Prince William Area Agency on Aging Partners with UVA Health to Host Aging in Place Workshops

The Prince William Area Agency on Aging, in collaboration with UVA Health, will host a two-part workshop designed to help individuals navigate the challenges of aging and proactively plan for the future.

The workshops, scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 8, and Wednesday, Jan. 22, will take place from 1-3:45 p.m. at the UVA Health Medical Center, 15225 Heathcote Boulevard, in Haymarket. Participants are encouraged to attend both workshops and will engage in discussions and gain practical tools to address key aspects of aging, including housing, health and wellness, transportation, personal finance and social connection.

According to Kathleen Wiley, Aging in Place Program Manager for the agency, the workshops are designed to empower attendees to take charge of their aging plans while fostering open communication with family and caregivers.

“The biggest thing to get from this is to help people really think about what they want their aging plan to look like,” Wiley said. “A big, big piece of all of this is making sure that you are having those difficult conversations with people about what you want because there may come a time when you’re not able to voice what you want.”

The workshops will provide participants with strategies for evaluating their housing needs, whether by remaining in their homes with potential renovations to improve accessibility or transitioning to senior living facilities. They will also learn about maintaining wellness and accessing resources to support health goals. Financial planning will be a key focus, with a personal finance attorney addressing post-retirement financial strategies and the importance of documents, such as wills and trusts.

“We talk about key documents – wills or trusts – the importance of making sure that people know your wishes and that they have access to key documents,” Wiley said. 

Social connection will also be a central theme, helping participants recognize the risks of social isolation while fostering community ties. “The social connection piece is really just taking that step to think about what is important to you as far as staying connected to your community, making sure you have opportunities to grow and really being aware of the risks for social isolation,” Wiley said. “When we talk about aging in place, we look at the whole person and that connection piece is really important.”

Participants will receive the “Aging in Place: Your Home, Your Community, Your Choice” planning workbook during the first session. The second session will feature an interactive group workshop, allowing participants to review their workbook findings and create actionable plans. Wiley highlighted the importance of using the workbook to begin critical conversations.

“It’s a self-assessment to begin that conversation with yourself, with the people around you just to identify that you have a plan,” Wiley said. “It’s great information.”

Registration is required for the workshops, which are free to attend. To register or learn more, email Kathleen Wiley at [email protected]. Registrations will be accepted until Jan. 8, as long as seats are available.