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- Culture Change
Autonomy and connection: Empowering the best life possible in aged care services by Beth Witrogen, MJ
Most disruptions in senior living today are generated by new entrants to the industry. However, Enabling Care at Home (ECH) is an example of how one established aged care operator in Australia foresaw the changing landscape and pioneered a visionary model integrating community and autonomy.
moreCulture Change
Transforming societies for healthier, engaged aging
How do we ensure that aging populations around the globe will thrive? A new report calls for societal transformation - plus there's a role for everyone to play.
moreCulture Change
Strategies to recognize and change ageist beliefs by Judith Graham, Kaiser Health News
Views of aging are often unconsciously ageist. A leading psychologist and thought leader on successful aging shares ways to become more aware of unintended ageism and to rethink and shift these beliefs.
moreCulture Change
The Center at Belvedere: Reinventing the senior center, breaking stereotypes by Marilynn Larkin, MA
The Center at Belvedere--or, simply, The Center--is a testament to the drive and determination of stakeholders to break stereotypes of senior centers and of what it means to be "older." The 47,000-sq.-ft. building in Charlottesville, Virginia, which recently garnered a national award from the American Institute of Architects, "is an exceptional resource for our community," says Executive Director Peter Thompson. "It demonstrates the power of collaboration among experts and community members who understand the impacts of healthy aging. The appeal of The Center is reflected in the numbers of people participating in programs on-site. Thompson commented that those numbers are up about 20% over two years ago in the former building, despite the pandemic, and without counting virtual expansion. The Journal on Active Aging caught up with Thompson in a Zoom interview to learn more about The Center's evolution and determination to serve as a model for other organizations.
moreCulture Change
Reframing ageist language and attitudes to influence social change by Beth Witrogen, MJ
Despite global progress in identifying language that disrespects and marginalizes people by race or gender, communications around aging remain one of the last frontiers of social equality. Research shows that ageist beliefs--stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination based on age--are an insidious presence in global cultures, from greeting cards and jokes to elder abuse and economic inequity. A new study reaffirms the impact of people's beliefs about aging on health and well-being. Lead author Julia Nakamura, BS, a graduate student in health psychology at the University of British Columbia, Canada, believes that "combating ageism and reducing harmful stereotypes about aging are potential paths to improving individual aging satisfaction. In a landmark survey researched by Common Cause Australia and commissioned by the Southern Melbourne Primary Care Partnership (SMPCP) through the Victorian government, the "Framing Age Message Guide" identifies ways of communicating about older adults through a values-based community engagement approach. This guidance can aid organizations in reframing their messages for or about this population.
moreCulture Change
Seeking change: A vision from the past points the way to the future by Colin Milner
When the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) launched nearly 20 years ago (October 1, 2001), I envisioned a professional association that would bring people together across sectors to foster active, productive, healthy aging. I never imagined that in the years to follow I would have the opportunity to collaborate with many of the most innovative and influential minds of our times. From prime ministers to surgeons general, best-selling authors to titans of industry, and Nobel Laureates to a Pulitzer Prize winner, each in their own right has been a visionary thought leader, futurist, activist or change-maker who has dedicated their life to helping society reimagine its response to rapidly aging populations. So, I felt intrigued when an advance reading copy arrived of Dr. Ken Dychtwald's "sort-of-memoir," due to be published in April 2021. This book promised glimpses of how the author, researcher, active-aging guiding light, and CEO of the San Francisco-based consultancy Age Wave went from working-class roots in New Jersey to working with people like Senator John McCain and US Presidents Reagan, Carter and Clinton. Yet, in the end, what really captured my attention was a chapter featuring his 1978 interview with then-septuagenarian Maggie Kuhn. It turns out she was far ahead of her time. To me, the interview could have been done yesterday. It left me with an obvious question: Have we really changed the way we approach and respond to population aging, aging itself or the way we view aging?
more
