International Council on Active Aging
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ICAA research and reports
This section highlights research, reports, issue briefs, position statements and recommendations from the ICAA and organizations that the ICAA has collaborated with.
New: ICAA 2011 Salary & Benefits Survey
Many professionals provide wellness services to older adults, and this survey explores their job titles plus work responsibilities--a key to organizational development. The responses of 760 professionals in the United States and Canada cover job titles, job responsibilities, compensation, benefits, years experience, education and other key indicators.
Topline Results. The summary of all responses gives the big picture view of responsibilities and compensation in senior living communities (69% of respondents), seniors centers and government programs, parks and recreation, clubs and wellness centers. There are 14 job titles.
PDF, 14 pages
FREE to ICAA Organizational members
ICAA Individual member rate: $29
Nonmember rate: $129.00
To ORDER, call 866-335-9777 or 604-734-4466.
Final Report. This analysis details each job title by type of workplace, responsibilities, compensation, education and experience. Comparisons are made to the 2008 ICAA Salary & Benefits Survey.
Scheduled for release in August 2011
ICAA 2010 Active-Aging Industry Development Survey
The capacity for integrating wellness programs and facilities into an organization’s services is captured by the responses of 640 professionals who describe the buildings and amenities, service offerings and plans for future development, with certain data broken down by type of organization. Includes participation and staffing levels.
Fact sheet
PDF, 25 pages
FREE to ICAA Organizational members
ICAA Individual member rate: $79
Nonmember rate: $149.00
To ORDER, call 866-335-9777 or 604-734-4466.
Active Aging in America, Industry Outlook 2010
A broad overview of recent data and trends in the active-aging industry. Includes sections on older adult perspectives, scope of the market, retirement communities and seniors housing, community services, fitness and wellness facilities and programs.
Fact sheet
PDF and print, 94 pages
FREE to ICAA Organizational members
ICAA Individual member rate: $99
Nonmember rate: $799.00
To ORDER, call 866-335-9777 or 604-734-4466.
ICAA Salary & Benefits Survey 2008
- Topline Results. Workplace, income and benefits in the active-aging industry. This national survey includes 20 job titles of professionals working in retirement communities, seniors housing, seniors centers, programs provided by government agencies and health clubs, Ys and wellness centers.
- ICAA Workforce Profile. Years of work experience, job qualifications and education, supervisor’s title, hours worked and interest in staying or leaving their current jobs.
- ICAA Organization Comparisons. Wellness program funding, benefits offered, compensation and demographic information for (1) CCRC retirement communities; (2) IL and/or AL and/or NC and/or memory care retirement communities; (3) Active adult retirement communities and seniors housing (apartments, condos); (4) Area Agency on Aging or government agencies; (5) Seniors center, community parks and recreation; and (5) Health club, YMCA, YWCA, JCC, personal training studio and hospital, rehabilitation or wellness center.
All three reports, PDF, 37 pp
FREE to ICAA Organizational members
ICAA Individual member rate: $59
Nonmember rate: $149.00
To ORDER, call 866-335-9777 or 604-734-4466.
ICAA Job Profiles: Qualifications, income and benefits (2008)
The profiles include all the answers to the ICAA Salary & Benefits Survey questions for 10 job titles, including income, benefits, work location, education, qualifications, work experience, job history and intention to look for another job. Five job titles also include income by organization and geographic regions: activities director, fitness director.
Job titles:
- Activities coordinator or assistant
- Activities director, multiple locations
- Fitness coordinator or assistant
- Fitness trainer or specialist
- Wellness coordinator or assistant
- Activities director
- Fitness director
- Program manager
- Wellness director
- Wellness director overseeing multiple locations
PDF, 13-16 pp per job title
FREE to ICAA Organizational members
ICAA Individual member rate: $69 for 10 profiles, $25 per profile
Nonmember rate: $95 for 10 profiles, $35 per profile
To ORDER, call 866-335-9777 or 604-734-4466.
ICAA Wellness Development & Buying Trends 2008
- Topline Results. Programs, facilities, equipment, services and decision-making in the active-aging industry based on the responses of 388 professional. Includes plans for future renovations and purchases, as well as characteristics of vendors that influence the purchasing decisions.
- Wellness center development and renovation trends. A close-up of the organizations that plan to develop or make major renovations to a wellness or fitness center in the next two years.
