bearing activity; getting adequate protein, calcium, and Vitamin D; avoid smoking and minimize excessive alcohol; and identify and treat osteoporosis when indicated.
- Pillar 2: Cardiovascular Health – How healthy are my arteries?
Know your numbers when it comes to blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose. “Don’t confuse ‘normal for my age’ with ‘optimal’” Dr. Baer emphasized. “Your chronological age is fixed. Your cardiovascular risk is not.”
- Pillar 3: Nutrition – Am I feeding my body or simply filling it?
“As we age, eating enough of the right things becomes more important than eating less,” said Dr. Baer. “Protein, in particular, is important as we age, including eggs, Greek yogurt, lean meats and fish, and protein supplements as needed.” He also warned not to diet yourself into frailty. “Unintentional weight loss, poor appetite, and muscle loss should be taken seriously,” said Dr. Baer.
- Pillar 4: Strength – Can I get up, carry things, and recover from illness?
Dr. Baer spoke about sarcopenia, or age-related loss of skeletal muscle, strength, and function. “We don’t just lose muscle as we age—we lose power and reserve,” Dr. Baer said. “Reserve is what allows us to climb stairs, get up from a chair, carry groceries, and to recover from an illness, prevent a fall, and, ultimately, remain independent.
“Fitness is one of the most powerful predictors of longevity,” Dr. Baer added. “The best exercise is not the exercise you did at 30. It’s the exercise that prepares you for what you need to do at 80.” These include: sit-to-stand, squats, step-ups, chest press, and balance exercises, to name a few.
- Pillar 5: Brain Health – Am I continuing to learn, connect, and engage?
“What is good for the heart is often good for the brain,” said Dr. Baer. In addition to controlling blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity, Dr. Baer emphasized that we not overlook challenges such as hearing loss, depression, sleep disorders, social isolation, and the effects of medications. It’s also important to continue to learn new things, maintain friendships, volunteer, and keep a sense of purpose as we age, Dr. Baer advised. “Your brain doesn’t retire when you do.”
The UMRC-Porter Hills Foundation looks forward to hosting additional Luncheons throughout the year as part of this series. “We recognize the value of healthy aging and how important it is to all of us,” said UMRC President and CEO, Kelli Smith, CFRE. “We are grateful to Huntington Bank and to all our Sponsors for helping us to bring experts like Dr. Baer to lead us in engaging conversations that inspire healthier living and meaningful connections. My hope is that our guests took away a fresh perspective and a new commitment to their health.”
Learn more about Brio Living Services’ dedication to health and wellness for its residents, PACE participants, and team members, including Brio’s Balanced Living initiative. To support the Foundation’s Life Enrichment pillar, part of its Live Life with Brio campaign, or to become a Sponsor, visit https://Foundation.MyBrio.org/donate-online/.