The Expo was presented by Hulsey Media’s Aging Resources Magazine in partnership with Mountain Aging Partners, Land of Sky Area Agency on Aging, Council on Aging of Buncombe County and NC SHIIP.  Ardenwoods Retirement Community was the presenting sponsor. The free community event connected attendees with local organizations, healthcare professionals, senior service providers and other experts. Exhibitors represented a broad range of resources related to healthcare, housing, financial planning, wellness, caregiving and other aspects of aging.

For attendee Robert Carlson, having those resources gathered in one place turned questions he had been considering for years into action.

“My mother died of Alzheimer’s, and although I did know that it is not hereditary, I still think about my mother when I occasionally cannot remember something that I know that I should,” Carlson said. “Because it is not a pressing issue for me, I had not done anything about my questions until I attended the Expo.”

Carlson first spoke with an Alzheimer’s expert, who answered his questions and directed him to another nearby exhibitor to learn more about medical testing. After those conversations, Carlson scheduled a blood test to learn more about his risk profile.

“All of these important steps would not have occurred had I not attended the ‘one stop shopping’ at the Aging Resources Expo,” Carlson said.

That ability to move easily from one resource to another was central to the event’s purpose. Rather than requiring older adults and their families to independently research organizations and services, the Expo offered an opportunity to meet providers face-to-face, ask questions and compare options in a single afternoon.

Carlson and his wife also used the event to explore senior housing, speaking with representatives from multiple communities about their differences and costs.

“I am grateful to Hulsey Media for providing such a wonderful opportunity to learn so much in one location,” Carlson said. “How wonderful it was to have agencies and experts on a variety of aging issues assembled in one place.”

The event also provided an opportunity for organizations serving older adults to connect with one another and with the people who may eventually need their services.

“The expo was so well planned and executed,” said Robbie Chenault, president of Elevated Living Services. “Aging Resources has always been such a strong supporter of the local aging community and the expo was an outstanding example.”

The event reflected a goal shared by the participating organizations: helping older adults, caregivers and families understand what resources are available before an immediate need or crisis arises.

Learn more at AgingResourcesWNC.com.