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Active aging industry news from around the world
Miniature horses corral residents, families in Alberta community
Shepherd’s Care Foundation, a faith-based provider of “age-in-place” communities in the Canadian province of Alberta, has engaged both residents and their family members with a program structured around miniature horses. The nonprofit organization—CARF-certified for its aging-services network—hosted the horses from June to September at its Kensington Village “active retirement community” in Edmonton. Across the continuum from independent living through various levels of care, more than 600 older adults live on this 17-acre campus. The foundation sought to introduce animal-assisted activities to all residents, with the goal of providing “social, recreational, motivational, educational and therapeutic benefits.”
According to Daniel Bisson, recreation manager at Shepherd’s Care Kensington Village, the horses were bred by Terry and Peter Holt, who run the Hollyhock Meadow miniature horse farm in nearby Morinville. The Holts regularly host farm visits and take horses to care facilities as part of their commitment to helping older adults. But, Bisson notes, this was the first time that their horses had stayed at a care facility—two at a time, rotating several weeks on/off campus. Kensington Village’s recreation staff and chaplain oversaw the miniature horses program, and all involved went to a training session at Hollyhock Meadow prior to the horses’ arrival. This same group maintained and fed the horses on campus.
Resident programming included bringing individuals outdoors to interact with the horses at the specially constructed pen and barn in the community’s large courtyard, as well as taking the horses indoors to visit individuals who were unable to walk. Residents could brush, pet and talk to the horses, plus feed them treats, Bisson reports. The horses were also featured in special events in the courtyard.
“The miniature horses [drew] residents outdoors who previously had not been observed to go out,” says Bisson. Residents also socialized more among themselves, while their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren often came to visit both family member and horses. Additional benefits included the increased time that residents spent being in nature. Calling the horses “such a hit,” Bisson hopes that Kensington Village will be able to host the horses again next summer.
Adopt-A-Senior holds appreciation event at USC
On September 22, more than 60 older adults gave Sharon Evans and Rick Rogers a standing ovation for their performance at the University of Southern California’s Davis School of Gerontology, in Los Angeles. Revisiting songs from the early 20th century, Vaudeville Lives! Starring Evans and Rogers was an Adopt-A-Senior Appreciation Special Musical Event, with admission and lunch provided free to adults over 55.
“It was wonderful to see the expressions of the seniors enjoying themselves as Evans and Rogers took them down Memory Lane,” says Dan Pettegrew, Adopt-A-Senior’s broadcast media services director. “Immediately after the program, lunch was served and everyone was talking about how much fun they had.”
Adopt-A-Senior is a program of California-based charity Our Commitment, Inc. Managed by FAMILY Arts Center and Ripped Marketing Group (owner Rodney Allen Rippy serves as national volunteer director), this program strives to make a positive impact on the lives of older adults by showing elders in the community that people care. Activities range from musical performances and luncheons, to walk-a-thons and cruises. Registration is free to people ages 55 and over.
Brookdale wellness leaders climb mountain to support caregivers
On July 31, two Brookdale Senior Living associates joined television and radio producer/commentator Leeza Gibbons and her team in the “Army of Change” to climb New Hampshire’s Mount Washington. Sara Terry, vice president of Optimum Life, and Carol Cummings, manager of Optimum Life wellness programs, hiked to the peak of the nearly 6,300-ft. mountain. With them, they carried a flag with photos of 75 caregivers from communities across the United States owned and operated by Brookdale.
“Climbing Mount Washington in honor of caregivers was one of the most inspirational moments of my life, both personally and professionally,” says Cummings. “Every turn brought new challenges and accomplishments—mental, emotional and physical.”
The Army of Change project was begun in 2005 by people impacted by Alzheimer’s and/or Parkinson’s diseases. To raise funds and awareness for these two diseases, the group decided to scale 10 mountains in 10 years, culminating in a Mount Everest climb in 2015. At Mt. Washington in July, this group—along with hundreds of others, including over 30 members from Gibbons’ team—raised money for four charities. Among these charities were the Florida-based Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation and its signature program, Leeza’s Place. Billed as “A Place for Caregivers,” Leeza’s Place offers free programs and supportive services to “educate, empower and energize” caregivers affected by chronic and progressive illness. Eight Leeza’s Place resource centers are currently open in the United States.
