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.
Universal design 101: seven elements of ageless design by Jean Zagrodnik, AIA, LEED AP
Imagine a world where everything—from lighting and fixtures to hallways and entryways—is designed to meet the needs of all people, regardless of abilities and limitations. Such spaces exist, thanks to a rather simple forward-thinking concept called universal design (UD), which is fast becoming a trend in architectural design and commercial/residential development.
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Planning and marketing a feasible wellness center by Cornelia C. Hodgson, AIA
Wellness centers in senior living communities are undergoing a fundamental change. Once primarily a place where residents could swim and take part in fitness classes, the wellness center has expanded significantly to include all dimensions of wellness—physical, social, emotional, spiritual, mental and vocational.
The services offered in total wellness centers have the power to markedly improve the quality of life for active aging adults. But before making the decision to add a wellness center to your community (or build a facility in another setting), it’s important to do the legwork. You need to find out not only if a center is financially feasible, but also what services and spaces it should provide to meet the specific desires of the people who will use the facility.
Construction
Installing a therapeutic pool: 3 factors to consider by Randy Mendioroz
The active aging industry has long recognized that lap pools, warm water pools and hydrotherapy spas make ideal exercise venues for low-impact water-related activities to help with fitness and weight loss programs, physical therapy and rehabilitation. Aquatic therapy also decreases joint stress, since the water’s buoyancy counteracts the effects of gravity, eliminating the pain and discomfort often associated with normal terra firma movement.
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Age-friendly facilities: 99 questions to assess your center
The International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) and the North Carolina Office on Disability and Health (NCODH) bring you this comprehensive checklist to help you evaluate how usable, safe and inviting your facility is for older adults.
As you tour your facility, please answer the following questions with a Yes or No. If you aren't sure about something, note this item in the space provided for comments, which follows each section. You may also want to comment on other things you notice on your walk-through. NB: this resource is intended to help you assess and improve your facility's age-friendliness. A Yes answer does not guarantee you have adequately addressed a particular issue
Construction
'Green' goes mainstream: environment-friendly retirement housing on the rise by Marilynn Larkin, MA
Until recently, green building was often associated with the counterculture environmentalists of the 1960s and ’70s. No longer. Today, mainstream developers increasingly recognize that green communities benefit the environment, the health of residents and, yes, the bottom line. The annual market for green building in products and services is now about $7 billion, representing 37% growth from 2003 to 2004, according to the US Green Building Council (USGBC). This coalition of building industry leaders works to promote buildings that are “environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy places to live and work.”
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Through a lender's eye: how financial institutions evaluate you by Dan Biron, BS
Active-aging organizations that do not have immediate capital plans should understand how their actions today can affect their borrowing ability months and years down the road. Executives who monitor the stew that is the credit profile, and the various financial ratios and other ingredients that go into it, should always keep an eye on the back burner.
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