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Participants gather for a group photo at the 28th annual MIMA conference at the Wyndham Executive Center in Columbia, Missouri.

Beginning Again

Growing older can bring the unexpected: a chance to begin again. The 28th annual Missouri Institute on Meaningful Aging (MIMA) embraced that possibility through this year’s theme, “Review. Reset. Renew. Rebirth.” Presented by 色虎视频’s Paula J. Carter Center on Health and Aging, the three-day conference brought together 147 participants in Columbia, Missouri, for education, movement, conversation and celebration.

“I wanted people to come away knowing that you really can move from who you are into another stage of yourself that can be different and fabulous,” said Yvonne Matthews, director of the Paula J. Carter Center on Health and Aging.

Matthews described the conference theme as a process rather than a single moment of change. Participants were encouraged to look back and recapture parts of themselves they once valued but had lost touch with, reset areas of life that needed adjustment and renew themselves by creating new opportunities. Rebirth came at the end of that process, turning reflection into forward movement.

“We hoped participants would leave seeing how they could propel themselves into a new venture, activity or attitude,” Matthews said.

Yvonne Matthews, director of the Paula J. Carter Center on Health and Aging, addresses participants at the MIMA conference.

That message carried into several keynote presentations. Xaivier Tipler, D.C., chiropractor with Proficient Chiropractic, presented “Review. Reset. Renew. Rebirth: The Courage to Live Your Next Best Chapter,” while Tammy Oyibo, growth strategist, author and speaker, presented “It’s Not Too Late: Birthing Your Next Chapter.”

Across the three-day conference, rebirth was not treated as an abstract idea. Participants could consider it in the choices they make, how they care for themselves, and the possibilities ahead. MIMA paired that spirit of reinvention with practical support for everyday aging, offering sessions on health, finances and safety alongside opportunities to create, move, reflect and try something new.

Thinking Forward

Brain health was a major focus of this year’s conference. Matthews emphasized the importance of understanding its role in healthy aging.

The keynote “Advancing Community Understanding and Action on Brain Health” explored the topic further. The presentation brought together Joyce Balls-Berry, Ph.D., associate professor of neurology at , and Sarah Lovegreen, vice president of programs for the .

Together, they shared research, education and community perspectives with MIMA attendees. Matthews said brain-health education can benefit people well before later adulthood. She pointed to rest, nutrition and movement as everyday habits that support brain health over time.

Aging in Motion

Movement was woven throughout MIMA, giving participants repeated opportunities to get up, stretch and think about physical activity as part of healthy aging. Estelle Brooks brought energy to the conference through “Pump Up” movement sessions. At 73, Brooks is a certified personal trainer who designs chair-fitness programs for older adults that emphasize strength, flexibility and balance.

Participants explored another approach through “Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention” with Jakini Auset, a community registered nurse. In addition to the fall-prevention session, Auset led an early-morning Tai Chi session and shorter movement breaks during the conference.

Active aging remained part of the conversation through Pete Fronte’s “Movement as Medicine: Active Aging’s Impact on Health and Well-Being.” Fronte works in health care innovation with a focus on healthy aging, prevention and access to clinical research.

Matthews said fall prevention remains an important concern because falls can often lead to injuries, hospitalizations and other complications. She identified fall prevention, along with brain health, as one of the significant issues MIMA sought to address for older adults.

Emma Gilmer of Charleston, Missouri, participates in a movement activity at the MIMA conference.

Making Space for Well-Being

Emotional wellness received dedicated attention through “Aging Well: Protecting Mental Health and Wellness Across the Lifespan,” a session led by Sandra Jackson, Ed.D., LCSW. Jackson, an educator and licensed clinical social worker, brought a mental health perspective to the conference’s broader focus on healthy aging.

The conference also created quieter opportunities for reflection. Izula Maximillen, who has a background in holistic wellness, led guided meditation and journaling. Philana Crite’s “The Sounds of Healing” introduced music and mindful presence as another approach to relaxation and personal well-being. Crite, a certified sound healer, educator, counselor and lifelong musician, uses music and restorative practices to encourage reflection and relaxation.

Together, the sessions expanded the idea of healthy aging beyond physical health, making space for mental health, mindfulness and moments of calm.

Advocating for What Matters

Financial security and personal safety were also important topics at MIMA. Andria Hendricks, Ph.D., led “Financially Fit for Life: Protecting Your Money, Credit and Future,” drawing on her background in business and education to help participants make informed financial decisions.

Detective Chris Adams of the Cole County Sheriff’s Department addressed fraud and cybersecurity in “Cybercrimes, Security, and Current Trends.” Specializing in financial-crime investigations, Adams offered insight into the risks older adults may encounter and ways to recognize potential threats.