Brookdale, with headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee, partners its Optimum Life wellness program with Gibbons’ foundation to support caregivers. “Our partnership with The Leeza Gibbons Memory Foundation and Leeza is an important part of our commitment to providing resources to our associates and family members,” comments Terry.
Community garden receives Department of Aging grant
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging has awarded a nutrition services grant of more than $26,000 to help members of the Nationalities Service Center senior center tend their community garden in north Philadelphia. The food grown there is used in preparing meals for center members. “This innovative project is helping to provide fresh and nutritious food for center members and creates camaraderie by providing an area for older adults to tend to their gardens together,” says Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary of Aging Ray Prushnok.
Featuring individual plots as well as a large community space, the community garden offers an opportunity for younger people, volunteers and neighbors to become involved in an effort that gives older adults access to locally grown, fresh produce. No chemicals or pesticides are used and barrels collect rainwater to water the plots. Food waste is composted for reuse in the growing process.
The senior center serves older immigrants and refugees from Vietnam, China, Cambodia, Laos, Iraq and other countries, as well as people born in the US. Center members were involved in selecting plants and seeds for the garden that supplies food for their daily lunches. Fruits, herbs and vegetables from Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, the southern United States and Pennsylvania are being grown.
The Nationalities Service Center project was one of 47 selected through a competitive bid process. Funding was provided by a $3.7-million (US) allotment from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which the state’s Department of Aging distributed.
UNMC opens center to help elders age well
The Home Instead Center for Successful Aging recently opened its doors at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) in Omaha. Funded entirely by private donations, the three-storey, $10.2-million (US) facility creates a centralized location for geriatric medicine and psychiatry on the UNMC campus. In addition to providing services in these medical specialties, the center offers access to clinical trials involving geriatric-specific disorders. The building also includes a wellness clinic for health screenings and nutrition services, as well as a Community Education and Outreach Center with a fully equipped fitness and exercise area.
“The first wave of Baby Boomers turns 65 next year and wants to stay independent in their own homes as long as they can,” says Sharon Brangman, president of the New York-based American Geriatrics Society. “Programs that support wellness and healthy aging are very important. A center like this,” Brangman continues, “is really looking at seniors and what their needs are. It’s innovative, and I hope it becomes a model for other parts of the country.”
The 31,000-plus sq.-ft. center is named for Home Instead Senior Care, a home care organization that provides services through a global network of franchises. Cofounders Lori and Paul Hogan were the principal donors to the new facility.
YMCA revitalizes brand
For the first time in 43 years, the YMCA has unveiled a new brand strategy to increase understanding of the impact the nonprofit makes in communities. The result of more than two years of analysis and research, the new strategy includes a more forward-looking logo aimed at reflecting the vibrancy and diversity of the organization, and a framework that focuses resources on three core areas: youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. In another major change, the nonprofit will be called “the Y” to align with how people most commonly refer to the organization. The YMCA of the USA, the national resource office based in Chicago, Illinois, has already begun the transition to the new brand. The nearly 2,700 Ys nationwide will transition fully within five years.
New president and award-winners announced at annual meeting
Senior Living Communities, owner and operator of 11 retirement communities in the US southeast, has named Wallace M. Saunders as its new president. Saunders joined the organization as chief financial officer following a career in investment banking with Wachovia Securities and Edgeview Partners. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned his master’s in business administration from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University in Illinois. During Saunders’ tenure as CFO, the Charlotte, North Carolina-based company has added to its portfolio through acquisitions, development of new communities and expansion of existing communities. The announcement of his selection as president was made by CEO Donald Thompson at the company’s annual meeting in July.
Also at the meeting, Senior Living Communities recognized employees Kelly Stranburg, Tonya Ray and Katie Huffstetler for their superior service. The women received the company’s Supernova award for their participation in implementing and promoting the WAVES program, an aquatic therapy class for people with dementia. The program earned the organization its first “Best of the Best” award in 2010 from the Assisted Living Federation of America.
Bisset to represent Avon skincare for older women
English actress Jacqueline Bisset will serve as the face of Avon’s ANEW Platinum, a skincare line for women ages 60-plus that is launching in November. “Jacqueline embodies everything the ANEW woman aspires to be—beauty, poise and sophistication,” comments Andre Baradat, the company’s vice president of global skincare marketing. However, rather than celebrating the mature woman—as Unilever’s Dove brand did with its ProAge line—Avon promises that ANEW Platinum will “deliver transformative anti-aging skincare,” allowing users to “recapture the appearance of youthful contours ….”
