ICAA honors innovative active-aging programs and concepts

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Award-winners support improved wellness for adults ages 50 and older

VANCOUVER--The International Council on Active Aging® (ICAA), an association that leads, connects and defines the active-aging industry, has selected the winners of its Eighth Annual ICAA Innovators Awards. Recognizing creativity and excellence in active aging, this annual awards program honors innovations that are leading the way, setting new standards and making a difference in the lives of older adults. The recipients of the 2010 ICAA Innovators Award are:

• Camp VIVA! (Pathway Senior Living, Des Plaines, Illinois)
  
• African drumming circle (Willamette Oaks Retirement Community, Eugene, Oregon)
  
• 20in10: 20 Tips to Wellness You Can Do in 10 Minutes (Touchmark, Beaverton, Oregon)
  
• WALK! with Aegis Therapies (Aegis Therapies, Delafield, Wisconsin)
  
• The Summit at Central Park (City of Grand Prairie Parks and Recreation Department, Grand Prairie, Texas)

These efforts support healthier, more vital aging by targeting any or all of the seven dimensions of wellness (i.e., social, emotional, vocational, spiritual, intellectual, physical and environmental).

“Active aging is all about living life as fully as possible,” says Colin Milner, ICAA’s founder and CEO. “With the right opportunities and supportive environments, people of all ages can strive towards better health and well-being, enjoy new challenges, and continue to learn and grow. Active-aging professionals and organizations are dedicated to providing those opportunities and environments.” Milner adds, “Just as today’s older adults are redefining aging by defying society’s stereotypes, the active-aging industry is redefining how to support these individuals by rethinking programs, environments, and even concepts of aging services.”

The 2010 ICAA Innovators exemplify the industry’s drive to enhance wellness and support more active, vital living. “This year’s award-winners have engaged the older adults they serve through their creative approaches,” Milner states. “They have encouraged individuals to get on board and try new things to improve health and well-being, thereby enriching their lives. On behalf of ICAA, I congratulate the professionals and organizations behind these award-winning efforts, and thank everyone who entered this year’s competition.”

Each ICAA Innovator will receive a crystal award of recognition to display. In addition, in-depth profiles of individual award recipients will appear in ICAA’s flagship publication, the Journal on Active Aging®, in 2011. In the meantime, snapshots of the 2010 ICAA Innovators are available on the ICAA website at www.icaa.cc/awards/pressreleases.htm.

New this year, ICAA will separately announce winners of the ICAA Innovative Solutions Award (previously the ICAA Equipment Innovator award category), presented for creative products/solutions that improve wellness for older adults; and the first-ever ICAA Green Award, presented for organizational efforts that encourage environmental stewardship. Announcements of these award-winners will soon be posted on the above webpage.

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About the ICAA Innovators Awards program
Launched in 2003, the ICAA Innovators Awards program honors excellence and creativity in the active-aging industry. By recognizing organizations that have created cutting-edge programs, concepts and products encouraging wellness, ICAA highlights these innovative solutions for industry leaders and governmental organizations to learn from. Award-winners work on inspiring new directions in older-adult wellness. They not only give us a glimpse into the trends shaping the future of older-adult health and wellness, they also give us hope that it is possible to solve the inactivity problem.

About the International Council on Active Aging

The International Council on Active Aging® is the professional association that leads, connects and defines the active-aging industry. ICAA supports professionals who develop wellness facilities, programs and services for adults over 50. The association is focused on active aging—an approach to aging that helps older adults live as fully as possible within all dimensions of wellness—and provides its members with education, information, resources and tools. As an active-aging educator and advocate, ICAA has advised numerous organizations and governmental bodies, including the US Administration on Aging, the National Institute on Aging (one of the US National Institutes of Health), the US Department of Health and Human Services, Canada’s Special Senate Committee on Aging, and the British Columbia ministries of Health, and Healthy Living and Sport.

For interviews please contact:

Contact: Colin Milner, CEO, ICAA
Toll-free: 1-866-335-9777 (North America)
Telephone: 604-734-4466; cell: 604-763-4595
colinmilner@icaa.cc

Contact: Marilynn Larkin
Communications Director, ICAA
212-315-3301
mlarkin@icaa.cc