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 profiles
Bridging the gaps in wellness programming throughout the continuum of care by Gina Formica, DPT, and Jenn Conway, MS, CSCS, RCEP
When it comes to wellness programming and expectations of abilities for individuals in senior living communities, the differences between the levels of care can be striking. A typical day in an independent living community sees residents enjoying water aerobics, enhancing flexibility during a yoga session or strengthening muscles in one of many exercise classes led by certified instructors or exercise physiologists. In sharp contrast, residents in assisted living to skilled nursing have fewer opportunities to be challenged to the fullest extent of their abilities.
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How Spring Lake Village created a thriving wellness culture by Diane Waltz, MS, PT
“Your residents are so full of life! The opportunities at Spring Lake Village must create a lifestyle that makes them very happy.” That is what Executive Director Sharon York typically hears when she tells the people she meets where she works. This perception, shared by people from the larger community in Sonoma County, California, reflects a thriving wellness culture embraced by Spring Lake Village (SLV) residents. How did this culture get started? How did it evolve to the point where it influences everything we do at SLV, including a new expansion project? And how is it shared with the larger community? This article looks at some stepping stones in our wellness journey.
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Seabury Spirit Week supports camaraderie and "the benefits of play at any age"
Citizens of the Hartford, Connecticut, region know they have a good thing in Seabury: The not-for-profit, interdenominational community was voted “Best Retirement Community” in Hartford Magazine’s Annual Readers Poll for three years running (2009–2011). Located on 66 acres in the scenic town of Bloomfield (population 20,000), Seabury is dedicated to quality of life for adults ages 62 and beyond. This “active life care community” offers a range of residences and services intended to support independent, vibrant lifestyles, plus the promise of security should residents need more care. Yet it is the community’s Wellness for Life philosophy that best expresses the Seabury spirit.
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Front Porch partnership identifies needs, fosters collaborations and deploys technologies for older adults by Marilynn Larkin, MA
“Where fresh thinking thrives” is the phrase that the Front Porch Center for Technology, Innovation and Wellbeing (FPCTIW) uses to describe itself on its website. That phrase also applies to the organization’s approach to partnerships—whether with other organizations or vendors—because creative partnerships are key to its successful deployment of technologies to help older adults.
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Mind & Muscle: A holistic approach to wellness by Tish Nystrom, RN and Amy Lewis
Since brain health and physical activity play critical roles in the overall wellness of older adults, the Rappahannock Westminster-Canterbury (RWC) community in Irvington, Virginia, devised the Mind & Muscle program, which combines traditional educational presentations, an interactive session, and an ambitious 5-kilometer run/1-mile fun walk.
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Brookdale's Ageless Spirit initiative supports spiritual wellness in later life
Established in 1978, Brookdale Senior Living ... “is committed to providing an exceptional living experience,” comments Public Relations Manager Andrea Turner. Optimum Life®, Brookdale’s philosophy of well-being, “establishes the foundation for a positive aging experience by supporting the whole-person wellness of residents and associates through six key dimensions,” Turner says. “Each year, the Optimum Life team identifies one dimension of wellness as the foundation for developing an annual wellness theme,” states Carol Cummings, BSN, RN, CHWC, director of Optimum Life development. “As part of the theme, a campaign is launched that includes educational and health promotion programs developed to enrich the lives of residents and associates and further position Brookdale as a leader in senior health and wellness. The most recent program, The Ageless Spirit, focuses on the spiritual wellness dimension.”
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