In Beauty Comes of Age, Dove’s 2007 global study of women ages 50–64, 91% of the almost 1,500 women surveyed said they believed “it is time for society to change its views about women and aging.” The same percentage also believed that the media and advertising need to do a better job of representing realistic images of women over 50.
Avon markets to women in 100 countries through 6.2 million independent sales representatives.
Official solicits feedback on healthy aging report in Vermont
Lt. Governor Brian Dubie of Vermont undertook a statewide tour in June and July to seek constituent feedback on the recently released 2010 Healthy Aging Report & Recommendations to the Governor. The report, which was developed by the 15-member Governor’s Commission on Healthy Aging, focuses on high priority healthy-aging issues as well as recommendations for extending healthy aging goals in Vermont. The commission advanced the 12 recommendations with particular attention to promoting evidence-based programs.
At the tour launch, Dubie said, “As Chair of the Governor’s Commission on Healthy Aging, I have made it a priority to make our state a place where all older Vermonters can enjoy a good quality of life, better financial security, continued opportunities for personal growth, healthier living and more affordable healthcare, independence and closeness to community. I am eager to visit with seniors around the state and hear their reaction to the Commission’s report.”
An executive summary of the Healthy Aging Report is available online.
Washington community’s wellness center achieves Silver LEED certification
Located on the campus of the Tacoma Lutheran Retirement Community in Washington State, the Emerson Wellness and Clark Aquatic Center has been certified LEED Silver by the US Green Building Council (USGBC). The Tacoma community’s new facility met USGBC requirements for the use of renewable energy, locally sourced materials, certified wood, low-VOC [volatile organic compounds] carpet, and natural daylight and views. The building also met requirements for incorporating features that reduce water and energy and minimize the “heat island effect.” In addition, nearly all construction waste was diverted from landfill sites during construction of the center. The Emerson Wellness and Clark Aquatic Center was completed in December 2009 by Rushforth Construction, the Pacific Northwest regional office of national firm Adolfson and Peterson Construction. [Ed. The heat island effect results from less “cooling” vegetation in the built environment and the tendency of dark surfaces and man-made structures to trap daytime heat.]
Wisconsin community awarded CARF accreditation
Capitol Lakes in downtown Madison, Wisconsin, was recently awarded a five-year term of accreditation from CARF International’s Continuing Care Accreditation Commission (CARF-CCAC), the body responsible for accrediting continuing care retirement communities. “This is actually re-accreditation for this retirement community, which has been accredited for 20 consecutive years,” says Bruce Beckman, the community’s marketing director. “It was last awarded accreditation in 2005 under its previous name, Meriter Retirement Services, and now has earned accreditation under the new name, Capitol Lakes.” An affiliate of Medford, Oregon-based Pacific Retirement Services, the Wisconsin community offers four levels of care on one campus, including independent living, assisted living, memory care, and skilled nursing/rehabilitation.
NIHSeniorHealth adds topics
A trio of new topics has augmented the health and wellness information available to older adults on the award-winning website NIHSeniorHealth.gov. These topics delve into the following areas:
- Knowing what diseases run in the family is important for current and future generations. “A family health history, especially as one ages, can be used by healthcare providers to assess individual health risks and employ prevention strategies to avoid a variety of health conditions, from cardiovascular disease to cancer,” explains Eric D. Green, MD, PhD, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). “Creating a Family Health History” on NIHSeniorHealth explains how to collect, organize and use information about family health. This topic includes My Family Health Portrait, an online tool developed by NHGRI and the US Surgeon General’s Office.
- Having a drink now and then is not usually thought to be harmful as people age, but alcohol can be a problem for older adults, especially if they take certain medications, have health problems or don’t control their drinking. The NIHSeniorHealth’s “Alcohol Use and Older Adults” section provides information about the effect alcohol may have on aging bodies, health and lifestyles. This new topic also discusses how much is safe to drink for most older men and women, what precautions to take if they’re on medication and how to get help if drinking is a problem.
