The four pillars supporting good health at any age are good nutrition, exercise, stress-reduction and relationships, and CRIS’s on-going Vital Conversations series will cover all of these in the coming months.

At 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 18, in the Cazenovia Library Community Room, the conversation will focus on the topic of “Aging and Relationships: Friends, Family and Lovers.” A number of questions will be explored, including:

•What are the physical, psychological, and social role changes that we face in old age?

•Why is it important to maintain quality relationships in old age?

•What are romantic relationships really like in our elder years?

•How can we stay connected to a community of family and friends as we grow older?

•What are ways that we can reach out to our older Cazenovia neighbors to combat loneliness and depression?

Dr. Jim Sicherman will give a brief introduction to some of the health benefits of loving relationships, including examples from evidence-based medicine that shows that married men live longer than single men; old folks with dogs have less heart disease; isolation is sick-making; and loving-kindness enhances immune function.

The group discussion will begin with a look at a few examples of how elder relationships are depicted in popular culture as a way to open our conversation for sharing about what it is really like getting old and managing relationship connections with others.

Vital Conversations is a new monthly discussion series offered by CRIS. Future topics may include medical care of seniors, housing alternatives, safe exercise, alternative burials and fear of death.

The Oct. 18 talk is free and open to all.

For further information, contact CRIS by email at [email protected] call 351-655-5743.