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- Physical wellness
Using the small ball for function and fun by Brenda Jurich, BA
Repeat and redo, restore and renew. That is the cycle group-fitness instructors go through over and over again. We thirst for new ideas and new ways to challenge our participants and still have fun. Besides the intrinsic value of bringing joy, color and fun to a class, the small ball is a versatile accessory to use for stretching, mind/body exercises and strength training.
morePhysical wellness
Middle Management from the Top Down: a program to support healthy weight management by Terry Eckmann, PhD, and Catherine Solie, BA
As the population ages, there is a growing need for innovative programming for healthy weight management. Middle Management from the Top Down is a turnkey program that gives active-aging professionals the tools they need to create an effective educational program.
morePhysical wellness
Cook up a healthy eating program by Patricia Ryan
Within the physical dimension of wellness are physical activity, medical checkups, adequate sleep—and nutrition. The integration of both physical activity and nutrition is important to a healthy lifestyle. Nutrition provides the body’s fuel, and physical activity helps maintain functional ability. Combined, physical activity and good nutrition help support healthy aging.
morePhysical wellness
Exercise recommendations for older adults: an update by Nicole L. Rogers, PhD, and Michael E. Rogers, PhD, FACSM
Regular exercise has been shown to reduce the incidence of disability, increase the years of living independently, and improve the quality of life for older adults. A wealth of studies have found that regular exercise is associated with delayed all-cause mortality and a reduced chance of disability from diseases such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, arthritis, diabetes, some forms of cancer, osteoporosis, and pulmonary disease. Exercise is also a valuable treatment for each of these conditions.
morePhysical wellness
Communicate the value of warm-up, cool-down and stretching by Christine Schnitzer and Patty Trela, PT, DPT
••Warm-up, cool-down and safe stretching should be part of every group class. But as fitness instructors, how can we communicate the importance of proper pre-activity warm-up and post-activity cool-down/stretching to our clients who use fitness centers independently?
As exercise leaders, we encourage people to take ownership of their health by becoming and staying physically active for life. The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that for people over the age of 65 to realize the health benefits that exercise brings, they should get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week and do muscle-strengthening activities two or more days per week (1). This guideline serves to motivate people to add use of a treadmill, seated recumbent cross-trainer, stationary bicycle and similar equipment to their fitness program when it is convenient for them to do so.
Physical wellness
Rowing across the generations by Gary Gordon, PhD
In 1886, when the Duluth (Minnesota) Rowing Club was formed (1), Grover Cleveland was president, the Statue of Liberty was freshly cast, and Coca-Cola had just been invented. Then, rowing was a sport for young men. Today, rowing welcomes men and women, from ninth graders to centenarians. Some race on a 2,000-meter course (2,187 yards) and others prefer recreational rowing.
You’ve watched rowing as part of the Olympic Games, but perhaps haven’t given it much thought beyond that. To explain, boats with two oars per rower are known as “sculls” (which is also another name for the oars themselves). You row backward, so you can see where you’ve been. Sculls can be an individual or a team-building sport. For example, quads are racing shells that are 41 feet long and 2 feet wide; they hold four rowers. They can be used for competition or recreation. These boats are long and sleek, with seats that slide backward and forward on rails. Fixed sets of “shoes,” called stretchers, anchor the rowers’ feet.
