East Setauket, NY – Hundreds of Long Island seniors and their families recently gathered at World Gym Fitness & Arena for free senior health information, products and services that support senior quality care and lifestyles during The Association of Generational Experts for Seniors’ (AGES) premier Health & Wellness Resource Expo for Older Adults and Family Caregivers.

Gloria Wynn of Lindenhurst, NY, who is 82 and legally blind, visited the expo in search of alternative health insurance carriers that could help offset her pharmacy drug costs, which led toher meeting Expo exhibitor WellCare Health Plans, who she is currently exploring potential business with. She says she was delighted to participate inthe Expo and touched by AGES’ sensitivity to her legally blind condition. “Everyone from AGES was very helpful and cooperative, to the extent that they went out of their way to accommodate my being legally blind by arranging for someone to escort me throughout the expo,” comments Wynn. “This Expo was very beneficial and well worth the trip. It allowed me the opportunity to review my health insurance options in a direct way, without having to waste time cold-calling companies out of a phone book or going through frustrating automated prompts.”

Packed to exhibitor capacity, the Expo provided attendees with a one-stop-destination for meeting with countless senior healthcare service and product providers that play an integral role in senior wellness management, including the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services and a representative from U.S. Congressman Tim Bishop’s office.

“It’s a top priority of my office to help ensure thehealth and wellness of seniors in our community, so I applaud AGES for assembling so many important resources in a convenient Expo for seniors and inviting my office to participate,” says Congressman Bishop. “It’s vital to inform seniors of the healthcare, transportation, financial planning, and other resources available to them on Long Island, and I will continue to work with AGES to get the word out to our community’s senior citizens.”

In addition to showcasing exhibitors specializing in senior healthcare services and products, the Expo also featured a series of free interactive workshops relating to relevant issues and concerns that were led by top senior care industry professionals from an array of businesses. Exercising their minds, spirits and bodies, seniors also engaged in several innovative, live health and fitness demonstrations tailored for seniors, including yoga and the cutting edge MELT® Method, a self-treatment technique for achieving pain reduction/prevention while increasing stability and balance.

“We are fortunate to be livingat a time when more and more seniors are living longer lives,” says Alan Goldman, Chairperson, AGES. “However, in living longer lives, it becomes that much more critical for today’s seniors to achieve quality lifestyles so they can continue living healthy, enriched and vibrant lives without compromise. Our Health and Wellness Resource Expo was designed to provide today’s senior community and their extended families with a one-stop-destination for fulfilling senior health and wellness needs so seniors can take a proactive approach to their health and wellness management. We are thrilled that our Expo was so well received, which indicates a great need for this type of resource and is why we are hoping to turn our Health and Wellness Resource Expo into ana nnual event.”

Susan Davis, 65, of Setauket, NY, says she wishes AGES’ Health & Wellness Resource Expo was around when her parents and in-laws were still alive. “Having gone through the cycle of once being a caregiver for my parents and in-laws, this Expo offered all of the tools and resources that I used to spend a great deal of time scavenging to research and find. It definitely provided a tremendous resource and huge time-saver for not only seniors but those who are caregivers today.”

While Davis isan agile, active “young” senior, she says the Expo provided her with somehelpful information for future planning. “These days, parents don’t move inwith their kids as they grow older, they look for an outside resource that isable to suit their growing needs. While I don’t necessarily need this kind of aresource right now, AGES’ Health & Wellness Resource Expo gave me the chance to meet with some exhibiting life transitional communities and provided some food for thought for further down the road.”

The Association of Generational Experts for Seniors (AGES) is an independent network of highly qualified, caring and knowledgeable professionals from family and senior related fields. AGES has been created in the New York Metropolitan area for the purpose of addressing the needs and challenges thatf ace many families today. Working within a cohesive resource team that addresses the concerns and needs of today’s senior citizens and “sandwiched”generation (adult children caregivers), AGES members apply their personal skill-sets to help guide seniors and family caregivers toward an improved quality of life. For more information, please visit www.agesresourcenetwork.com.