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"Best in Wellness" centers foster environments for living better longer by Julie King, MS
As wellness becomes a principal focus of people and organizations serving older adults, the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) and NuStep, LLC, have expanded their annual awards program. Since 2019, the ICAA NuStep Beacon Award has named 25 senior living communities in North America as the "Best in Wellness" yearly. The top five winners also receive the ICAA NuStep Pinnacle Award for extraordinary performance. Two Pinnacle Award categories were added in 2022: community centers (senior centers, parks & rec, adult day services), and wellness CEOs. Read on to learn about four of the top five community centers committed to embracing wellness as a way of life--and bringing people together.
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Disaster preparedness: Hurricane Ian exposes the need for new strategies by Judith Graham, Kaiser Health News
All kinds of natural disasters--hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, wildfires, dangerous heat waves--pose substantial risks to the older population. Yet, too few older adults prepare for these events in advance, and efforts to encourage them to do so have been largely unsuccessful. The most recent horrific example was Hurricane Ian. The recent storm's deadly impact on community-dwelling older adults reaffirms the difficulties many face in preparing for disasters. Disaster response experts call for fresh approaches and stronger community networks to address these challenges.
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Mindfulness and meditation: research to practice by Terry Eckmann, PhD
Think of mindfulness and meditation as an exercise of the mind that can support physical and cognitive wellness throughout the lifespan. By regularly incorporating these practices into daily life, individuals can improve their sleep and nurture a positive attitude, which along with regular exercise, nutritious and well-balanced diets, social interaction, and learning and doing new things, is an important component of brain and body health. Mindfulness and meditation can be done by anyone, anytime, anywhere, and for as long as the practitioner feels comfortable. Delve into the benefits in this article, and gain easy-to-implement approaches to use with your residents or members.
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The aging market: Tips to engage and support an evolving consumer by Martyn Bryson, Larissa Long and Sydney Murphy, MS
Aging looks a lot different today than it did even 20 years ago. As more people live longer, many older adults are working past retirement age and staying active, productive, social and purposeful in their later years. How can we, as active-aging professionals, promote healthy longevity and foster wellness in life's various dimensions for all in this expanding life stage? And how can we, as a society, better meet the needs of today's aging adults and support their potential to grow, participate and engage fully in life? In this article, experts discuss pillars for living well throughout the lifespan, ideas for rethinking aging and pointers for marketing that aligns better with this diverse market.
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Beyond fun and games: Health promotion drives the NSGA
For active-aging organizations, the National Senior Games offers an avenue to support adults 50+ in pursuing their potential to live well and inspiring others to do the same. The National Senior Games Association (NSGA) does more than just host athletic competitions for adults 50+. NSGA Director of Health and Well-being Andrew Walker says, "Our larger goal is to get everyone in the country moving in one way or another to improve the quality of their lives, even if they don't want to compete in sports."
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Indoor air quality, part two: Reducing pollutants to improve health outcomes by Regina Vaicekonyte, MS, WELL AP, and Bing Bing Guo, MPH
Older adults and their families are more aware of the importance of indoor air quality since the emergence of COVID-19, according to a 2021 Delos Consumer Insights Survey. For organizations that serve older adults, including senior living communities and other residential settings, safety is often now the lens through which they view this issue. Yet efforts to provide healthier, safer indoor environments also support health and wellness. How does air quality in indoor spaces affect physiological health outcomes in older adults? This review of air purification interventions reveals their impact on pollutants and participants.
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ICAA NuStep "Best in Wellness" award-winners revealed for 2022
A culture of wellness is a foundation for individuals to embrace wellness as a way of life. In the active-aging industry, achieving this kind of culture involves a continuing journey for organizations, executives and team members. All are key to fostering environments and developing programs that support wellness for all who live and work there. Since 2019, ICAA and NuStep, LLC, have recognized the leading senior living communities in North America as the "Best in Wellness" with the ICAA NuStep Beacon and Pinnacle Awards. In 2022, recipients for the first time also include community centers and CEOs.
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Spirituality drives performance by Adam Smith, MA, and Dustin Nabhan, DC, PhD
Whether it involves a race, a dance or a presentation, human performance benefits when people's lives include a sense of purpose and incorporate spiritual practices such as mindfulness.
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Chronic inflammation and its impact on health by Kenneth H. Cooper, MD, MPH
Chronic inflammation links to "a multitude of medical issues," notes this renowned preventive medicine pioneer. Outlining what causes this inflammation, he highlights healthy habits that can help reduce it.
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At the top: Four "Best in Wellness" communities illuminate the way by Julie King, MS
The pursuit of wellness today is stronger than ever.The ICAA NuStep Beacon Award recognizes 25 senior living communities in North America as examples that embody wellness as a way of life for residents and staff. And the top five communities also earn the prestigious ICAA NuStep Pinnacle Award, as role models of exceptional wellness cultures. This article spotlights 2021 Pinnacle/Beacon recipients leading the way in fostering relevant, meaningful experiences for older adults.
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