- Physical fitness equipment trends. Includes types of organizations, planned equipment, sources and primary influences on buying decisions.
All three reports, PDF, 31 pages
FREE to ICAA Organizational members
ICAA Individual member rate: $59
Nonmember rate: $129.00
To ORDER, call 866-335-9777 or 604-734-4466.
ICAA Research: Wellness Programs (2008)
Drawing from three ICAA market surveys, this report describes wellness programs for older adults, identifies the organizations that provide wellness programs, and provides information on funding sources, program management, qualities of successful staff members and preferences for training and professional development.
PDF, 11 pages
FREE to ICAA Organizational members
ICAA Individual member rate: $25
Nonmember rate: $49.00
To ORDER, call 866-335-9777 or 604-734-4466.
ICAA Survey: Professional Education (2007)
This report takes a closer look at what organizations look for in the professionals they hire to work with older adults, and how they train them.
PDF, 7 pages
Free to ICAA members (in member section of website)
Industry access through the ICAA Career Center
Open access research and reports
- ICAA vision paper for White House Conference on Aging
The ICAA was honored to be invited to write a vision paper on physical activity and older adults for the White House Conference on Aging. This five-page document, entitled "Physical activities for the elderly," provides an overview of the benefits of active aging and assesses trends, challenges and future possibilities in this area.
- ICAA Issue Brief presented to the Special Senate Committee on Aging: Expanding Opportunities for Active Living
The ICAA was honored to be invited to present an Issue Brief on active aging to the Canadian Special Senate Committee on Aging. This five-page document, entitled "Expanding Opportunities for Active Living," provides a brief overview of the benefits of an active aging framework.
- ICAA Report: Motivation and reward systems that encourage activity
The ICAA invites you to learn more about the findings from our "Independent Aging Agenda Event" that was designed to provide input to the Policy Committee of the 2005 White House Conference on Aging.
- ICAA Survey: Marketing value and financing methods for older adult fitness and wellness programs
This survey looks at whether having a fitness or wellness center or a physical activity program specifically targeted to older adults is key to attracting and retaining the older member/resident.
- ICAA inventory of tools to measure wellness in elders
Looking for ways to evaluate the wellness of your residents or members? This article looks at some issues in wellness measurement and catalogs some surveys commonly used in senior living environments.
- ICAA Trends report
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.
- 2005 Issue brief: Keeping current on research and practice in physical activity for older adults
This NCOA issue brief was written by the ICAA and is the fourth in a series promoting best practices in physical activity programming for older adults. The focus of this particular issue brief is to encourage and assist physical activity programmers to stay on top of the latest research and best practices in the field of physical activity and older adults.
- The National Blueprint: Increasing physical activity among adults age 50 and older
The ICAA is one of more than 55 of the nation's most prominent health and aging organizations working to implement a National Blueprint on Aging.
- National action plan: Falls Free: Promoting a National Falls Prevention Action Plan.
The National Council Aging, the Archstone Foundation, the Home Safety Council and the ICAA were among a group of national organizations that created Falls Free: Promoting a National Falls Prevention Action Plan.
- ICAA Call to action: In Response
The ICAA and three other national organizations that are concerned about the health and fitness of older adults have called on physicians throughout the United States to help solve the prevalence of ill health among older adults by prescribing exercise and other lifestyle changes.
- ICAA's Age-friendly facilities: 99 questions to assess your center
The facility assessment outlines many barriers for older adults, plus things for facilities to consider if they want to attract or better serve older clientele.
- International guidelines for preparing physical activity instructors of older adults
This consensus document outlines each of the major content areas that experts recommend should be included in any entry-level training program with the goal of preparing physical activity instructors to work with older adults.
- How to select an age-friendly personal trainer checklist
To help older adults select a fitness trainer, the ICAA has released the "ICAA Age-Friendly Personal Trainer Checklist." The worksheet explains how to evaluate the trainer's answers to questions, and the checklist is a handy format to record those answers.
- Quantifying the cost of physical inactivity
With the support of more than 20 partner organizations, including ICAA , Active Living Leadership launched an "Online Calculator That Will Help Estimate the Financial Cost of Physical Inactivity." Use this valuable tool to help your local business, policy-makers, government leaders, HMOs and Insurance companies to better understand the benefits of physical activity.
