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
Strong relationships: A prescription for healthy aging by Jeff Rossman, PhD
My father, who just turned 90, shared with me on more than one occasion that he has outlived all his lifelong friends. So, when my mother passed away a few years ago, we worried how Dad would fare. We feared the lack of companionship could affect his health and emotional well-being. When Dad told us several months later that he had begun seeing a lovely woman whom he met on the Internet, we were thrilled for him. One of their first dates was for dinner at a senior center to which she belongs. That evening she introduced him to members of the Choraliers, a group of about 50 men and women in their 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s who put on a theatrical production every eight weeks that includes singing, dancing and acting. This piqued Dad's curiosity .... and he decided to join the group. He is excited to attend the rehearsals and be part of a friendly, tight-knit group who share their love of music and provide support and camaraderie to one another. They share a bond that brings joy and a sense of belonging, and helps them age gracefully.
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Hospice on your bucket list: More insights and inspirations by Kimberly Baumgarten, RN, FCN, with Mary E. Sanders, PhD, CDE, ACSM-RCEP, FACSM
As a geriatric nurse, I see the last season of life as richly beautiful. My passion is to walk alongside others during their toughest times and to teach other professionals not only how to do this too, but also to walk in a way that is a healing balm for all involved. To show that healing can happen to the body, but even if that fails, healing can be brought to the spirits of our residents and their families. I invite you to walk with me as we discuss hospice and end-of-life crossroads. The stories that follow have inspired me. I hope they encourage you, along with your families and your residents or members, to undertake these important conversations.
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Is hospice on your bucket list? by Kimberly Baumgarten, RN, FCN, with Mary E. Sanders, PhD, CDE, ACSM-RCEP, FACSM
When the call came for me to fly home to Indiana, I knew things were critical. My father had contracted Legionnaires pneumonia. He was 77 years old, in poor health and on a ventilator in a hospital's intensive care unit. When I arrived, I instantly went into nursing mode, praying that logic might win over a daughter's fear. I sat down next to my father, watching the monitors--but I knew he was in trouble. From what I was seeing, this man was going to die. At best, he might stay alive a month or two while remaining on a ventilator. As I talked to the doctor about what I was seeing and thinking, he responded in the truest nature of an ICU physician, beginning with all that had been done for my father and what the next step was. I stopped him and asked, "Will this save my father's life or just prolong the inevitable?" The doctor hung his head and said, "Prolong" ... My father made the choice [to remove the ventilator] and we honored it by changing to hospice-based care. ... Trauma or peace? In facing end-of-life experiences, we all may plan the memory we want to leave and support others in planning their own.
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Dr. John Ratey offers a lucid look at brain health by Colin Milner
Who would have thought that mice running on a wheel for about 4 kilometers per night—roughly 2.5 miles—would awaken modern science to the connection between exercise and its effects on the brain? Yet, an experiment with these rodents did precisely that, according to author and Harvard Medical School professor John J. Ratey, MD.
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Why muscle mass matters by Ashley Bronston, MS, RDN, and Menghua Luo, MD, PhD
We know that aging causes changes in body composition; a decrease in muscle and an increase in fat tissue. This loss of muscle mass and strength is referred to as sarcopenia, the Greek term meaning “poverty of the flesh.” This article offers a review (or refresher) on muscle, body composition and the older adult for active-aging professionals. The older adults with whom these professionals work cover the functional spectrum--from frail individuals who need ongoing assistance, to athletes who challenge themselves to improve their performance. While their fitness levels and functional abilities will differ, clients or residents can all take steps to enhance muscle health. The question is: Why does muscle matter?
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Dr. Linda Fried illuminates aging research by Marilynn Larkin, MA
"We’ve added 30 years to human life expectancy [over the past century], in part through intentional human investment, including through science," says geriatrician and epidemiologist Linda P. Fried, MD, MPH, dean of the Mailman School of Public Health at New York’s Columbia University. "We’ve also demonstrated that many of our expectations about those 30 years, such as ‘They’ll be a disaster,’ don’t have to be true." ... Fried states, "The purpose of research and science is to have a formal process to pose the big questions that could lead to a better future--questions that matter, but to which we don’t know the answers."
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