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- Wellness
"Best in Wellness" communities and CEOs named for 2023
Two industry leaders dedicated to advancing holistic wellness in senior living and other active-aging settings recently revealed the 2023 recipients of their "Best in Wellness" Awards.
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Revolutionize experiences and outcomes with person-centered wellness by Colin Milner
No longer just a personal aspiration, living better longer has become a transformative force in the active-aging industry. This new era in thinking drives the priority given to wellness. Consider that in 2022's ICAA State of the Wellness Industry survey, four in five respondents (81%) considered wellness a top priority for their organizations. To optimize support for older adults' health and wellness, a highly person-centered approach is desirable. Why? One word: diversity. A highly person-centered approach finds meaningful new ways to connect with the needs and interests of residents, members and staff.
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Closing the wellness gaps by Colin Milner
Research shows overwhelming commitment to wellness as a priority across the active-aging industry. But a lack of clarity about wellness itself may present a barrier to effective implementation.
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Thriving at PSL: A resident-led special event celebrates wellness
Summer 2020 challenged providers of senior living, care and aging services with pandemic concerns. While the health and safety of residents and staff were consuming issues, so too were questions of how to support their overall wellness. At Presbyterian Senior Living (PSL) in Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, plans for an in-house wellness initiative moved ahead, with resident focus groups providing input as the not-for-profit developed its wellness culture. Fostering this culture is Thrive Wellness, PSL's "resident-driven approach to wellness." Launched early in 2021, Thrive Wellness "promotes a culture of wellness, engagement and purposeful living to empower all individuals to live their best lives," according to the PSL website. Key to this approach is collaboration between residents and team members and between the organization's communities. The Thrive Wellness Steering Group demonstrates that collaborative spirit, with independent-living residents, team members and community leadership all involved. In keeping with the resident-driven philosophy and the collaborative, holistic framework of Thrive Wellness, the steering group came up with an idea for a special event inspired by Active Aging Week, the annual ICAA-led campaign to promote active, engaged living, presented by Humana. The PSL initiative would have its own twists, however.
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Living well, pandemic style: How a Dallas community adapts to a new norm by Deana Lisenby, BS
Most of us probably remember the exact moment we realized life would no longer look the same. At Presbyterian Village North (PVN), the announcement came on Friday, March 13, 2020. We had just competed in a 48-hour "March Madness" CyberCycle challenge, and our community was still celebrating placing third overall as well as having three residents in the top 20 riders worldwide. At that moment, it seemed as though 2020 was shaping up to be an exciting year for our wellness program. None of us anticipated the chaos waiting to boil over into our daily lives. Fast forward to 2021, we're still navigating our way through a global pandemic. A "new normal" has become precedent: face masks, social distancing, and persistent handwashing and sanitation. Guidelines and compliance regulations change daily. As turbulence continues to reign during the COVID crisis, traditional resident programming has taken an unprecedented hiatus. Instead of focusing on what cannot be done, however, our wellness and life enrichment teams have embraced thinking outside of the box. The result is an innovative twist on the traditional lifestyle residents know and love.
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Function: A multidimensional view by Nicola Finley, MD
What is function and how does it apply to healthy aging? We can view function in a multidimensional way similar to how we view wellness and the process of aging. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes function as the new criteria in a framework for healthy aging. The framework encompasses not only cognitive but also physical and social function, as well as how these factors are interrelated. One significant aspect of this healthy aging model is shifting away from the presence or absence of disease. Rather, this view focuses on a person's function and what the person values. This approach results in a more personalized view of healthy aging since aging is not homogenous--the process of aging will look different from one person to another. ... Professionals in the active-aging industry know that function is important to independence and quality of life for older adults. What do different dimensions of function encompass, however, and what does a multidimensional view mean? Let's explore these dimensions
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