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.
From wellness to transformation: next steps for active-aging leaders by Marilynn Larkin, MA
"While we can all celebrate the advance of wellness programs in our industry, creating programs for our constituencies isn’t enough," states Colin Milner, CEO of the International Council on Active Aging. "For those wellness programs to have greater meaning and authenticity, the people delivering them also must be committed to their own growth and to overcoming self-limiting stereotypes. If we truly want to help our clients and customers transform their lives, we must be actively transforming our own."
moreLeadership
Training the brain to change the way we age, part 2: building mental muscle by Lawrence Biscontini, MA
Neuroplasticity training, also called brain training, sets out to provoke the brain's rewiring response to stimuli. Before undertaking any suggested starting points for this training, however, everyone should understand that we can approach training the brain as if it were a muscle. This article installment provides brain games and tips on how to add neuroplasticity training into daily life.
moreCognitive health
Trends in the physical environments for active living
In this special section of the Journal on Active Aging, discover award-winning designs in three focus areas for community remodeling and construction: dining spaces, outdoor spaces, and spaces that support functional ability.
moreCommunity design
RidgePointe's Nature Club and Phenology Trail highlight an engaging environment
Minnesota beckons people outdoors with its natural resources-from parks, trails, forests and prairies, to mountains, lakes, rivers and beaches. Through nature-based activities and an on-site phenology trail, Minnetonka's RidgePointe Senior Apartments encourages residents to interact with the natural world in healthy, meaningful ways.
moreEnvironmental wellness
Arts colonies offer a creative, whole-person wellness alternative for independent living by Marilynn Larkin, MA
The benefits gained by involvement in the arts, particularly for older adults, cannot be underestimated. The late Gene Cohen, MD, PhD, a pioneering geriatric psychiatrist, and colleagues demonstrated the impact of cultural programs participation on the physical, mental and social health and functioning of older adults in a landmark study initiated in 2001. Inspired in part by Cohen’s research, California-based visionaries Tim Carpenter and John Huskey have created a model of senior housing focused on arts amenities and programs.
moreConstruction
Inside the buildings: Research highlights wellness opportunities by Patricia Ryan, MS
The buildings are in place, the grass is cut, and a person at the front door greets arrivals. The structures provide the settings, but what will an older adult find when she or he walks through the front door? ... To answer this question, the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) gathered information from its members and associated network through two recent surveys.
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