By Alexandra Newman
I’m not exaggerating when I say the Senior Expo is my favorite day of the year. OK, maybe it’s second to my birthday (and my grandma’s birthday) but it really is a special day for me.
When I was first tasked with planning the Senior Expo when I started at Area Agency on Aging (AAA) in 2023, I was nervous to coordinate such a large event that had been going on for so many years. I wanted to do well, but knew it’d be a challenge while learning a new role.
The morning of my first Senior Expo I had AAA team members coming up to me asking me how I was doing and how they could help?
I was great and everything was in its place and ready to go. I didn’t have much for them to do. They had all been a great help already. “Why aren’t you freaking out?” I heard from several of them. But I didn’t really have an answer.
Four Senior Expos later, I think I do.
One of my nicknames growing up was Freak Biscuit. The songs “Le Freak” and “Super Freak” were used as my custom ringtone when I’d call close family and friends. I was prone to drama.
While I still incorporate drama into my life, mostly now through theater, I find myself so much calmer and more collected – especially when it comes to big events like the Senior Expo.
I’ve learned to lean on others more. I try to prepare incredibly far ahead of time. I’ve learned that the public doesn’t know what I didn’t get done. I go with the flow, ask questions, and “just keep swimming,” as Dory would say. I recognized that Panic! at the Disco is a great band, but Panic! at the Expo isn’t going to help anyone.
People often call AAA when they’re panicking. They’re being discharged from a rehabilitation facility, and they don’t know what to do. They’re caring for a loved one, and it’s getting too hard. They’re overwhelmed by the cost of their prescriptions and have started not taking certain medications to be able to pay their utility bills.
Life can be scary and hard. But that’s one of the reasons we put on the Senior Expo.
Before I worked at AAA, I had no idea about the vast number of resources available to keep people living independently in their homes as they age. I didn’t know there was a free service to help people review their Medicare policies. I didn’t know there was a free Info-Line available for people to call to ask their aging and disability related questions.
Knowledge is power, and I feel pretty powerful knowing about all the resources available to me as I get older. This knowledge has already helped out family members in other states, as there’s an Area Agency on Aging in every part of the country.
I look at the Senior Expo as a great way to prepare for all stages of life. When you’re prepared, you’re less likely to panic.
While there are many aspects of the Senior Expo I look forward to, my favorite part is watching people stream into the event. I love snapping photos of the conversations being had, the memories being created, and the connections being made.
It’s not uncommon to run into a few centenarians – people who have reached the age of 100 – or small children who are visiting the Expo with their grandparents. It’s truly an all-ages event.
If you can’t make it on Friday, May 15, I would encourage you to at least read the stories in the special Senior Expo Section in today’s HP. It outlines not only the exciting things we have planned for you at this year’s Expo, but how AAA can support you across the lifespan.
Aging starts at birth, so learning about these resources at any age can be valuable. Don’t freak out, just come to the Expo!
The Generations column appears each weekend in The Herald-Palladium.