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- Gerontology
Telomeres: Are they the Fountain of Youth, or markers for the benefits of living well? by Cindy Geyer, MD, ABIM, ABOIM, ABLM
Since ancient times, explorers have sought the restorative powers of the proverbial Fountain of Youth. In more recent times, clinical research on cellular longevity is targeting a genetic substance called the telomere, which is entering the spotlight as a potential key to slowing-or even preventing-the more common health challenges of aging. ... [T]elomere length could provide significant clues to healthy aging, not only helping to predict and forestall diseases such as cancers, but also motivating lifestyle changes that might delay senescence [or cell aging].
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Physical activity for joint health by Mary Stauder, MS, ACSM-RCEP & EIM-3, NSCA-CPT, ACE-TES
Joint health and function become important to consider as a person ages. Through the prescription of exercise in the appropriate dose, type, frequency and intensity, joint function and integrity can be better managed to preserve individual quality of life and independence. In any discussion of active aging, it is nearly impossible to minimize the impact of normal wear and tear on the body as well as the physiological changes that can occur with aging and with deconditioning. Bone and joint health can be compromised by increases in body fat and decreases in bone density, fat free mass and cardiorespiratory fitness. Yet, at every age and any fitness level, individuals can work towards preserving their joint health and fitness through exercise.
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'Bullying among older adults by Kathie C. Garbe, PhD, MCHES
"Bullying behavior doesn't just happen on the playground or the school cafeteria anymore," shares Robin P. Bonifas, PhD, MSW. "Older-adult bullies really do exist in all types of communities." An associate professor in the University of Arizona's School of Social Work and the vice-president of the Association of Gerontology Education in Social Work, Bonifas has been studying resident-to-resident aggression among older adults, specifically bullying behavior, for a number of years. She also wrote a book on the topic .... Bonifas sees bullying behavior as a consequence of some concerns people have about getting older as well as some issues characteristic of living in communal settings. In this interview for the Journal on Active Aging, she provides an overview of peer-to-peer bullying among older adults, the impact it has on individuals as well as the living environment, and the issues that must be addressed to increase awareness and prevent bullying behavior.
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Ken Dychtwald: How the Age Wave pathfinder inspired a new view of aging by Colin Milner
A singular figure in the aging sphere, Ken Dychtwald, PhD, has seemingly done it all. This leading-edge Boomer has spent more than four decades focused on older adults and their potential, emerging as an early visionary on an aging world. Dychtwald, a psychologist and gerontologist, is today widely viewed as North America's most original thinker about the social, economic, healthcare, marketing and workforce implications of the age wave-a term he coined in the 1980s. He is also a bestselling author of 16 books .... Only the fourth recipient of the ICAA INSPIRE Award, Dychtwald is being honored "for his exceptional and lasting contributions to the [active-aging] industry and for his efforts to make a difference in the lives of older adults globally." In this wide-ranging interview , he shares his remarkable journey and, among other things, how he came to focus on older adults and their potential to transform their lives-and society-early in his career.
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How to support women in finding their personal paths in menopause by Nicola Finley, MD
Navigating menopause can be a challenge. Why? Each woman has a unique experience, plus the landscape of symptom management is ever-changing. Couple this with the conflicting information a woman may receive from family members, friends and even healthcare providers, and I find that my menopausal patients are left with many questions about which path they should take. I always recommend a personalized, integrative approach, which I believe is ideal. An integrative approach to menopause involves a partnership primarily between the menopausal woman and her healthcare provider. Professionals who work in the active-aging industry are well-positioned to offer complementary programs, services and information not only to individuals who are dealing with symptoms of menopause, but also to postmenopausal women who are managing its longer-term impacts.
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A healthy microbiome equals healthy aging by Tereza Hubkova, MD
More than a hundred years ago, Russian microbiologist and immunologist Ilya Ilich Metchnikoff attributed the longevity of Bulgarian peasants to their consumption of kefir. Kefir, as he noted, contained Lactobacillus bulgaricus, a bacterium-producing lactic acid lending the beverage its sour taste. How much of Metchnikoff's observation of the anti-aging effects of friendly microbes--or probiotics--is true? And, does illness and death truly begin in the colon? The human body can be described as a "meta-organism"--a hybrid of some 30 trillion human cells with another estimated 100 trillion bacteria, fungi, protozoa, archaea and viruses. In other words, for each native cell in the human body, we play host to three-or-more symbiotic microbial cells. Who do you think runs the show?
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