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
How four organizations launched their formal wellness programs by Marilynn Larkin, MA
Just about every International Council on Active Aging® (ICAA) member organization offers some kind of wellness activities for their constituencies. But ICAA’s research1 shows that many have yet to bring those programs under the umbrella of a formal program with specific goals, strategies to help people meet those goals, and a means to measure outcomes. The importance of doing so should not be underestimated, says founder and CEO Colin Milner. “Senior living communities are striving to bring in new residents, encourage them to age in place, and provide an enriching and meaningful life experience over the long term. So, too, are seniors centers and other organizations that serve the age 50-plus market. All those objectives are best met with a formal wellness program that embraces the concept of active aging.
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Exergamers Wellness Clubs: boosting physical activity, socialization and quality of life for older adults by Marilynn Larkin, MA
Recognition of the benefits of play for older adults continues to grow, as does momentum for ways to facilitate it. In the May/June 2012 issue of the Journal on Active Aging®, we explored the emerging trend of older-adult playgrounds. In this article, we delve into a pilot program aimed at improving the health and well-being of older people in Los Angeles, California, through “exergames”—video games that involve sports and exercise—and other components.
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The Man Cave: 'a place where creativity and socialization flourish'
Take a retired engineer with a big interest in building models and a small closet in which to do projects. Add a quest for more room and a sympathetic staff response. Mix with community members who want in on the fun. And there you have the makings of the Man Cave, the most popular wellness program at Atria Woodbridge in Irvine, California.
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Programs to bridge the generations engage all ages by Jenifer Milner
Today, even as population aging becomes more apparent,1 we continue to hear about the challenges that will accompany this demographic shift, and little about the rich resource that age 50-plus adults represent for society. The potential of older people is devalued at a time when many are living longer, remain active and seek meaningful ways to participate in their communities.
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Brain Health University: giving older adults tools to protect cognitive function
In 2002, to support healthier, more fulfilling lives for residents, SLC focused on the meaning of wellness for this population. “The basis for our quest was the World Health Organization’s publication on the six dimensions of wellness,” says RonnDa Peters, vice president of marketing. “David Koelling, vice president of corporate operations, and Terry Fay, corporate director of resident programs, led the charge to package a wellness-focused environment using the six dimensions—physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual and vocational—into a signature program, Fit for Life” (since rebranded Wellness Everyday™). The program received an ICAA Industry Innovators Award in 2003.
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Plastic bags + caring hands = new lives by Ruth Werstler, Garrett Kallenbach and Mary Moy
New Life for Old Bags (NLOB) is a community-based project for the homeless that helps the environment and improves the lives of all who are involved. It helps the environment by reusing plastic bags; it aids homeless persons by providing them with a sleeping mat; and it is a meaningful activity for the people who make the mats.
As volunteers in NLOB, participants cut plastic bags into strips to make plastic yarn (“plarn”), which is crocheted to make sleeping mats. In Chicago, Cornerstone Community Outreach distributes the mats to people who are homeless. The need is great, as the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless estimates that in 2011–12 there were approximately 105,000 homeless people in the city of Chicago, where NLOB is based.
