The ART of

AGING WELL

Introducing the documentary film that is changing lives

WATCH NOW

I predict that one year, five years, even ten years from now, we will all remember how we spent this time of crisis. Will we look back on days filled with boredom and binge-watching? Or will we think about how we stepped up, in our own small ways, to help meet the needs of our neighbors and our communities? I applaud the everyday heroes who are rising to the challenges across our nation.

Speaking for myself, this crisis has brought new urgency to my own work. Since National Geographic published my book, Just Move!, in late 2017, I have been reaching out to other older adults with a message of empowerment and hope: by making wellness a personal priority, you, too, can take charge of the aging process and make your life the best it can be.

But what’s currently at stake isn’t just quality of life; it’s survival. We know that older adults are both generally more vulnerable to the coronavirus and more likely to have underlying health conditions that put them even more at risk.

So I’m doubling down on my own commitment to action. My latest project is producing a new documentary film, The Art of Aging Well, with the goal of inspiring older adults to take care of themselves in body, mind and spirit. If ever we’ve needed a movement to encourage more focus on wellness among our older population, we need it now.

James P. Owen

Author, Just Move! and Cowboy Ethics

MEDIA SPOTLIGHT

Read about Jim Owen’s journey from Wall Street executive to public health advocate

Isn’t it time we focused on prevention?

To change your life,
take one small step

What matters most right now:
A Wellness Checklist

A documentary that
is changing people's lives

What matters is not how old you are
but how you are old

Change just
one thing

If you want to shift to healthier habits, don’t think of it as a makeover. Think of it as a journey that progresses one small step at a time. The way to get started? Change just one thing over the next 30 days. With that focus, your new habit will be more likely to stick, and each success will encourage you to take on the next 30-day challenge.

INSPIRATIONS

NOW SHOWING

THE ART OF AGING WELL

Even before its national release by the National Educational Television Association (NETA) on October 31, The Art of Aging Well has been inspiring audiences across the country. In September, it aired on Wyoming PBS and Rocky Mountain PBS. It’s immensely gratifying to hear from viewers who say the film has motivated them to start daily walking programs, rethink their meal planning, or take other steps toward a healthier way of life.

Meanwhile, PBS stations in Maryland, Kentucky, Florida and Illinois have already decided to schedule showings of the half-hour documentary film. That list is sure to grow once the NETA fall catalog is out.

Want to watch it right now? The film is available for streaming from this website or via the Rocky Mountain PBS website. We are also getting requests for private showings from retirement communities, senior centers and other groups. Please contact jamesowen@mindspring.com for more information.

FOR BETTER HEALTH

ASK YOURSELF
ONE SIMPLE QUESTION

What would I do differently today if I made my health the priority?

We all make dozens of small choices every day: what to eat, what’s high on the to-do list, how to respond to something stressful. Each one is an opportunity to choose the healthier path.

As you move through your day, be conscious of the choices you encounter. Think, too, of the enrichments you could add to the mix. Ten minutes of stretching or meditation, a walk outdoors or a call to a friend could be a balm for mind and body. Every time you choose health, you’re helping yourself make wellness a habit, and not just a wish.