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- Gerontology
Hiking for their lives
Gudrun and Peter Seifert are avid hikers on a mission. Originally from Germany, the Seiferts spent two years in Switzerland before coming to the United States in 1964. After taking early semi-retirement, Gudrun, an English teacher, and Peter, a mechanical engineer, traveled to Europe in 1998 for a hiking holiday in the French Alps. While on this trek, the Seiferts hit on a bold plan. They would hike the Alpine mountains from Nice, on the French Riviera, to Vienna, the capital of Austria. This journey would eventually extend over eight summers, becoming one of the greatest experiences of their lives—and helping them overcome adversity.
moreGerontology
Understanding the attitudes of older women toward exercise by Marlyn Black
In late 1998 I began training an 87-year-old lady named Jeri. She and her daughter decided that Jeri needed to start weight training. So the journey began. Jeri was a joy to work with. She was always ready to try a new exercise and she amazed the guys in the gym when she proudly displayed her “guns” for their approval. She would declare, “Oh, isn’t that grand, I can really feel that muscle working!” We continued to exercise together until she went blind at 93.
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Always independent, never alone: serving the needs of gay and lesbian elders by Brian de Vries, PhD, Catherine F. Croghan, MS, MPH, RN, and Terri Worman, BA
Today, the first cohort of openly lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults is approaching later life, forging a path through a terrain of uncertainty with little historical reference to serve as a guide.1 Perhaps not surprisingly, documentation about this population is modest, although this is changing.
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Boomer factoids are barriers to business success by G. Richard Ambrosius, MA
When talking about Russia in a 1939 radio address, Sir Winston Churchill said, “It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” This is also a good description of the future impact of the Baby Boom, in spite of the growing horde of Boomer experts offering such definitive conclusions as:
• Boomers will be teenagers forever—age 60 is the new 30.
• Boomers will be a drain on the economy and overwhelm the healthcare systems.
• Boomers will reinvent retirement.
• Boomers will not tolerate stereotypes.
Gerontology
The Boomers at 60: how the aging of a generation is changing industries by Brent Green
On January 1, 2006, the oldest Baby Boomers started turning 60. For the next 19 years, one Boomer will turn 60 every 7.5 seconds. This demographic tidal wave will affect institutions and businesses with greater impact than the aging of any previous generation. And mature values and trends will dominate marketplace realities. Here are five ways that Boomers will continue to change institutions and businesses as the vanguard reaches 60.
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Pet prescription: not just puppy love by Edward T. Creagan
"I need to get home to see Max," a patient told me one day. I thought he was talking about his son or his wife. But I soon discovered he was talking about his dog. The desire to see his pet was this man's motivation to overcome tragic illness and leave the hospital.
We can no longer ignore the medical significance of the bond people have with their pets. These animals create a balance between our minds and bodies in the truest sense of mind-body medicine. Think about it. If you were stranded on a desert island, would you want the company of your pet or another human? More than half the people surveyed by the American Animal Hospital Association chose their pets.
