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- Construction
Environmental wellness: where 'green', health, and well-being converge by Marilynn Larkin, MA
From “Waste Not, Want Not” to “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” environmentally friendly concepts have been with us for some time. These concepts offer concrete steps that people can take to lessen their impact on the natural world, mitigate damage, and play a part in protecting the environment. But, even as people act for a healthier world, what is often lost is the environment’s impact on their health.
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Creating purpose-driven communities by Kay Van Norman, MS
Senior living products and services have evolved steadily over the past 20 years. Medical model nursing homes are giving way to person-centered approaches and models such as the Eden Alternative. Assisted living and continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs) have beautiful spaces, lovely grounds and excellent food served restaurant style. Whole-person wellness has emerged as a gold standard for quality programming, and senior living professionals are dedicated to improving resident quality of life (Edelman & Montague, 2006).
moreConstruction
Three steps to creating empowered cultures by G. Richard Ambrosius, MA
The act of “retiring” can profoundly threaten a person’s sense of significance and may even influence future direction and life satisfaction. When an older adult loses a position and the recognition that accompanies it, there may no longer be opportunities for that person to experience personal significance and satisfaction. For many, physical concerns regarding appearance, peak performance and memory also begin to color their attitudes toward themselves and their personal value. Some individuals simply accept the stereotypes and perceptions of aging as a time of decline, and begin a downhill slide. Their beliefs about aging and retirement all too often become self-fulfilling prophecies.
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The great outdoors: a key to promoting physical activity for older adults by Marilynn Larkin, MA
A recent study supports what many active-aging professionals know from experience: Frequent forays outdoors can help older adults maintain functional ability. Researchers found that individuals who left the house every day at age 70 experienced “significantly fewer new complaints” of sleep problems, musculoskeletal pain, urinary incontinence and troubles with activities of daily living when they reached age 77.
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How to set up a pilates studio for the active aging by Lindsay G. Merrithew
Research surveys report that there has been an increase in specialized fitness programming for older adults over the past few years. As a result, more and more owners within the active-aging community are choosing to incorporate pilates classes into their fitness and wellness programs and/or build a studio.
Why pilates? Pilates allows exercisers to move within their limitations and can be adapted to enhance anyone’s current training routine. It is a form of exercise for all ages and stages, and a kinder, gentler exercise for the body with the benefits of strength and flexibility training.
Construction
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.
