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.
Saluting standouts
With the global pandemic fostering an increased emphasis on the importance of preserving health and pursuing wellness, senior living communities are facing both greater expectations and opportunities. In fact, a 2018 survey conducted by the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) found that 59% of senior living communities intended to shift their business model to be wellness-centered with care services--rather than traditional care-based communities with options for wellness--by 2023. For the third year, ICAA and NuStep, LLC, are celebrating this industry-shifting movement by naming 25 senior living communities in North America as the "Best in Wellness" with the 2021 ICAA NuStep Beacon Award. Designed to showcase organizations that embrace wellness as a way of life for all residents and staff, these awards recognize outstanding commitment, creativity and culture.
moreBusiness profiles
Spirit of celebration by Julie King, MS
Active Aging Week 2021, led and organized nationally by the International Council on Active Aging and presented by Humana, was a vibrant demonstration--both in-person and online--of older adults participating in the seven dimensions of wellness as fully engaged members of society. Illustrating the enthusiasm that permeates the annual event, the Active Aging Week Spirit Awards showcase local host organizations and participants as they celebrate what it means to be active. The awards capture success stories and moments in images to exemplify the multitude of ways in which people can embrace healthier, more active and engaged lives. "It's always exciting to see how organizations embody the essence of Active Aging Week each year," says Colin Milner, ICAA founder and CEO. "Spirit Award winners exemplify both the spirit of this popular celebration and the greater emphasis on aging well that's emerged during the pandemic."
moreICAA initiatives
Community environments link to cognitive aging
People are living longer than ever before, but cognitive decline threatens the quality of those later years. Now, new evidence suggests that where older adults live may help protect against dementia and Alzheimer's disease. A trio of studies from the University of Michigan (U-M) found that urban and suburban neighborhoods with opportunities for socialization, physical activity and intellectual stimulation may help preserve older adults' cognitive health. "Neighborhoods matter," says lead author Jessica Finlay, PhD. "They are important spaces for older adults, and they really impact opportunities or barriers to age well in place." A research fellow at the U-M Institute for Social Research [ISR] Survey Research Center in Ann Arbor, Finlay comments that the papers "think through how neighborhoods might encourage healthy behaviors that could in turn benefit the brain, and for Alzheimer's and dementia risks, which are among the greatest fears and greatest burdens that our aging population faces."
moreCommunity design
Workplace changes triggered by the pandemic: Implications for mental health by Marilynn Larkin, MA
A recent survey by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that as the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on mental health continues, psychologists are reporting a large increase in demand for treatment of anxiety and depression as compared with last year. Eighty-four percent of psychologists who treat anxiety disorders said they have seen an increase in demand for treatment since the start of the pandemic. That figure reflects a rise of 10% over a year ago. Demand for treatment of depression is also up. Seventy-two percent of psychologists who treat depressive disorders have seen an increase, compared with 60% in 2020. These increases are particularly evident in the workplace, with numerous organizations producing articles and guidance aimed at helping employers to become more sensitive to mental health issues, and employees to feel more comfortable seeking help. ... Given all the emerging data on workplace mental health, International Council on Active Aging CEO Colin Milner interviewed Kristin Tugman, PhD, CRC, LPC, vice president of health and productivity analytics and consulting practice for Prudential Group Insurance, in a transformative podcast on navigating workplace reentry anxiety. Tugman's work is founded on a cognitive behavioral model aimed at helping individuals overcome psychological barriers and return to productivity, as well as building psychologically healthy workplaces. In their interview, she and Milner discussed numerous current workforce concerns, including significant employee stressors. This article is based on that podcast.
moreMental health
Interdependence: Balancing autonomy with connection as we age by Colin Milner
What is the difference between dependence and interdependence as we age? What happens when we don't have family support? And what kinds of models and policies for successful aging and care can be built on these distinctions? The importance of interdependence caught my attention during my participation in the WHO Global Network on Long-Term Care, which first met in September 2020 and again this fall. As a response to changing world demographics and more people living longer, this World Health Organization network advises the agency on ways to create equitable and sustainable long-term care models for older adults. The focus is to optimize functional ability and achieve healthy aging. Interdependence came up as part of network discussions and opened my eyes to its significance, especially for an aging population. In my view, even with all the goals and mandates in the WHO's endorsement of a new "Decade of Healthy Ageing" (2021 - 2030), all the progress towards more integrated and person-centered models of long-term care, and all the efforts by myriad organizations and agencies to foster wellness among older populations, interdependence is the unrecognized umbrella under which so many issues fall. So, I reached out to Karl Pillemer, PhD, the Hazel E. Reed Professor in Cornell University's Department of Human Development and a professor of gerontology in medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. His decades of research have advanced our understanding of the complicated web of relationships.
moreGerontology
Discerning quality research: How to spot good science by Sally Duplantier, BS
Back in 1998, a physician named Andrew Wakefield published a scientific paper with a finding so startling, it became a media sensation. Never mind that the sample size was small (N=12), or that the design was scientifically flawed, or that the team conducting the research engaged in unethical practices. Thousands of parents still accepted the findings as fact: Vaccines cause autism. Ten years later, The Lancet, the journal that originally published the article, retracted it, and the results of Dr. Wakefield's publication were refuted by the scientific and medical communities. Nonetheless, the damage to public health was done. The vaccination rate of the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps and rubella)--the focus of Wakefield's paper--dropped by 80%. Beyond that impact, the paper created fear and uncertainty in the minds of parents about all vaccines. Wakefield's fabricated publication created a wave of skepticism that lingers to this day, even in a global pandemic. This is not an isolated example. In the quest for the new and novel, the media often sensationalizes research findings in a way that is misleading. In addition, not all scientific research is created equal. The following guidelines will help you wade through the vast array of scientific studies to discern the quality and relevance of their content.
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