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.
Use the stairs for physical activity by Kathie C. Garbe, PhD, MCHES
Participation in physical activity has the potential to positively change the way we live and age. An abundance of research shows that regular physical activity has been associated with a decreased risk of death and disability from a number of prevalent diseases such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease, stroke and osteoporosis (1, 2, 3). Regular physical activity helps maintain balance and prevent falls and fall-related injuries, prevent cognitive decline, manage chronic disease and pain and improve mental outlook, especially in depression (4, 5).
In addition, physical activity maintains and improves quality of life by reducing disease and preserving independence (6, 7). Also, we know that increasing physical activity may prove the most effective strategy for the prevention of heart disease, the leading cause of death for both men and women (8, 9).
Exercise
Partnership creates a multidimensional week of opera by Rene Katsinas with Paul Houghtaling
When the director of the Opera Theatre at the University of Alabama (UA) called to inquire whether the residents of Capstone Village would be interested in participating in National Opera Week with their students, I was delighted to say “Yes!”
As with any performance, let’s start with the players.
During National Opera Week, opera companies and schools host free, accessible events to their communities with the goal of introducing new people to opera and maintaining the interest of opera lovers. The week is sponsored by OPERA America, the national service organization for opera, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Program profiles
Merge function with fun using Life Skills Relays by Kim Eichinger
For older adults moving into a retirement community, many of the physical tasks they used to perform are no longer a part of their daily routines. If these individuals do not wish to participate in other forms of exercise, they may become sedentary and at greater risk for compromised mobility.
When challenged by the fact that some older adults do not come from a culture where recreational exercise (or going to a gym) is a part of their lifestyles, staff in the fitness department at Country Meadows retirement communities realized we had to find a less traditional way to engage them in movement.
Exercise
Expand your program utilizing Animal-Assisted Interventions by Paula Frakes, MA
The practice of partnering with animals to assist people with various social, emotional and physical needs has been called many names over the years: pet therapy, pet-facilitated therapy, pet-assisted therapy, animal-assisted therapy and animal-assisted activities—just to name a few. As in many professions, an evolution of terminology has occurred as the years have progressed. In the 21st century, when referring to therapies or activities that incorporate the use of animals, many professionals now prefer to use the term Animal-Assisted Interventions (AAI).
The process of integrating an AAI option in your programming is not to be taken lightly. It requires research, planning and thoughtful consideration before bringing the animals into your setting. When it is done right, it is a wonderful experience for older adults, staff and the AAI volunteers and animals asked to participate in your programs.
Program design
Designing wellness facilities and living environments by Donna Jackel
Choice is the buzzword in today’s housing market for older adults. The challenge, say experts, is how to meet the needs of current clients while building in flexibility for future residents.
The average age that people move into independent living communities is trending upward, rising from 80 to 84 over the past decade,1 according to Edie Smith, senior vice president and research director at Oxford, Mississippi-based ProMatura Group, a full-service market research and advisory firm specializing in age 50-plus consumers. Meanwhile, the needs and desires of the 78 million or so Baby Boomers in the United States are influencing everything from building design to dining services.
Community design
Design strategies support active lifestyles among people living with dementia by Margaret Calkins, PhD, CAPS, EDAC
There is clear and convincing evidence of the benefits of physical exercise on the cognitive performance of older adults, both those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or a related dementia and those without symptoms of dementia.1–10 You likely agree with the value of continued physical activity, and thus this article will explore how physical and social environments can be designed to encourage people living with all levels of dementia (from very early to later stages) to continue to be physically active.
An encouraging environment includes spaces designed to support specific physical activities, such as gyms, exercise rooms and pools and spaces, as well as adjacencies and amenities that support less structured physical activity. Our focus will be on designing spaces for less structured activity.
