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- Health promotion
Active Aging Week: "Redefine active" with engaging life experiences
If your organization has yet to register as a host site for this year's Active Aging Week, why not get involved? Active Aging Week is the annual celebration of aging and active living that we all look forward to each year. It's the activities you provide that promote wellness, fun and friendship in your neighborhood or community. And it's the spotlight you shine on how to live well at any age by staying positively engaged in all aspects of life. Started by the International Council on Active Aging (ICAA) in 2003, Active Aging Week has grown with your help from a grassroots initiative into a global movement. ... The experiences of Active Aging Week remind us that every generation contributes to a vibrant, strong society (see the sidebar for an overview of what some hosts did last year). In 2019, Active Aging Week will take place October 1-7. This year's theme, "Redefining Active," highlights the fact that aging actively is about so much more than physical activity.
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'How to launch and live the best life-at any age by Jim Eastburn, BS
As we sat together and talked about changes Barbara wanted to make in her life, I noticed her eyes start to fill with tears. Our conversation was typical of so many I have experienced over the past 25 years with guests at the Canyon Ranch wellness resort in Tucson, Arizona. Barbara, soon to celebrate her 70th birthday, had been enjoying an active retirement .... Her goals for the week were typical: begin a regular exercise routine, lose a little weight, improve her sleep, cut back on alcohol, start meditating, and stop worrying so much about her grandkids. She had a few hurdles as well. Barbara had recent knee surgery, nagging back pain, and high blood pressure for which her doctor had just prescribed medication. So, what brought on the tears? After reviewing her goals and scheduling a personal-training session and nutrition consultation, Barbara turned to me and said, "Look, I know what I should be doing, but I'm just not doing it! What's wrong with me? Why can't I get my act together?" And, so began Barbara's journey of understanding what gets in the way of living her best life. This article invites readers to join Barbara's journey. We'll review insights and practices that better equip us to support our clients--and ourselves--in launching and living our best lives, at any age.
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'Telehealth program promotes older-adult health and well-being by Marilynn Larkin, MA
In 2013, while working with MetLife's Mature Market Institute as assistant vice-president and director of Gerontology and Research, John Migliaccio, PhD, consulted informally for Westchester County, New York, laying the groundwork for what would become the Telehealth Intervention Program for Seniors (TIPS). When MetLife decided to close the Institute, Migliaccio was hired by the County to help put the TIPS proposal together. And he was later named project director once the program started. "There was no program like [TIPS] in existence, which was part of the challenge and the excitement," Migliaccio recalls of those early days. "We knew we wanted to deliver health services to older adults in need, but we had to create all the policies, procedures, and operational protocols from scratch, and they had to be continually expanded and updated." Simply put, TIPS provides remote patient monitoring of vital signs as a preventive strategy to enable adults ages 60+ to remain in the community. The program also offers a range of "wraparound services" .... The Journal on Active Aging recently talked to Migliaccio to learn more about TIPS, the benefits to participants, and the outcomes achieved.
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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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Enhancing health, wellness and community for older LGBT adults by Marilynn Larkin, MA
About 2.4 million adults 65 and older currently identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT) in the United States, and that population is expected to grow significantly in coming years, along with the entire older-adult population. Other nations will likewise see increased numbers of older LGBT adults as the Boomers age. While these individuals face the same issues as many others who are aging--social isolation, loneliness, housing affordability, and ageism--research shows they have additional concerns that can take a toll on health and wellness. Organizations dedicated to older-adult quality of life can support the vulnerable--and growing--LGBT aging population with inviting programs, supportive services and staff, and welcoming, safe places to live. Two recent initiatives that combine affordable housing with socialization and accessible services will help provide solutions.
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Prevention in active aging by Mark Liponis, MD
All too often, people feel they don't need to keep up with prevention after they reach a certain age, or once they've attained their "golden years." I've heard from many of my patients, "I don't need a colonoscopy any more," or "I made it to 75, so why do I need to watch my diet now?" There are some prevailing feelings that we might as well do what we do and let nature take its course once we've arrived at "retirement" age, or that "prevention" is something we do when we're younger to reach those later years. ... Of course, as active-aging professionals know, it's not just about the quantity of life, but also the quality. Who wants to spend their final 10 years unable to enjoy life, or being highly dependent on others? The best way that aging adults can assure a better quality of life is by taking an active role in prevention.
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