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- Public policy
Disaster preparedness: Impact of the pandemic by Marilynn Larkin, MA
The COVID-19 pandemic blindsided the world in 2020 with a disaster of unparalleled proportions. No nation was prepared for the devastating illness and the losses of life and income. In North America, skilled nursing centers and long-term care residences such as nursing homes were particularly hard hit, prompting health officials to decide early on that COVID-19 mainly affected “old” people. But the World Health Organization (WHO) said in April what was already becoming known based on new infections rates among young people, namely that this statement is “factually wrong.” Even though age remains an important risk factor, the virus is affecting everyone. Certainly, the pandemic warrants special precautions in terms of disaster preparedness and management. Nonetheless, other disasters--earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes, for example--continue to occur and are happening at the same time. ... [O]rganizations need to be prepared for any additional disaster that may strike while still maintaining precautions against COVID-19, and for any pandemic “surges” in infection rates that may require additional protective strategies.
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Targeting elder abuse by Alice Steinfeld, MEd, MA, LPC
With the age 60+ population predicted to nearly double worldwide by 2050, the potential for mistreatment of older adults will increase exponentially along with their need for care and support. That's because individuals may become a target of abuse and exploitation as they grow more dependent due to frayed community connections, inadequate social support for families, and ageism that sees older people as less than equal. Whether care comes from family members, professionals or self-care, laws are needed to protect older adults from possible abuse or neglect and ensure they are treated fairly. Often, elder abuse goes unreported because the individual depends greatly on the abuser, or a lack of clarity exists concerning what constitutes such abuse. In fact, elder abuse is a serious and growing challenge. Like other types of domestic violence, elder abuse is complicated. Contributors include a mixture of psychological, social and economic factors, along with the mental and physical conditions of both survivor and abuser. As professionals dedicated to quality of life for older adults, we all have a responsibility to participate in attempts to stop elder abuse, despite the inherent difficulties. So, how do we prevent or end something so complex?
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Deconstructing 'old': Implications for society and the active-aging industry by Marilynn Larkin, MA
It's no secret that people today are living longer, healthier lives than in any previous generation. From a longevity standpoint, the world was home to nearly half a million centenarians in 2015, more than four times as many as in 1990. Projections suggest there will be 3.7 million centenarians across the globe in 2050. The number of people 80 years and older is projected to increase steadily as well, tripling from 143 million in 2019 to 426 million in 2050. From a health and wellness standpoint-and more to the point for the active-aging industry-that longevity is accompanied by changing expectations not only of what it means to grow older, but what needs and aspirations will change along with these demographics, notes International Council on Active Aging founder/CEO Colin Milner. "We're at a crossroads in the field of aging where our perceptions and reality are finally catching up to what science shows-namely, that we are much more capable than was previously thought," Milner states. We have a new normal, a first step towards deconstructing a concept of aging built on stereotypes of dependency and decline. What it means for the active-aging industry is change."
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Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: Understand and apply the 2018 recommendations by Kathie C. Garbe, PhD, MCHES, and Mary E. Sanders, PhD, FACSM, RCEP, CDE
The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (PAG), initially launched in 2008, has served as the preferred source for policy, programming and funding for physical-activity programs throughout the United States for a decade. In 2018, based on the expertise of 17 nationally recognized leaders in health and physical activity, a second edition was published. These updated guidelines reflect more extensive, science-based guidance that further emphasizes how regular physical activity leads to improved overall health and reduces the risk of many chronic diseases. The PAG's second edition was motivated by new findings that regular physical activity over the long term can produce significant health benefits, especially in light of new data showing disturbingly low activity levels.
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Disrupting the industry: Paul Irving calls on older-adult communities to embrace change by Marilynn Larkin, MA
Paul Irving is convinced that older-adult communities must undergo major changes to attract younger customers and healthy, vital older adults from ages 55 and up. "A major challenge to the industry is an emerging inclination not to move into these communities unless it's absolutely necessary," says Irving, who chairs the Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging. In this interview for the Journal on Active Aging, Irving talks about industry challenges that must be addressed, and how to disrupt the perceptions that have mostly characterized older-adult communities up to now.
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What an "ignited" older adult will look like in 2035 by Richard H. Carmona, MD, MPH, FACS
Mark Twain said that life would be better if we started at 80 and worked down to 18. George Burns said as he smoked his cigar, "If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself." He lived vigorously for 100 years. Being the comedian he was, when asked what he would like for his 90th birthday, he said, "A paternity suit"! Both Mark Twain and George Burns were "ignited" seniors in their time who lived twice their life expectancy and thrived through their last days. Based on their birthdates, they were anomalies not only for their longevity, but also due to their profound productivity through their entire long, ignited life spans. They indeed preserved and enhanced their brains' neural networks and cognitive ability. Today, the world is facing disruptive change without precedent. We will soon have more older people than children, and centenarians are becoming commonplace. Many questions arise from these seismic demographic shifts. Can we maintain or enhance health and cognitive ability as we age? How will society address these issues? What roles will technology and science play in supporting our seniors to stay ignited? ... Let's briefly look at the demographics and science of aging before addressing the concept of an ignited senior, how society must adjust, and the impact of technology and science on the ability of our older adults to "ignite."
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