Articles
The Journal on Active Aging brings articles of value to professionals dedicated to older-adult quality of life. Content sweeps across the active-aging landscape to focus on education and practice. Find articles of interest by searching the article archives in three ways: Enter a keyword in the articles search bar; click on search by topic; or type a keyword or phrase in the general search bar at the top of the page.
Topic- Program design
Intergenerational programming: 10 ideas for family fun by Colin Milner
Today’s older adults can look forward to long relationships with their grandchildren, according to recent research. A 2002 AARP study of 1,500 grandparents found that people were 48 years-old, on average, when their first grandchild arrived, with almost half the respondents younger than 50 when this event occurred. With average life expectancy at an all-time high for Americans—74.7 years for men and 79.9 years for women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—older adults can now spend decades as grandparents. As a result, they are developing deeper relationships with their grandchildren and taking grandparenting more seriously.
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Functional flexibility activities for older adults by Phil Page, P.T., M.S., .T.C., C.S.C.S.
For aging adults going from inactivity to activity, flexibility training may offer a good start towards a healthy lifestyle. This type of training may lack the high profile of cardiovascular exercise and strength training, but it can improve range of motion, decrease pain and soreness after exercise, improve posture, and decrease muscle tension. More importantly, stretching can make the difference in comfort when a client puts on a shirt in the morning or reaches for a cup of tea. s a result, flexibility can contribute significantly to overall functional fitness, helping older adults safely and effectively accomplish independent activities of daily living.
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Hand wellness for older adults by Naomi Aaronson, M.A., OTRlL, CHT
Our primary tool for manipulating the environment is our hands.
We use our hands to brush our teeth, apply makeup, write a letter, perform work duties, and many other tasks. Yet we do not always appreciate the importance of our hands until we are injured.
Program design
Functional fitness: an introduction to creating effective programs for older adults by Patricia A. Brill, Ph.D.
For many adults, growing older involves a loss of strength, energy and fitness, which relates to decreased quality of life. But it need not be so. Regular physical activity has a large potential to prevent chronic diseases, sustain active living and independence, and improve quality of life. As a result, an active lifestyle is a key component of healthy and successful aging.
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Developing Parkinson's-specific exercise programs by Becky Farley
Parkinson’s disease affects approximately 3% of adults ages 65 years and older. In the United States, more than one million people live with PD, making it the most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s. In Canada, individuals with PD number nearly 100,000, with more than half these men and women diagnosed before age 65.
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Massage therapy for older adults by Elaine Jones
Massage therapy is a valued amenity in an aging society. Research has shown that this service improves health, function and well-being among both healthy individuals and those coping with chronic or even advanced illness. Given the evidence, more older Americans, along with their families and healthcare providers, now view massage as beneficial. In fact, older adults have the fastest growing rate of massage use in the United States, even as overall use continues to rise.
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