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- Trends
'Game-changing technologies for reaching and engaging the 55+ audience by Jeff Weiss
Needless to say, technology has been shaping the lives of the active-aging community at a quickening pace, far beyond anything we could have envisioned even five years ago. Its reach clearly extends beyond the capacity to deliver better care or to enhance connectivity with family and friends (although it is doing both of these in ever-expanding ways). More approachable technology is taking "Active Agers" places they haven't been before, improving how they can engage with the outside world and seamlessly enhancing their daily routines. Factoring the role of technology into how to connect with Active Agers applies as much to those working within senior living or aging services as it does to those selling insurance, automobiles, travel, or a host of other products and services. In this article, we'll take a quick look at four technologies that have the potential to reshape how you deliver products, services and messages to the 55+ market.
moreTrends
Robots: Enabling wellness, independence and enhanced quality of life by Marilynn Larkin, MA
"I define successful aging as being able to do what you want, when you want, where you want and with whom you want," says Wendy Rogers, PhD, an internationally known researcher in the area of technology and aging, and director of the Human Factors & Aging Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. A cognitive psychologist by training, she pursued her interest in how older adults learn and use new technologies for close to 20 years at Georgia Institute of Technology. The Journal on Active Aging recently spoke with Dr. Rogers, who is also an ICAA member, about her research on how robots can support successful aging, what's "out there" now with regard to these devices, and what's to come.
moreTrends
Wellness technologies: The next generation by Marilynn Larkin, MA
It's official. The time has come to overturn the stereotype that older adults aren't interested in technology and are afraid of it. All the data disprove it. According to a February 2018 AARP report, "Getting Connected: Older Americans Embrace Technology to Enhance Their Lives," 92% of adults over age 50 use a computer or laptop, 70% use a smartphone, and more than 43% use a tablet. And, 91% of those with these devices say they use technology to stay in touch with friends and family. This article explores seven "next generation" technologies with Lilian Myers, longevity economy consultant, and Andrew Carle, MHSA, longtime advocate of technology for senior living, to help JAA readers better understand these technologies and how they may support wellness.
moreTrends
Engaging with ElliQ by Marilynn Larkin, MA
"Robots that engage with people are absolutely the future. There's no question that's where robotics is moving," states Brian Scassellatis, PhD, a professor of computer science, cognitive science and mechanical engineering and director of the Social Robotics Lab at Yale University. ... Among the offerings moving right along with this trend is the award-winning "ElliQ, the Active Aging Companion," developed by Intuition Robotics.
moreTrends
Connected communities: A differentiator for sales, a boon for residents and staff by Marilynn Larkin, MA
Technology companies targeting older adults are finding a fertile testing ground in active-aging communities. In the January/February 2018 issue of the Journal on Active Aging, we reported on Maplewood Senior Living's experience piloting the Rendever virtual-reality software. In this column, we learn how and why Carlsbad, California-based Kisco Senior Living has embraced K4Connect. Headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, K4Connect provides "connected-life" technology that integrates in-home automation, health and wellness products, and social engagement services for residents and their families.
moreTrends
What an "ignited" older adult will look like in 2035 by Richard H. Carmona, MD, MPH, FACS
Mark Twain said that life would be better if we started at 80 and worked down to 18. George Burns said as he smoked his cigar, "If I had known I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself." He lived vigorously for 100 years. Being the comedian he was, when asked what he would like for his 90th birthday, he said, "A paternity suit"! Both Mark Twain and George Burns were "ignited" seniors in their time who lived twice their life expectancy and thrived through their last days. Based on their birthdates, they were anomalies not only for their longevity, but also due to their profound productivity through their entire long, ignited life spans. They indeed preserved and enhanced their brains' neural networks and cognitive ability. Today, the world is facing disruptive change without precedent. We will soon have more older people than children, and centenarians are becoming commonplace. Many questions arise from these seismic demographic shifts. Can we maintain or enhance health and cognitive ability as we age? How will society address these issues? What roles will technology and science play in supporting our seniors to stay ignited? ... Let's briefly look at the demographics and science of aging before addressing the concept of an ignited senior, how society must adjust, and the impact of technology and science on the ability of our older adults to "ignite."
more
