Seniors from several surrounding counties filled the Carl C. Morgan Convention Center on Thursday for the annual &uot;Making the Older Years Golden&uot; educational program.

The program was hosted by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and designed to give expert health-related information to those 50-years-old and up.

Seniors who attended the program had an opportunity to ask questions and hear advice from a variety of people in the medical profession.

The first medical speaker to take the stage was Dr. Bruce Taylor, of Taylor Internal Medicine in Selma, who discussed the dangers of osteoporosis.

Taylor said osteoporosis is more common among older women than men.

Taylor advised the seniors to eat healthy and exercise whenever possible in order to keep strong bones.

The doctor recommended water aerobics as a excellent exercise for seniors because it puts less stress on their joints.

The second speaker during the program was Dr. Molly Pettyjohn, a nutrition specialist for the Alabama Department of Public Health.

Pettyjohn talked with seniors about the Plate Planner, used by the health department as a teaching tool for basic nutrition.

Pettyjohn told the seniors to divide their plates, with each side for a meat, starch, and vegetable.

One way to tell if there are too many portions on a plate, Pettyjohn said, is if the food runs together and covers the bottom of the plate.

The final medical speaker for the afternoon was Shatania Isaac of CVS pharmacy, who discussed the difference between Medicare and Medicaid and how the programs work when paying drug prescriptions.

County Extension Agent Sallie Lide-Hooker, one of the organizers of &uot;Making the Older Years Golden,&uot; said about 250 people pre-registered for the program.

After the speakers, the program ended with a lunch and entertainment provided by Joe Thomas and Mamie Solomon.