Bret Schanzenbach
President & CEO
Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce 


Aging is an inevitable part of life. Accepting that our lives have to qualitatively change as we age is a choice. Making a d e c i s i o n to age well means preparing for that future. With that in mind, the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce is planning our first Older & Bolder Expo on Saturday, Feb. 26 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church, 6628 Santa Isabel, Carlsbad. This will be a free event that will educate and raise awareness about the issues that can and do affect all of us as we age.
The event will feature the latest information on products and services designed to make the most of life at any age. We have a great lineup of expert speakers who will talk about topics ranging from financial planning and navigating Medicare to home safety and adult learning. There will also be dozens of exhibitors who will offer the latest information and essential tips on aging successfully. Most often we do not plan for what is being coined by gerontologists as the “third age,” states Alesia Clark, founder of Engage Life Care. “Beyond financial retirement plans, we must plan for all facets of our well-being for an extraordinary tomorrow.” Planning for the future not only includes caring for ourselves but frequently it also means caring for parents and/or grandparents.

One goal of the Expo is to provide helpful information and connections for caregivers. According to the National Council on Aging, so many Americans, whether they realize it or not, are caregivers. Approximately 40 million Americans provide unpaid care to older adults and adults with disabilities. Most of these unpaid caregivers juggle a career or other responsibilities. Wearing all these hats can exact a toll. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Website states it is expected that there will be 71 million people aged 65 years old and older when all baby boomers are at least 65 years old in 2030.

Planning for the future becomes even more imperative because the number of older adults needing help and services is quickly growing. “We are working hard to make the first Expo a huge success,” said Kim Shea, owner of Game-Changing Counseling Services and founding committee member for the Older and Bolder Expo. “People are living longer, and many are working well into their seventies and even eighties. We want to continue this event in the foreseeable future to provide valuable information that will improve quality of life for everyone regardless of their age.”

The Older & Bolder Expo is open to health-related companies, nonprofits and senior service providers, as well as others. There are still some exhibitor spots open. If you are interested, please CLICK HERE. Our best is still ahead of us!