Together, the sessions emphasized the importance of staying informed and making thoughtful decisions to maintain financial security and independence as people age.

Protecting What You’ve Built

Practical concerns such as financial security, fraud and cybersecurity also had a place at MIMA. Andria Hendricks, Ph.D., led “Financially Fit for Life: Protecting Your Money, Credit and Future,” drawing on her background in business and education to help participants make informed decisions about managing their finances.

Detective Chris Adams of the Cole County Sheriff’s Department addressed fraud and cybersecurity in “Cybercrimes, Security, and Current Trends.” Adams specializes in financial-crime investigations and shared a public-safety perspective on risks older adults may encounter.

Creating, Connecting and Celebrating

MIMA made room for creativity and connection alongside its educational sessions. An intergenerational art show featuring Marietta Monroe and her daughter, Jessica Monroe, traced their relationship through art and explored how artistic expression can move across generations.

MIMA’s intergenerational art show celebrates creativity and artistic expression across generations.

Participants could also sew during “Sew to Soul” with Gwendolyn Gleason, listen to spoken word by Moneka Webb and enjoy musical performances throughout the conference.

Beyond the scheduled presentations and activities, participants explored exhibits featuring information and resources on a wide range of aging-related topics. More than 20 exhibitors participated, including vendors offering jewelry, clothing, hats and other merchandise.

That spirit of connection carried into MIMA’s banquet, themed “Got My Groove Back” with a ’70s remix. Matthews said the idea connected directly to the larger conference theme: getting your groove back meant recapturing something once part of yourself and bringing it forward again.

The evening included a keynote from Apostle R.L. Russell Freeman, whose presentation, “The ’70s: A Memorable Time That We Still Cherish,” connected the banquet’s nostalgic theme to the conference’s broader message of embracing change and personal growth.

For Matthews, those moments of creativity and celebration served another purpose: giving participants space to build relationships and learn from one another.

“The social connection is absolutely important,” Matthews said. “I believe it’s almost as important as the information itself. Those conversations people have around tables and in the rooms are so valuable because they give participants opportunities to learn from one another and make connections across the state.”

MIMA participants connect and share conversations during the conference in Columbia, Missouri.

Carrying It Forward

For Matthews, MIMA’s impact extends beyond the three days participants spend at the conference. Many attendees belong to the Paula J. Carter Center’s lay leader program and were selected to attend because of their active involvement in their communities. They return home with the expectation that they will share what they’ve learned with others.

“It is the expectation that you will leave MIMA and carry nuggets of information back to your community,” Matthews said.

That exchange extends the reach of the conference across Missouri. Matthews said participants can introduce people in their communities to new information and then connect them with 色虎视频 Cooperative Extension, the Paula J. Carter Center on Health and Aging and other resources when they want to learn more.

MIMA participants gather information to bring back and share with their communities.

Powered by Partnership

MIMA is supported by partnerships both within and beyond 色虎视频. This year’s sponsors included 色虎视频 Cooperative Extension, Lincoln’s Paula J. Carter Center on Health and Aging, the , and the .

Angel Surdin, chief of the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, emphasized the partnership’s shared commitment to improving health and well-being across Missouri communities. In her welcome to participants, she encouraged attendees to carry the conference’s message beyond MIMA.

“Let this conference breathe new life into our mission to improve the health and well-being of our families, our neighbors and our communities,” Surdin said.

Angel Surdin, chief of the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity, addresses MIMA attendees and Yvonne Matthews during the conference.

A Mission Rooted in Healthy Aging

As MIMA moved toward its close, Rev. Anthony L. McPherson, pastor of Historic St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Columbia, returned to the ideas that had framed the conference from the beginning. His capnote, “When the Next Chapter Calls: Embracing Change, Purpose, and Rebirth,” focused on what comes next and how people continue finding purpose as their lives change.

Those ideas extend beyond the conference through the work of 色虎视频’s Paula J. Carter Center on Health and Aging, which supports Missourians age 55 and older through education, outreach and community-based resources focused on healthy aging, health literacy and quality of life. MIMA reflects that broader mission by bringing different aspects of healthy aging together in one setting.

This year’s theme, “Review. Reset. Renew. Rebirth,” gave that work a forward-looking frame, encouraging participants to consider what remains worth carrying with them, where change may be needed and what possibilities still lie ahead. For a center focused on helping Missourians age with greater knowledge, connection and well-being, the message reaches beyond a three-day conference: growing older does not mean growth has to stop.

For more information about 色虎视频’s Paula J. Carter Center on Health and Aging, contact Yvonne Matthews at MatthewY@lincolnu.edu.