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.
Plan for Active Aging Week 2008
Thanks to the efforts of many professionals in the ICAA community, Active Aging Week has expanded in vision and in reach. The myriad of activities offered to older adults testifies to your understanding that wellness is found in walks and painting classes, strength training and lectures, dances and brain games. Coupled with the steadily increasing number of organizations that celebrate the week, more older adults each year experience the fun and value of becoming actively engaged in life.
moreSpecial events
National Blueprint report: strategies for integrating physical activity into wellness programming for older adults
“We envision a society in which all people age 50 and older enjoy health and quality of life, which is enhanced through regular physical activity,” notes the vision statement of the National Blueprint Initiative, a leading alliance that promotes physically active lifestyles for older Americans. Further, the Blueprint “will inspire an approach to aging that encourages physical activity in all aspects of people’s lives.” The initiative’s progress since this statement was written is a testament to its purpose and the enduring efforts of its partner organizations, as well as those who support active aging. At a recent meeting in Orlando, Florida, Blueprint partners discussed future strategies to advance the initiative and, for the first time, also considered opportunities for providing programming that addresses multiple dimensions of wellness. This development highlights how things have changed in health promotion for older adults in the eight years since the National Blueprint began. It also points to how the initiative is evolving in response.
morePublic policy
Making your marketing relevant by Colin Milner
Before you read past the first paragraph, take a moment to find a quiet, secluded area. Once you have found the right location, close the door, dim the lights, sit back in a chair and relax. Take a few minutes to adapt to your environment, then close your eyes tight. What do you hear? What do you see? If you are in the right environment, you will have answered, “Nothing.” This is how your potential clients experience your marketing messages if they are not relevant to them.
moreMarketing
Holiday Retirement's volunteer program enriches the lives of residents
Headquartered in Salem, Oregon, Holiday Retirement is a leading provider of independent-living retirement facilities in Canada and the United States—and a two-time winner of the ICAA Industry Innovator Award. Holiday supports enriching, stimulating lifestyles for the 35,000 older adults who live in its 300 communities, providing an array of amenities and activities for residents.
moreInnovator awards
Bringing the generations together through arts activities by Jenifer Milner
University students who write the life stories of retirement community residents. Young musicians who play in an orchestra with retired professionals. High school youth who partner with elders in art classes at a continuing care retirement community. And adults in their 20s who study digital photography in a group that crosses cultures and generations. These are examples of how participants of all ages can share in creative experiences that bridge the generations and foster enriching relationships.
moreSocial wellness
Cultivating a water exercise program using an evaluation approach, part one: core values, resources, needs and the environment by Mary E. Sanders, PhD, FACSM
During a recent visit to the University of Nevada, Reno, George L. Blackburn, MD, PhD, associate professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School, was asked: What is the best way to design a physical activity program for people who want to adopt an active lifestyle? That was not an easy question to answer, Blackburn indicated. The most important factor to consider, he said, was that the program must be gradually progressive and individualized to address the needs of participants.
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