What does it mean or even look like to thrive when you are over 85 or there are 57 recent honorees who can tell you they were named at the Gold Standard of Optimal Aging award ceremony last week in Louisville.

Our Kelsi Starks and videographer Kevin Combs were there and share the story as part of A she is 104 years of.

Age is just a number, and no one knows that better than these 57 older adults honored in Louisville.

I ended up writing a book and now I'm writing another one.

I'm still driving, believe it or not.

And no wrecks.

For 13 years, you have ALS.

Trager Institute of Optimal Aging has honored adults over 85 who are considered the gold standard of optimal aging.

I'll consider myself as old I go.

Places are half the world, but not as much as I used to.

But I do.

Like an ocean ten who hops on the bus twice a week to volunteer at a local homeless shelter.

Give me something to do.

I don't work anymore.

I used to work, so it's like I said, give me something to do.

And 97 year old Dr. Leo Jenkins, a retired electrical engineering professor at U of L, who still works with the program after serving for 42 years.

When you get old, people are really nice to you.

They treat you like somebody you know.

The Trager Center for Optimal Aging is all about that.

Treating older adults with a lot more than health care.

We know that more than 80% good health outcomes is a result of other determinants other than the clinical care like where they live.

Like, you know, do you have transportation, food and security, etc..

So all those things need to be addressed and taken care of in order for a person to have good health outcomes.

We often try to engage our older adults with this statement.

As I age, I dare to grade.

So we've got all kinds of pictures with them holding up that little placard that as I age, I dare to, and then they complete the sentence.

People can flourish.

People can live optimally as they age, even with a chronic condition, even with two or three chronic conditions, we can continue to flourish and age.

Well, like Anne, a retired art teacher who's now working on her second book, she says her artwork gets better with age.

Before I would plan that carefully and the drawings and sketches and getting ready for it now, I trust that the intuition will come and there are a lot of layers that go on, and then I can pick up from one layer to another and keep building on it.

So it's a building exploring process.

It's more spontaneous.

No, See, why not.

So what makes you thrive after 85?

Here's some advice.

Well, I guess.

And keep it moving.

So I do.

Just try to have a decent diet and then I stop and keep it moving and try to be with people a lot.

The more you're with people, especially younger people, you can then you thrive.

Keep dancing.

Keep dancing.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Kelsey Starks.

Thank you, Kelsey.

Some great advice there.

You can nominate seniors you think are the gold standard of optimal aging through the Trigger Institute's website.

And to see all of our next chapter content about aging, go online and look at the all that great material like that Oh likes next chapter.