- A “common yet serious disease in older adults,” peripheral arterial disease (PAD) develops when arteries in the body become clogged with fatty deposits, limiting blood flow. “Blocked blood flow can cause pain and numbness in the legs, making it difficult to walk or climb stairs,” says Susan B. Shurin, MD, acting director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. A person with PAD is also at risk for heart disease and stroke, according to Shurin. NIHSeniorHealth now offers information about the risk factors, diagnosis and treatment of PAD.
- A joint effort of the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine, both part of the US National Institutes of Health, the NIHSeniorHealth website features research-based, easily accessible information on a range of health issues. Topics include ways to exercise properly, safe use of medicines, and management of conditions such as stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis and Alzheimer’s.
SAGE and partners aim to improve supports for LGBT elders with new center
Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE), a New York-based organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) older adults, has launched its National Resource Center on LGBT Aging. Established with a $900,000 (US) grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services, the center is the first and only technical assistance resource center in the US aimed at improving the quality of services and supports offered to LGBT older adults nationwide.
The National Resource Center on LGBT Aging will connect aging providers and LGBT organizations around the country with technical assistance, training and key resources to support LGBT elders. Central to the center is the unveiling of its website, www.lgbtagingcenter.org. Over time, the site is expected to grow into a highly interactive, multimedia resource that will equip LGBT older adults and their loved ones with information on legal issues, caregiving, lifelong planning and housing, among other areas.
Partnering with SAGE in the Resource Center are: the American Society on Aging; the Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging and Longevity, Hunter College; CenterLink (the national association of LGBT community centers); FORGE Transgender Aging Network; GRIOT Circle; The LGBT Aging Project; the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a); the National Institute of Senior Centers (National Council on Aging); Openhouse; and PHI (a national training expert).
HHS awards $31 million more for prevention and wellness projects
The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently provided $31 million (US) in awards to 10 communities in eight states, and one award to a state health department, to support public health efforts aimed at reducing obesity and smoking, increasing physical activity, and improving nutrition. The awards were part of the HHS Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) program, an initiative administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Funding was provided by the Prevention and Public Health Fund included in the Affordable Care Act.
“To realize our goals of improving the health of Americans and lowering our nation’s healthcare costs, we must address the underlying factors that influence our families’ health—factors like the foods we eat and the conditions that exist in our homes, neighborhoods and workplaces,” says HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “With Communities Putting Prevention to Work, we’re creating evidence-based models that we can replicate on a large scale to permanently reduce the chronic diseases plaguing so many of our communities.”
The September awards follow the release earlier this year of more than $491.8 million (US) in CPPW funds to states, US territories and communities. Included in the recent announcement was an additional funding of $10 million (US) for six communities—all part of the original 44 CPPW communities funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)—to provide mentoring to less experienced communities. A program fact sheet is posted. For a listing of grant awardees, click here.
UnitedHealthcare launches ‘hair fitness’ obesity initiative
UnitedHealthcare, a division of health carrier United HealthGroup, announced a collaboration in August with the Bronner Brothers International Hair Show to enroll 60,000 stylist attendees in the fight against obesity. Rates of obesity are alarmingly high in the African-American community, according to America’s Health Rankings (2009). Studies show that many African-American women avoid certain kinds of fitness activities to maintain a hairstyle. Recognizing this data, the UnitedHealthcare initiative kicked off with the “Hair Fitness” competition at the Bronner Brothers show. This contest of exercise-friendly hairstyles included three categories:
- low-impact workout (little-to-no sweat and hair maintenance requiring only one shampoo/condition weekly)
- moderate-impact workout (modest sweat and hair maintenance requiring one-to-two shampoos/conditions weekly)
- high-impact workout (profuse sweating and hair maintenance requiring two-to-three shampoos/conditions weekly)
The Hair Fitness competition allowed the audience to get ideas for clients who are looking to become more active and health conscious, while maintaining their hair regimen. US Surgeon General Regina M. Benjamin, MD, MBA, lent support as an honorary judge.
Funding awarded to produce more assisted living facilities
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has awarded $19.5 million (US) in grants to help convert existing multifamily housing projects into assisted living facilities. The grants, provided through HUD’s Assisted Living Conversion Program, were awarded on a competitive basis, and will be used for conversions in Arizona, Maryland, New York and Ohio.
“These grants will provide an affordable option to nursing homes, helping seniors to live independently,” says HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “The funding will allow [older adults] an opportunity to age in place in familiar surroundings as they become older and require supportive services.”
Program information is available, click here to access.
