Pushing the problems of aging to our 90s subject of public talk
A leading authority from the United Kingdom on how to use research evidence to push the problems of aging to our 90s will be the speaker at a public talk on Tuesday, November 11, in the atrium at McMaster Innovation Park.
Sir Muir Gray, a medical doctor who has extensive experience in the field of public health and using scientific knowledge to guide decisions about healthcare, will draw upon more than 40 years of working in the medical field and his recent experience of turning 70 in his talk about how to prevent at least some of the problems of aging striking us too soon. His talk, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., is open to the public and will be webcast live for those who cannot attend in person.
Gray is passionate about the need to empower consumers to make informed decisions about health, which is demonstrated through his work on The 70 Plus Health Programme, and through two draft publications he recently completed, on the science of aging and how to manage your health in your later years.
The 70 Plus program is designed to support people who are 70 or older to maintain and improve their health. The program is based on principles about aging that are based on strong scientific evidence and include:
- biological aging alone has little effect until someone is in their 90s;
- people aged 70 and older are still able to increase their strength, stamina, suppleness and skills; and
- at age 70, there is still plenty people can do to prevent and postpone common diseases.
Gray is currently chief knowledge officer and director of the National Health Service (NHS) National Knowledge Service in England. He is also director of Better Value Healthcare Ltd., an initiative focused on developing programs to get more value from healthcare resources.
Gray has held various senior positions in the areas of screening, public health and information management. He was made a knight in 2005 for the development of the fetal, maternal and child screening program in the U.K., and the creation of the National Library for Health.
The public talk has been organized by the McMaster Health Forum as part of its knowledge translation enterprise with the Labarge Optimal Aging Initiative, and is supported by the MedicAlert Foundation of Canada.
The free public talk is open to everyone. To access the live webcast, click here after 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 11.