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- Innovator awards
Inverness Village Wellness Center: creating a path to wellness for all
The Inverness Village life care community prides itself on providing an environment in which residents can embrace life and enjoy it fully. Located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the not-for-profit community opened in 2003 to offer local adults ages 55-plus a new option—a senior living environment that supports active aging and incorporates the wellness model throughout the continuum of care.
To encourage active lifestyles for residents, the 190-acre Inverness Village campus includes walking and wheelchair paths, nature preserves, gardens, ponds, and outdoor recreation amenities. In addition, the Inverness Village Wellness Center offers an array of programs and amenities to promote resident health and well-being. “We provide programming for all levels of fitness, so residents can move in and out of all phases as their needs change,” notes Wellness Director Jana Headrick.
Innovator awards
Travel by Leisure Care: enriching lives through the fun of adventure
Active aging is about people having the vitality to engage with the world and enjoy life fully in their later years. Travel offers a desirable outlet for doing both.
Research shows that the majority of Baby Boomers and older adults want to travel in retirement. The 2005 Del Webb Baby Boomer Survey, from developer Pulte Homes, finds that nearly two-thirds of adults ages 41–59 name this life-enriching activity as the thing they most want to do in retirement. Travel also tops the list of retirement activities for more than half of those ages 60–69.
Innovator awards
Advance to Wellness: supporting healthier lifestyles in older adults
California-based Secure Horizons, which has more than 20 years experience in providing health plan options to Medicare beneficiaries, recently introduced a program to promote vital living among its members. Acquired in 2006 by United HealthCare, one of the largest healthcare companies in the United States, Secure Horizons is now part of the health management organization SecureHorizons by UnitedHealthcare, and continues to focus on Medicare customers. This new enterprise unveiled the Advance to Wellness (ATW) program in early 2006 to help its members develop healthier habits and incorporate prevention strategies into their lives.
moreInnovator awards
The Life Fitness Circuit Series: promoting strength training for all ages and abilities
What is North America’s most inventive new fitness equipment for active older adults? The International Council on Active Aging® (ICAA) set out to discover just that for its fourth annual Industry Innovators Awards. In the end, the Circuit Series strength line from Life Fitness won the award panel’s vote for the 2006 ICAA Industry Equipment Innovator. This line of equipment helps people of all ages and functional levels increase their muscle size and strength, supporting healthy living for everyone.
moreInnovator awards
Healthy Strides: making a difference every day
After Andrew Kohlberg bought his company’s first retirement community in 1990, the founder and president of Kisco Senior Living (originally Kisco Retirement Communities) asked himself 2 things:
• “If my parents were to live in a retirement community, what would I want it to be like?” and
• “How would I want them to be treated?”
These questions—and the ideas they stimulated—became the driving force behind Kisco’s senior living philosophy. This belief system, in turn, has guided the company’s growth and development over the years.
Innovator awards
The SilverSneakers Fitness Program: empowering older adults to take control of their health
Physical activity programs for older adults come no larger than the SilverSneakers® Fitness Program from Axia Health Management. This program for Americans ages 65 and over is offered to more than 2.4 million Medicare-eligible members in 49 states through a network of over 2,100 fitness centers and class sites. Originated by HealthCare Dimensions’ Mary Swanson, the SilverSneakers model addresses inactivity in this population by involving health plans in the challenge, and by supporting, encouraging and empowering its members to make positive lifestyle changes.
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