SDSU Extension and NDSU Extension offering free virtual aging well workshops; First one scheduled for Jan. 18

South Dakota State University Extension and North Dakota State University Extension are hosting a series of free aging well workshops via Zoom.

There will be three presentations in 2024, on Jan. 18, Feb. 15 and March 21. All presentations start at 9 a.m. MT/10 a.m. CST and last one hour. They are free to attend, and attendees can sign up as an individual or invite a group as a watch party host. Ideal watch party hosts include county Extension offices, senior centers, libraries or community centers.

“We are excited to offer these educational opportunities on important health and wellness topics which contribute to aging well,” said Jane Strommen, NDSU Extension Gerontology Specialist.

Susan E. Johnson-Drenth will present on Jan. 18 with updates on elder law and estate planning in 2024. Johnson-Drenth is a certified elder law attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation and the president of JD Legal Planning PLLC, a law firm in Fargo, North Dakota, focused on estate planning, elder law, probate, probate litigation, guardianship, and trust law, including special needs trusts for people with disabilities.

On Feb. 15, Michelle Kutner will teach attendees about healthy living for their brain and body. Kutner joined the Alzheimer’s Association in April 2022 as the State Program Director for the South Dakota Chapter. Kutner is a licensed social worker who obtained her master’s in social work from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.

For the final presentation on March 21, SDSU Extension Gerontology Field Specialist Leacey Brown and Strommen will describe strategies for older adults to stay in their homes longer. The presentation will focus on the need for home modification to age in place. Brown and Strommen are gerontologists who have been working together since 2017 to provide education and outreach about getting older to North Dakota and South Dakota residents.

To register, visit https://extension.sdstate.edu/events, search for “aging well” and fill out the registration form. A Zoom link will be provided upon registration.

For more information or to ask about hosting a watch party, contact Jane Strommen, NDSU Extension Gerontology Specialist, at 701-231-5948 or jane.strommen@ndsu.edu; or Leacey Brown, SDSU Extension Gerontology Field Specialist, at 605-394-1722 or leacey.brown@sdstate.edu.