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Press release
Expert releases top issues to watch in 2005
After a challenging year of revelations about rising health care costs, drug recalls and the multi-million dollar cost of inactivity, advocates of older adults predict these issues will motivate action in 2005.
"Older adults are not willing to sit down and accept situations that aren't working," commented Colin Milner, CEO of the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA). "They will take action to keep attention focused on their key issues. The good news is that physical activity and exercise can be part of the solution in each of these areas. Physical activity is a low-cost medicine and one available to just about everyone."
Milner released ICAA's top issues to watch in 2005 after an extensive poll of 210 experts in government, senior housing, social services and wellness centers. These issues are likely to form the basis of activity in the older adult community:
1. The recall of pharmaceutical drug Vioxx--a pain killer that has been prescribed and used by seniors for years--and the questions raised about the safety of Celebrex and Bextra were named by 43% of those polled. Many of the ICAA members questioned how older adults with arthritis will cope with pain management.
Outlook for 2005:
The serious questions about drug safety and the rising cost of medications will lead to intense discussion about the procedures used to develop, market and approve drugs.
Older adults will investigate ways to reduce discomfort and pain that do not rely on pharmaceuticals. For example, flexibility exercises, general physical activity, nutritional supplements, alternative medicine and stress management techniques.
The pharmaceutical companies will mount major public relations campaigns and continue the direct-to-consumer marketing that encourages drug use.
2. The prevalence of obesity- (and the associated economic and physical costs) was submitted by 28% of respondents. The "epidemic" of type 2 diabetes was linked with obesity by 10%. ICAA members felt that obesity was an important issue for older adults today, but could become an even more serious issue as younger people age and develop the chronic diseases associated with excess weight.
Outlook for 2005:
Older adults will receive more education from government, the medical system, HMOs and private companies on how to change ingrained eating habits.
Children and young adults will be targeted with messages about healthy weight to prevent the consequences of overweight as they age.
Medicare's coverage of weight loss treatments will encourage more health insurance providers to offer reward and incentive programs for weight loss and physical activity.
3. The growing amount of research demonstrating that physical activity is a necessary component of successful aging was cited by 21% of the respondents. Of particular interest to these experts is the research on the benefits of physical activity to maintain or improve mental health and cognitive skills and the accessibility of facilities that are able to meet the older adults' needs
Outlook for 2005:
Research will continue to demonstrate the benefits of physical activity, and more locations will start to offer programs and facilities that are geared to the older adult.
Low-functioning older adults will be provided with more activity and exercise opportunities in assisted living or long-term care facilities. The benefits of physical activity to improve depression and Alzheimer's will drive this movement.
The need for older adults to have the fitness to function will bring new meaning to the term "functional fitness." Yoga, Pilates, resistance training, core conditioning and balance training will increase among older adults.
4. The impact on older adults of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (cited by 34%) and the newly-released Medicare drug cards (17%) is of great interest. There is a lot of uncertainty about what changes will mean to older adults, as evidenced by the confusion about pharmacy discount cards for low-income seniors.
Outlook for 2005:
Federal and state agencies will join with private companies to emphasize the value of prevention to control health care costs.
Drug reimportation discussions will escalate as older adults, as well as states, increase purchasing outside the United States to control costs.
As new provisions of Medicare revisions are implemented, older adults will take a more active role in health care, both by seeking preventative care and by becoming more politically aware of changes affecting them.
5. Fad diets--particularly low-carbohydrate diets-are top issues for 14% of respondents, joined by 11% who cited recent nutrition research on supplements and "nutraceuticals" and diet composition. Many respondents referred to the "low-carb diet craze" and suggested older adults are confused about the role of carbohydrate in the diet.
Outlook for 2005:
Former dieters realize that moderation is more sustainable that jumping on the next new diet.
Nutrition research escalates as the search for non-drug therapies focuses attention on the therapeutic possibilities of food and supplements.
Options for healthy eating, such as whole grain cereals and low-fat choices, will become more prevalent.
"At the ICAA, we believe that older adults age well through physical activity, social interactions, work and recreation," explains Milner. "Older adults will be more physically and politically active in 2005 because that is how they will create the quality of life that they seek as they get older."
About the International Council on Active Aging
The ICAA is the world's largest association dedicated to changing the way we age by uniting and working with professionals in the retirement, assisted living, recreation, fitness, rehabilitation and wellness fields. It connects a community of like-minded professionals who share the goals of changing society's perceptions of aging and improving the quality of life for aging Baby Boomers and older adults within the six dimensions of wellness (emotional, vocational, physical, spiritual, intellectual, social). The council supports these professionals with education, information, resources and tools, so they can achieve optimal success with this growing market.
The ICAA takes an active role in helping to change the way society perceives aging. The council is one of more than 50 of the most prominent health and aging organizations working to implement the National Blueprint on Aging. Contributors to the Blueprint's development include AARP, the American College of Sports Medicine, the American Geriatrics Society, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institute on Aging and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
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For interviews or more information about the ICAA and aging-related issues, contact:
Colin Milner, CEO
International Council on Active Aging
Toll-free: 1-866-335-9777 (North America only)
Telephone: 604-734-4466
Cell: 604-763-4595
Email: colinmilner@icaa.cc
