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.
Strengthen the immune system naturally: More lifestyle strategies to counter chronic inflammation by Shirley Archer, JD, MA
If someone suggested that making very simple adjustments to one's daily routine would result in more energy, better sleep and potentially fewer aches and pains, with no adverse side effects and yet a host of beneficial side effects, would that persuade you or the people you work with to adopt them? In part one of my Journal on Active Aging (JAA) article on countering chronic inflammation for healthier aging, I described how lifestyle choices, environmental factors and genetics affect conditions related to inflammation. Since our genetics and many environmental factors--such as exposure to pollutants or environmental contaminants--are beyond our control, what we can influence are our lifestyle choices. The first article provided an overview of inflammation and focused on nutritional strategies to lower inflammation. Growing evidence is shining light on additional lifestyle factors and their relationship with the immune system. This second article offers a sampling of areas in which older adults can make simple lifestyle changes to support a healthy immune system, improve quality of life and enhance healthy aging.
moreGerontology
Targeting elder abuse by Alice Steinfeld, MEd, MA, LPC
With the age 60+ population predicted to nearly double worldwide by 2050, the potential for mistreatment of older adults will increase exponentially along with their need for care and support. That's because individuals may become a target of abuse and exploitation as they grow more dependent due to frayed community connections, inadequate social support for families, and ageism that sees older people as less than equal. Whether care comes from family members, professionals or self-care, laws are needed to protect older adults from possible abuse or neglect and ensure they are treated fairly. Often, elder abuse goes unreported because the individual depends greatly on the abuser, or a lack of clarity exists concerning what constitutes such abuse. In fact, elder abuse is a serious and growing challenge. Like other types of domestic violence, elder abuse is complicated. Contributors include a mixture of psychological, social and economic factors, along with the mental and physical conditions of both survivor and abuser. As professionals dedicated to quality of life for older adults, we all have a responsibility to participate in attempts to stop elder abuse, despite the inherent difficulties. So, how do we prevent or end something so complex?
moreGerontology
Prevent, treat, survive: Eating well through the continuum of cancer by Lori S. Kiker, MS, RDN, LD, CSO
Research reflects progress in the fight against cancer over the past decades. In the United States, overall age-adjusted death rates declined 27% between 1991 and 2016, largely due to fewer people smoking and improved early detection and treatment, says a recent American Cancer Society report. Most new cancer diagnoses occur in adults 50 and over; specifically, 80% of new diagnoses in the US and about 90% in Canada are in the 50+ age group. As a result, cancer cases will continue to rise in line with a growing older population. By staying physically active and maintaining good nutrition, adults diagnosed with cancer in later life may better tolerate cancer treatments and get the most from their therapies. Individuals often have questions about nutrition throughout the disease journey and may come to you-as an active-aging professional-for help. This article provides the answers to many common questions people have asked me as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist specializing in oncology. It also tackles some widespread myths about nutrition and cancer.
moreHealth conditions
Deconstructing 'old': Implications for society and the active-aging industry by Marilynn Larkin, MA
It's no secret that people today are living longer, healthier lives than in any previous generation. From a longevity standpoint, the world was home to nearly half a million centenarians in 2015, more than four times as many as in 1990. Projections suggest there will be 3.7 million centenarians across the globe in 2050. The number of people 80 years and older is projected to increase steadily as well, tripling from 143 million in 2019 to 426 million in 2050. From a health and wellness standpoint-and more to the point for the active-aging industry-that longevity is accompanied by changing expectations not only of what it means to grow older, but what needs and aspirations will change along with these demographics, notes International Council on Active Aging founder/CEO Colin Milner. "We're at a crossroads in the field of aging where our perceptions and reality are finally catching up to what science shows-namely, that we are much more capable than was previously thought," Milner states. We have a new normal, a first step towards deconstructing a concept of aging built on stereotypes of dependency and decline. What it means for the active-aging industry is change."
moreIndustry development
Digital health privacy in active-aging settings: Will the law let you age well? by Tara Sklar, JD, MPH; Richard Carmona, MD, MPH, FACS; Kathie Insel, PhD, RN; and Christopher Robertson, JD, PhD
What is privacy and how are our interpretations of it changing with advances in technology? This question, and concerns around potentially violating a person's right to privacy, have been emerging across industries around the world. Senior living providers have increased their exposure to privacy risks with the shift to implementing sensors throughout their communities. Typically located in digital health devices that can be worn on the body or placed in the environment, these sensors are capable of collecting and tracking data relevant to a person's health and well-being on a continuous monitoring basis. There are privacy laws and a growing public awareness that this type of 24/7 surveillance-and the unprecedented detailed level of data it generates-should be accompanied by measures that support personal data protection. It is important to note that these privacy risks also apply outside the housing context. This article describes the current legal landscape around digital health privacy and proposes possible solutions for organizations to be forward-looking with the evolving laws and consent practices
moreManagement
Shining examples: ICAA and NuStep name 25 "Best in Wellness"
Twenty-five communities have been recognized with the 2019 ICAA NuStep Beacon Award honoring their "Best in Wellness" achievements. The Beacon Award was created as a joint venture between the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) and NuStep, LLC, a longtime partner of ICAA and a manufacturer of recumbent cross-trainers used in healthcare, senior living and fitness settings. Launched in 2019, the ICAA NuStep Beacon Award program is awarded to communities that successfully foster a wellness culture and an environment that supports wellness for all who live and work there. Among the Beacon Award winners, the top five communities have also received the ICAA NuStep Pinnacle Award for their particularly exceptional contributions. "It is a pleasure to honor the top 25 wellness communities," says Jane Benskey, marketing communications specialist at NuStep, LLC. "Their recognition of the value and importance of creating cultures where wellness is not a program in a room, but rather a way of life, is having a lasting and positive impact on many lives."
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