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- Vocational wellness
Gray, green, and active: Environmental volunteerism benefits older adults and society by Karl Pillemer, Ph.D.
Martin Phillips volunteers many hours each month in local environmental organizations, helping to organize trail clean-ups and testing water quality in streams. His goal is to help preserve the earth for future generations, even though he will not personally see the benefits. Maria Groves volunteers as a receptionist for a nature center, noting that she enjoys the children who participate in the programs and socializing with staff and other volunteers. Janice Phelps has always loved being outside in nature; her political work on environmental issues comes from a deep attachment to the natural world, which she feels is sacred and must be preserved. John Trent is politically conservative and will tell you right away: “I’m no tree-hugger!” But he has spent a lifetime hunting and fishing and is concerned about the destruction of natural areas that used to teem with wildlife, so he volunteers to protect them.
These individuals pursue different activities and have divergent motivations. But they have one thing in common: They are part of a growing movement of people in their 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond who have become environmental volunteers, working to create a sustainable society and to conserve our natural resources. Not only do these “gray and green” volunteers help solve one of the major challenges of our time, but research shows environmental volunteering also leads to improved health and well-being of older persons. Now researchers, policy makers, and non-profit organizations are seeking ways to encourage environmental volunteering and civic engagement (EVCE) among individuals after retirement.
Vocational wellness
Grand Lake Gardens' community garden feeds the hungry
For nearly 50 years, Grand Lake Gardens has offered residential living on an intimate scale in Oakland, California. The senior living community features 90 apartments serving nearly 100 older adults, providing services that include hospitality, recreation, dining, wellness, and in-house assistance. Residents can gain access to a full continuum of care, if they wish, or choose the flexibility of a rental plan.
moreVocational wellness
The Man Cave: 'a place where creativity and socialization flourish'
Take a retired engineer with a big interest in building models and a small closet in which to do projects. Add a quest for more room and a sympathetic staff response. Mix with community members who want in on the fun. And there you have the makings of the Man Cave, the most popular wellness program at Atria Woodbridge in Irvine, California.
moreVocational wellness
ICAA's top 10 articles on vocational wellness
The Journal on Active Aging® is celebrating the International Council on Active Aging’s 10th Anniversary with a nod to articles published by ICAA over the past decade. Throughout the year, each journal issue will highlight the “top 10” articles on a specific topic, all of which are accessible to ICAA members in the association’s online archives. The topic for this issue is vocational wellness. Articles in this category include overviews and programs on working, volunteering and skills.
moreVocational wellness
Plastic bags + caring hands = new lives by Ruth Werstler, Garrett Kallenbach and Mary Moy
New Life for Old Bags (NLOB) is a community-based project for the homeless that helps the environment and improves the lives of all who are involved. It helps the environment by reusing plastic bags; it aids homeless persons by providing them with a sleeping mat; and it is a meaningful activity for the people who make the mats.
As volunteers in NLOB, participants cut plastic bags into strips to make plastic yarn (“plarn”), which is crocheted to make sleeping mats. In Chicago, Cornerstone Community Outreach distributes the mats to people who are homeless. The need is great, as the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless estimates that in 2011–12 there were approximately 105,000 homeless people in the city of Chicago, where NLOB is based.
Vocational wellness
ICAA Champions program: a quick-start guide for you and your organization by Marilynn Larkin, MA
The International Council on Active Aging® (ICAA) took advantage of Active Aging Week—the annual event initiated by ICAA and observed throughout North America during the last week of September—to officially launch the ICAA Champions program. A key component of ICAA’s Changing the Way We Age® Campaign (www.changingthewayweage.com), the Champions program enlists organizations and individuals to serve as role models and educators in the effort to shift society’s perceptions of aging. A diverse team of volunteers will help the program show the full spectrum of active aging.
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