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.
Functional screening: no two zebras look alike! by Elizabeth Leeds, DPT
A colleague once told me, “When you hear horses coming, think zebras!” This phrase is an excellent way to remember to question our assumptions before planning an exercise program. As therapists or personal trainers, we may see a client who is older and assume the person is unfit, only to find out that she or he is an avid exerciser who could be categorized as "athlete." That’s a perfect example of why it pays to hold off from making instant assumptions about a person’s capabilities.
With each client that you see, an initial consultation is needed to understand the client’s goals, lifestyle and abilities. There are multiple subjective, anatomical, postural and cardiovascular assessments available to therapists and trainers. These are valuable tools for determining the exercises and intensity levels appropriate for each individual. In addition, finding out more about a person’s lifestyle habits and activities can be just as important.
Functional training
Functional screening: no two zebras look alike! by Elizabeth Leeds, DPT
A colleague once told me, “When you hear horses coming, think zebras!” This phrase is an excellent way to remember to question our assumptions before planning an exercise program. As therapists or personal trainers, we may see a client who is older and assume the person is unfit, only to find out that she or he is an avid exerciser who could be categorized as "athlete." That’s a perfect example of why it pays to hold off from making instant assumptions about a person’s capabilities.
With each client that you see, an initial consultation is needed to understand the client’s goals, lifestyle and abilities. There are multiple subjective, anatomical, postural and cardiovascular assessments available to therapists and trainers. These are valuable tools for determining the exercises and intensity levels appropriate for each individual. In addition, finding out more about a person’s lifestyle habits and activities can be just as important.
Assessment
Creative arts and aging: improvisation by Roxy Kline
Everyone is aging. Agreed? But how we age is determined, in part, by what we do with our years. George Bernard Shaw said, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.” Whatever age, mental or physical ability, older adults can participate in the arts. Improvisation is just one of many creative arts tools that can be used to provide opportunities for social interaction in a playful and fun atmosphere.
When most people think of improvisation, they think of stand-up comedians with clever, quick-witted responses and one-liners. Although a common side effect of improvisation is laughter, being clever or funny is not a necessary skill. Stop thinking about improvisation as “acting.” Instead, look at the root word “improvise” (defined as “to invent, compose, or perform with little or no preparation”).
Social wellness
Creative arts and aging: improvisation by Roxy Kline
Everyone is aging. Agreed? But how we age is determined, in part, by what we do with our years. George Bernard Shaw said, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.” Whatever age, mental or physical ability, older adults can participate in the arts. Improvisation is just one of many creative arts tools that can be used to provide opportunities for social interaction in a playful and fun atmosphere.
When most people think of improvisation, they think of stand-up comedians with clever, quick-witted responses and one-liners. Although a common side effect of improvisation is laughter, being clever or funny is not a necessary skill. Stop thinking about improvisation as “acting.” Instead, look at the root word “improvise” (defined as “to invent, compose, or perform with little or no preparation”).
Program design
Anchor Active Aging Week with a theme
There are many ingredients to producing a great health promotion event. One powerful ingredient is a theme. Why do major health promotion events, such as Active Aging Week, World Health Day and Older Americans Month, have a theme?
Themes become the valuable anchor for both the content of an event, and the promotion. You use the theme to get people excited, choose activities, inspire volunteers and colleagues and even help with decorations.
ICAA initiatives
Sedentary behavior: the new physical activity frontier? by Paul Gardiner, PhD
It’s a given that participation in moderate-to vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) can minimize some of the physiologic changes associated with aging, and alter the progression and development of chronic disease and disabling conditions. Current guidelines for older adults recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week. But is that enough for good health?
Recent evidence underlines the importance of also focusing on sedentary behaviors—the high amount of time that people spend sitting during their “non-exercising” waking hours (1, 2).
