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- Motivation
Movement is Medicine: increasing awareness of the healthy aging prescription by Holly Botsford
The health benefits of exercise have been heavily researched, prominently and widely documented, and broadly disseminated. Of all the benefits, however, one key advantage is a clear fit for older adults: Age-related changes can be reversed or slowed through exercise.
The research is conclusive. In a study led by Lynn F. Cherkas, PhD, of King’s College London, telomeres (aging indicators that shorten with aging) were investigated in 2,401 pairs of healthy twins. The research revealed that physical activity correlated with increased telomere length, which equals increased longevity.
Motivation
Move! Surefire ways to motivate and inspire older adults to be active by Marilynn Larkin, MA
Recent research confirms that Americans spend the majority of their time (55% or close to 8 hours a day overall) in behaviors that require little energy expenditure. Investigators used activity monitors to measure how many hours in a waking day adults and children engaged in behaviors associated with sitting, reclining and lying down. Not surprisingly, the most sedentary groups were older adolescents and adults over age 60, who spent about 60% of their waking time in sedentary pursuits. Moreover, although women were less active than men before age 30, men became less active than women after age 60. The increase in low-energy activity logged by older adults, especially males, may relate to their having more leisure time after retirement and/or developing health conditions, according to the researchers.
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What do active older adults want? by Lisa Ackerman
A few years ago I made the transition from teaching general population group-exercise classes to teaching active older adults. This was an interesting challenge for me. I’d always loved spending time with older people–it was a treat to hear stories of their seasoned lives–but I wasn’t sure how to approach an exercise class with them. Thus, I looked to the standard educational books and fitness conference trainings for some background in this area. This information was certainly helpful in terms of understanding the aging physical body, but it occurred to me that most of the experts were like me: active but not yet “older” adults themselves.
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Motivating older adults to exercise: it can be done! by Barbara Resnick, PhD, CRNP
Motivation is an important factor in the older adult’s ability and willingness to participate in functional activities and engage in regular exercise. Motivation is the inner urge that moves or prompts a person to ac¬tion. At a practical level, motivation refers to the need, drive or desire to act in a certain way to achieve a certain end.
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Motivational challenges: practical tools for increasing participation by Annie Wagner Shaffer
Creating a friendly, encouraging environment is crucial to ensuring a successful wellness program. “Motivational challenges” are practical tools that entice clients to exercise regularly and engage in other wellness activities.
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Healthy employees=healthy care: collaborating to create a well community by Brenda Loube, MS, and Kelly McLean, MPA, BS
A frequent quote in the caregiving industry is, “To be a loving caregiver is perhaps the highest form of giving—but you must remember to first give care to yourself.” Caregivers are notorious for putting the health needs of those they care for above their own. Stressed, tired, and coping with a myriad of health issues, they put everything they have into making someone else’s life better, with little regard for their own health. Similar to parents on airplane flights, who are instructed to put on their own oxygen masks in an emergency before placing masks on their children, caregivers at older-adult residential communities must be directed to take care of themselves, so they can effectively help others. All the energy they invest in themselves will benefit everyone around them who needs their time and assistance. Conversely, neglecting their health will lead to the inability to provide adequate care for others.
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