Articles Search Result
Navigating estrangement through the caregiving journey by Beth Witrogen, MJ
Difficult family dynamics can impact support of loved ones, but quality of care--and life--is possible with professional guidance.
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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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Hosting a milestone Active Aging Week
Autumn's arrival typically signals vacations ending, students returning to schools and, for active-aging advocates, celebrating Active Aging Week. The annual observance held in the early fall promotes active, engaged living for adults 50+. The weeklong celebrations taking place October 3-9, 2022, will mark the 20th Annual Active Aging Week. How will your organization participate in--and leverage--this milestone? In settings where missions and business models center on older adults, or where healthy aging is a significant focus, Active Aging Week offers a platform for positive messages and programming that highlight the ability to engage fully in life at any age. At the same time, savvy host organizations realize the opportunities it presents to showcase their services, lifestyles and environments to their communities and neighborhoods.
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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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The Center at Belvedere: Reinventing the senior center, breaking stereotypes by Marilynn Larkin, MA
The Center at Belvedere--or, simply, The Center--is a testament to the drive and determination of stakeholders to break stereotypes of senior centers and of what it means to be "older." The 47,000-sq.-ft. building in Charlottesville, Virginia, which recently garnered a national award from the American Institute of Architects, "is an exceptional resource for our community," says Executive Director Peter Thompson. "It demonstrates the power of collaboration among experts and community members who understand the impacts of healthy aging. The appeal of The Center is reflected in the numbers of people participating in programs on-site. Thompson commented that those numbers are up about 20% over two years ago in the former building, despite the pandemic, and without counting virtual expansion. The Journal on Active Aging caught up with Thompson in a Zoom interview to learn more about The Center's evolution and determination to serve as a model for other organizations.
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Shift the paradigm to an employee-first workplace by Patricia Ryan, MS
The challenge of staffing shortages within organizations focused on older adults did not happen overnight, nor did it emerge because of the COVID pandemic. Especially in senior living--that combination of real estate, services and lifestyle--staffing has been a thorny issue for leadership for many years. Staff members have also felt the pressure of too few hands for the work, or untrained and unmotivated colleagues. What the pandemic has changed dramatically is the workplace environment. Forced closures, mass resignations, illness, closed schools and burnout have changed the way people view their jobs and forced employers to rethink how they attract and retain workers. Motivated by the need to recalibrate the philosophy of employment in senior living and fine tune processes to adopt new approaches, delegates from more than 40 senior living organizations joined together at the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) Forum 2021 to develop new approaches to the staffing challenge. These recommendations also have the potential to improve hiring and retention while positively impacting the quality of life of residents and clients.
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Reframing ageist language and attitudes to influence social change by Beth Witrogen, MJ
Despite global progress in identifying language that disrespects and marginalizes people by race or gender, communications around aging remain one of the last frontiers of social equality. Research shows that ageist beliefs--stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination based on age--are an insidious presence in global cultures, from greeting cards and jokes to elder abuse and economic inequity. A new study reaffirms the impact of people's beliefs about aging on health and well-being. Lead author Julia Nakamura, BS, a graduate student in health psychology at the University of British Columbia, Canada, believes that "combating ageism and reducing harmful stereotypes about aging are potential paths to improving individual aging satisfaction. In a landmark survey researched by Common Cause Australia and commissioned by the Southern Melbourne Primary Care Partnership (SMPCP) through the Victorian government, the "Framing Age Message Guide" identifies ways of communicating about older adults through a values-based community engagement approach. This guidance can aid organizations in reframing their messages for or about this population.
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Active Aging Week 2021: Celebrating active, engaged living
Individuals engaging fully in life as they age--that's the long-term outcome that active-aging professionals often hope for when they host Active Aging Week. Since the annual observance launched in 2003, the wellness initiative has showcased the potential of older adults and their ability to participate fully in life's different dimensions. And every year, host organizations create low-to-no-cost activities to encourage adults 50+ to try new experiences and savor the fun, friendship and joy of participation in physical, spiritual, social, emotional, intellectual, vocational and environmental wellness offerings. Through a mix of in-person and virtual programming, these organizations again enlivened their neighborhoods and communities in 2021 with opportunities to join in the week's celebrations. Active Aging Week 2021, presented by Humana, was organized and led nationally by the International Council on Active Aging. National sponsors Abbott Nutrition and Aegis Therapies/EnerG by Aegis supported the campaign, along with content providers Spiro100 and One Day University. From local hosts and sponsors to organizers and volunteers, a multitude of grassroots contributors made the initiative a highlight of early fall for older adults across North America and beyond. To give a flavor of the week, held October 4-10, the following pages share some of the activities offered.
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SOLE-ful awareness: Incorporating barefoot training into active-aging protocols by Lawrence Biscontini, MA
Lifestyles today include more time spent sitting, and people often ignore the very muscles intended to carry them through their lives--their foot muscles. The feet are the body's foundation. Healthy feet are important to proper gait and mobility, while foot problems have been linked to falls. In fact, fear of falling is consistently reported by older adults. This fear results in many individuals limiting their activities. Active-aging fitness professionals combine current research with popular activities to provide participants with the most functional approaches. Barefoot training is one such approach. Classes that regularly encourage barefoot training are offered for active older adults with the goal of improving foot stability and mobility. Some simple skills and drills that incorporate these training activities might be the right step for those who are ready to challenge themselves. By teaching and guiding participants on how to exercise their feet, professionals can help individuals take care of their feet--preserving "foot fitness" and function--so their feet can take care of them as they age.
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Death by design by Colin Milner
Life is finite. For many of us, this fact goes unrecognized until later in life. But, for Dr. Stephanie Ludwig, PhD, MA, MDiv, this was not so. At a young age Ludwig experienced the death of a sibling. This catastrophic event caused her to ask questions that many people wait until later life to explore--questions such as: Why do these things happen? Why do we live? And why do we die? In search of answers to these and other questions, Ludwig found herself on a journey of self-reflection. At 19 she declared a theology major in college, hoping to find absolute answers to her questions. She did not. Yet, this did not deter her as she sought to come to terms with her own mortality--something she says many don't do until faced with a loss. Ludwig is still exploring life, and ultimately its end, all these years later, including most recently as the former Director of Spiritual Wellness for Canyon Ranch, a global leader in the wellness movement. ... It is due to Ludwig's unique journey and training that I interviewed her for the second season of my podcast, Colin Milner Rethinks Aging With .... I reached out to her to learn how we -- as individuals and as active-aging professionals - can ensure, as best possible, that we and our residents and members, family members and friends not only live well, but die well, too. As someone who has spent decades focused on quality of life for adults ages 50+, I found the discussion profoundly meaningful. And as International Council on Active Aging CEO, I wanted to share that conversation with you. Let's dive in!
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