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.
Family estrangements in later life: Understand impacts and support well-being by Karl Pillemer, PhD
Professionals who work with older people often need to understand available sources of family support. They may try to identify a "responsible relative" in the event that assistance is required. In developing a rehabilitation plan after a hospitalization, specialists wish to ascertain who might help an individual get to appointments or follow a therapeutic routine. When they learn a client has, say, two daughters who live nearby, they may feel reassured the person's support needs will be met. But in discussing these issues with the client, they sometimes encounter a strange reticence. The client may not wish to discuss her children in detail and appears uncomfortable when asked in depth about them. Or he may say something like, "Oh, we don't talk to them very much," or "Well, we've had a few problems there." The conversation stops, leaving the impression those offspring will nevertheless be available if needed. A hidden and often devasting situation can invalidate this assumption, however: The older person may be estranged from children or other relatives.
moreLeadership
Senior Theatre adapts to the pandemic: COVID-19 teaches older actors new tricks by Bonnie L. Vorenberg, BA, MS
We never thought we'd turn to online meeting software to do theatre! Perform, but not in person? No way. Then, COVID-19 changed everything. It made us pivot to new techniques and make adaptations so we could do what we've always done: use theatre to connect, inform and entertain. The most surprising discovery was that senior theatre online produces the same benefits as senior theatre in person. Theatre touches every part of us as humans, stimulating our physical, mental, psychological, cultural and emotional selves. But the social outcome of performing is the strongest. .... Against a backdrop of social restrictions and loneliness, drama groups help actors and audiences connect and performers do what they do best - entertain! It's a piece of reality that feels oh-so-good right now. Below, we share with you our story, complete with the challenging learning curve. ... Use our experiences to help you get online quickly and easily.
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Function: A multidimensional view by Nicola Finley, MD
What is function and how does it apply to healthy aging? We can view function in a multidimensional way similar to how we view wellness and the process of aging. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes function as the new criteria in a framework for healthy aging. The framework encompasses not only cognitive but also physical and social function, as well as how these factors are interrelated. One significant aspect of this healthy aging model is shifting away from the presence or absence of disease. Rather, this view focuses on a person's function and what the person values. This approach results in a more personalized view of healthy aging since aging is not homogenous--the process of aging will look different from one person to another. ... Professionals in the active-aging industry know that function is important to independence and quality of life for older adults. What do different dimensions of function encompass, however, and what does a multidimensional view mean? Let's explore these dimensions
moreGerontology
Aging in the time of COVID-19, part two: An ICAA interview with Age Wave's Ken Dychtwald by Colin Milner
In the 1980s, psychologist and gerontologist Ken Dychtwald, PhD, predicted a "demographic revolution" in the making. Demographic and cultural forces would converge, he believed, in an "absolutely predictable arrival, in our society and in our time," of an unprecedented demographic shift to an aging population. For this phenomenon, he coined the term age wave. And he signaled the need for society to prepare in his 1989 book Age Wave: The Challenges and Opportunities of an Aging America. Today, the renowned researcher, consultant and best-selling author of 17 books is considered one of North America's most original thinkers on the social, economic, healthcare, marketing and workforce implications of the age wave. As CEO of the International Council on Active Aging, I have long viewed Dr. Dychtwald as an early visionary whose work helped to lay the foundation for the active-aging industry and continues to this day to build it. Below is part two of an interview I conducted with Dychtwald earlier this year, in which he delves into topics ranging from challenges with healthcare, wellness and Alzheimer's, to COVID's senior living impact, to longevity, retirement and the "third age." He also ponders the question of legacy. Let's jump in.
moreIndustry development
Brain-health literacy: A strategy to inspire brain-healthy lifestyles by Jeffrey Rossman, PhD, and Cornelia Lenherr, MD
As our population ages, the incidence of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia steadily increases. MCI, characterized by minor but measurable declines in cognitive abilities, increases a person's risk for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other forms of dementia. Progressing to a dementia diagnosis is not inevitable, however. ... It is now generally acknowledged that the roots of neurodegeneration--that is, deterioration in the brain's nerve function and structure--begin at least 20-30 years before dementia symptoms are noticeable. By the time a diagnosis is made, reversal of the disease process in Alzheimer's and other dementias is currently considered unattainable. While no cure exists for these conditions, intervention can reduce symptoms. Further, for those with mild or subjective cognitive impairment (SCI), intervention may profoundly affect the progression of brain degeneration and symptoms of cognitive impairment. ... Recent research has explored the influence on brain health of modifying specific lifestyle factors and reducing cardiovascular disease risks. ... Through a brain-healthy literacy model, participants learn which lifestyle practices support brain health, why they exert a beneficial impact, and how to enjoyably and sustainably engage in those practices.
moreCardiovascular health
Crusading against ageism in America's presidential elections by Beth Witrogen, BA, MJ
Dr. S. Jay Olshansky is on a mission: He wants to eviscerate ageism in the US presidential elections. A professor of Public Health at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Olshansky specializes in the upper limits to human longevity and biodemography, a scientific field he created with Dr. Bruce Carnes in 1992. He is unabashedly vocal about the way age has been "weaponized" in this election cycle. And, he urges, it must stop, "because science shows conclusively that chronological age is not relevant for either candidate...." As corresponding author of "Projected lifespan and healthspan of Joe Biden and Donald Trump before the 2020 election" (a special feature to the Journal on Active Aging available online), Olshansky directed a team of scientists and physicians to determine if Biden and Trump could survive the next four-year term. The team used independent biodemographic assessments of the two candidates' personal attributes--inherited and acquired risk factors for health and longevity--and public medical data that was evaluated independently by three physicians with expertise in human aging. The Journal on Active Aging spoke with Dr. Olshansky about his new research, why both candidates may be "super agers" and his message for those who would politicize aging.
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