Age is just a number

The pressure to hide your age can be intense. It’s as if the profits of a billion-dollar industry depend upon your cosmetic choices. Dye your hair! Botox those frown lines! Diet! Lift weights! Wear control-top pantyhose! We spend so much time trying to mask the outward signs of aging that we fail to consider the inner effects. What does it mean to grow older, to gain experience, to be a senior in our society? How can we live healthy, vital lives that are relevant to our community?

Seniors and their families are invited to ponder these questions and more at the annual Longevity Faire, hosted by the Department of Gerontology at California State University, Sacramento. The fair will be held on Wednesday, June 1 from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. at the University Ballroom.

The day features a series of workshops and discussions on healthy aging, as well as advice and support for caregivers of elderly people. Author Kelly Ferrin will deliver a talk titled after her book, What’s Age Got to Do With It?: Secrets to Aging in Extraordinary Ways, a collection of longevity advice from seniors aged 67 to 122. Ferrin, who has shared her aging secrets on Oprah, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, and Good Morning America, will speak at 10:15 a.m.

Later in the day, at 2:45 p.m., local centenarians will share their personal tips for longevity. But before that, the racy talk “Still Sexy After All These Years” is sure to inspire some flirting among the attendees.

The Longevity Faire is free for everyone. Lunch will be available for $6 to those who pre-register or $12 for those who register at the door. To pre-register, or for more information, call (916) 278-7163.