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.
Tips for age-friendly sales by Sharon Sultan Cutler
People ages 50 and older buy products and services for many reasons. They may want to make or save money, look better, save time, learn something new, live longer with good health and stamina, be comfortable, gain pleasure, and, finally, be loved and popular. They buy for their interests, their needs, and often their dream goals. And they seek desirable experiences, self-fulfillment and personal well-being.
moreSales
Wrinkles and all: a bold campaign challenges stereotypes of beauty
Will society ever accept old can be beautiful? So asks the Campaign for Real Beauty, a worldwide initiative that’s provoking discussion and encouraging debate about the nature of beauty. Launched in fall 2004 by Dove, a personal-care brand manufactured by Unilever, the campaign asks women to give serious thought to issues surrounding this quality. Examples include society’s definition of beauty, the quest for perfection, the difference between beauty and physical attractiveness, and the way the media shapes perceptions of beauty.
moreTrends
Valuing the spirit in clients with dementia by Donald R. Koeple, Mdiv
When contemplating how fitness and wellness professionals might encourage mental and cognitive health in older adults, it is important to explore the effects of dementia on these efforts. For, on its surface, dementia seems to remove the very characteristics of the person being encouraged and developed.
Instead of being able to judge what is best for the self, people with dementia lose the capacity to consider consequences of actions, because they often have little regard for the past or future. Many of these individuals have difficulty remembering the way to the bathroom, much less remembering more complex tasks. They truly live in the moment.
Emotional wellness
Listening to the body, part 1: cardio training & stretching by Mary E. Sanders, PhD
Fitness and wellness instructors often suggest that clients listen to their bodies. This approach helps individuals focus on how they feel during exercise and encourages them to adjust intensity as needed to target their personal goals. However, although frequent exercisers probably recognize feelings of exertion during training, many participants who are older, recovering from an injury or new to exercise may not know how they should feel as activity levels increase. As a result, they could underestimate or overestimate intensity, leading to few health gains (undertraining) and/or low adherence due to discomfort or injury.
moreExercise
Preventing Alzheimer's: lifestyle strategies for keeping the brain healthy
Mr. Smith, a 75 year-old retired doctor, has been living with Alzheimer’s disease for more than 4 years. His days include reading, attending seminars, volunteering in the community and spending time with his grandchildren. Recently, he returned from a 2-week trip to Italy with his wife. Mr. Smith is not this man’s real name, but he is a patient of mine.
A highly educated and intelligent individual, Mr. Smith typically reads several books each week. About 4 years ago, he found it difficult to retain the information he read and visited a family doctor, who dismissed his condition as normal aging. After meeting with my future patient, I diagnosed him with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease.
Cognitive health
Mather's - More Than a Cafe: providing venues for engagement by Carla E. Windhorst, MBA, BA, and Linda Hollinger-Smith, PhD, RN
Many people prefer to continue living at home as they age and find they can benefit from strong ties to their communities. In order to age well, these older adults must have access to resources and programs that enrich their lives. Mather LifeWays, an Illinois-based senior services organization, has created a chain of venues in the metro Chicago area to help adults remain engaged and connected within their communities.
more
