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- Program management
Measure what matters: using benchmarks as a tool for program evaluation by Patricia Ryan, MS
There are a lot of choices when designing a wellness program for older adults. What is the mix of wellness dimensions, and how can they be integrated? Should you add more classes and activities, or reduce the number? What is the appropriate level of staffing? Within the budget, where is the money spent?
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Programming through the dimensions of wellness by Susan Richie
Many communities and organizations are enhancing their current fitness and wellness programs by emphasizing the dimensions of wellness. Why incorporate the dimensions into your program? Making the dimensions of wellness the foundation of programming allows you to market your programs and services to everyone.
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The wellness audit: a useful tool for active-aging communities by John Rude, MS
Are any of the following scenarios true for you?
• You hear a lot of discussion at conferences about the importance of a wellness program, but you’re not certain you have the right mix of resources or the financial ability to start a program.
• You have a wellness program. You believe it’s a good beginning, but you’re not confident how to ramp it up or what the benchmarks should be to measure success.
• You’ve been using multipurpose spaces for your wellness programming for several years. However, you now want to develop a state-of-the-art facility, but sense the architect you have used for your housing projects may not have the expertise to design an age-appropriate wellness center.
Program management
Cultivating a water exercise program using an evaluation approach Part three: probing the depths of water exercise equipment by Mary E. Sanders, PhD, FACSM
During parts one and two of “Cultivating a water exercise program using an evaluation approach,” we applied an evaluation framework to develop an evidence-based, participant-centered water fitness program. In this third and final section, we’ll use the same framework to cultivate equipment-based programs that offer expanded options for personalized and progressive training.
A systematic evaluation approach provides a lens for program change. At each step in parts one and two, questions helped us focus on critical areas. Starting with the big picture, we grounded our systematic approach by determining core values that would provide a foundation for the evaluation, mapped out resources, and anticipated short- and long-term outcomes.
Program management
Secrets of successful tennis programs for adults past 50 by Ron Woods, PhD, and Kathy Woods
You probably already know that tennis is fun to play, provides great physical exercise and challenges players mentally as they try to outwit opponents. In spite of the sport’s inherent attributes, much more is needed for a tennis program to succeed with adults past 50. To plan and implement a successful program, you have to understand this customer’s needs, have a grasp of the possible formats for play, and provide flexible offerings to attract and retain players of various skill levels or playing experience.
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Design a program from the outside in by Mary E. Sanders, PhD, FACSM
Instead of developing an exercise program in-house, some facilities contract with prepackaged commercial programs—a practice known as outsourcing. Such programs may offer a quick and cost-effective means to provide services. Before you sign an agreement, however, it’s important to determine if there is adequate synergy between you and an outside agency. A simple list of pros and cons (including short- and long-term impacts) may prove useful in making a decision to outsource. Questions that help you evaluate a program can also help you arrive at important insights.
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