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- Gerontology
Enhancing health, wellness and community for older LGBT adults by Marilynn Larkin, MA
About 2.4 million adults 65 and older currently identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) in the United States, and that population is expected to grow significantly in coming years, along with the entire older-adult population. Other nations will likewise see increased numbers of older LGBT adults as the Boomers age. While these individuals face the same issues as many others who are aging--social isolation, loneliness, housing affordability, and ageism--research shows they have additional concerns that can take a toll on health and wellness. Organizations dedicated to older-adult quality of life can support the vulnerable--and growing--LGBT aging population with inviting programs, supportive services and staff, and welcoming, safe places to live. Two recent initiatives that combine affordable housing with socialization and accessible services will help provide solutions.
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A master class on the 85+ population by Colin Milner
What do we really know about people who are 85 years of age and older? Statistically, we know that the "oldest-old" are the fastest-growing segment of the older population worldwide, and that this demographic is now 52 times larger in the United States than it was in 1900: 6.4 million in 2016 versus approximately 122,000 in 1900. The United States Census Bureau also predicts that this demographic cohort will more than double, to 14.6 million, in 2040. While the numbers can inform us, they can't help us understand the human side of the oldest-old. This lack of knowledge can hamper efforts to develop and market products and services that appeal to adults 85 and older. I asked John Leland, an award-winning journalist with the New York Times and author of Happiness Is a Choice You Make: Lessons from a Year Among the Oldest Old, to sit down with me and share wisdom from his book with Journal on Active Aging readers.
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Prevention in active aging by Mark Liponis, MD
All too often, people feel they don't need to keep up with prevention after they reach a certain age, or once they've attained their "golden years." I've heard from many of my patients, "I don't need a colonoscopy any more," or "I made it to 75, so why do I need to watch my diet now?" There are some prevailing feelings that we might as well do what we do and let nature take its course once we've arrived at "retirement" age, or that "prevention" is something we do when we're younger to reach those later years. ... Of course, as active-aging professionals know, it's not just about the quantity of life, but also the quality. Who wants to spend their final 10 years unable to enjoy life, or being highly dependent on others? The best way that aging adults can assure a better quality of life is by taking an active role in prevention.
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Cognitive loss in later life: The challenge for family and community by Stephen C. Brewer, MD, ABFM
As we get older, the risk of developing diseases increases and our ability to effectively deal with those diseases goes down. All debilitating chronic illnesses are difficult to endure, but nonreversible dementias--such as Alzheimer's disease--are some of the hardest. As a family physician, I have followed many patients as they have gracefully aged through the years, and I have helped them deal with the slow changes that can occur in the body and the mind. One of the more difficult changes is a decline in mental function. If a person's memory declines, it becomes more than an issue with the patient--it becomes a family issue. Helping a family manage an individual who may have a chronic debilitating or potentially fatal disease can be challenging, but it is essential in order to provide the best care and quality of life for that person.
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Aging with grace: Jane Friedman models a wonderful way to live by Maestro David Dworkin, MA
I am honored and humbled to have served as an ICAA Master Champion since 2011. Through my national and international travels presenting the Conductorcise program, I champion ICAA's mission of "Changing The Way We Age." I have had the opportunity to meet elders across the ranges of age and health status--all amazing human beings in their own unique ways. And as I converse with those in their 80s, 90s, and 100 and beyond, I find they have many commonalities that make them all champions in successful aging. In December 2017 I viewed a YouTube video featuring Jane Friedman, a resident of R.H. Myers Apartments at Menorah Park, Beachwood, Ohio, whose attitude inspired me. In the video Jane sings a Hilarious Song about Getting Old. I felt compelled to reach out.
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Sleep power: Everyone needs their "zzzs" to function at their best
There's no question that getting a good night's sleep regularly is good for you, your staff and your constituents. "Sleep is a necessity, not a luxury," said M. Safwan Badr, MD, a past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), at the 2014 launch of "Sleep Well, Be Well," a campaign of the National Healthy Sleep Awareness Project. Yet many people--more than half in a recent AARP/University of Michigan national poll--believe that poor sleep is a normal part of aging, and as a result, they don't seek information on how to improve sleep. But experts agree that many sleep problems--even chronic ones--can be helped by nondrug strategies and behavior changes.
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