To celebrate Healthy Aging Month, Layne Langley, LSU AgCenter Area Nutrition & Community Health Agent, partnered with RKM Primary Care to offer the nutrition series Stay Independent during September and October. Residents from East Feliciana, West Feliciana, and East Baton Rouge Parishes participated in the six-week program held at RKM Primary Care in Clinton. Stay Independent is a research-based nutrition and wellness program designed for adults aged 60 and older to help reduce nutrition risk and lower the risk of sarcopenia.

The objective of the Stay Independent nutrition series was to provide participants with practical tools to set goals for maintaining independence in mid and later life. Over six weeks, topics included: Three Meals a Day, Feast on Fruits & Vegetables, Power Up with Protein, Cooking for One or Two, Brain Health, and Exercise Your Independence. Each session featured hands-on activities such as meal makeovers using food cards and creating healthy snacks and meals with fruits and vegetables based on MyPlate guidelines.

Participants explored strategies for cooking for one or two, practiced recipe conversions, and learned to read nutrition facts labels. They also received tips for making semi-homemade meals. Physical activity was addressed through discussions on barriers and demonstrations of chair exercises and cardio drumming. For cognitive health, participants completed a brain health quiz to identify lifestyle changes that could help slow cognitive decline. Additionally, they prepared and sampled new recipes, making the experience both educational and enjoyable.

Special thanks to RKM Primary Care for sponsoring the event and for their ongoing commitment to improving community health. Their support made this program possible and helped empower older adults to live healthier, more independent lives.

For more information about nutrition programs in East Feliciana, contact Layne Langley at lalangley@agcenter.lsyu.edu or at 225-683-3101.