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
FIT Activity IN! by Mary Sanders, PhD, FACSM
Physical activity slows physiological changes associated with aging, improves exercise capacity, optimizes healthy weight and body composition, promotes psychological and cognitive well-being, helps to manage chronic diseases, reduces the risk of disability and increases longevity (ACSM, 2010). Positive improvements can occur at any age.
morePhysical wellness
Exercise modifications for older adults by Gay Elliott
“The less you do, the worse you feel, and the less you get out of life,” states Michael Gordon, a physician and professor of medicine at the University of Toronto. Exercise—especially for the older adult—is more about quality of life, remaining independent and feeling better than it is about having a flat stomach or the abdominal ‘six pack.’
How, then, do we as practitioners conduct our group-exercise or personal training sessions to make each and every older adult feel included, successful and safe? How do we as program directors insure that we have matched the right trainer or instructor with the clients? Do we know the modifications to equipment that we can make? Have we adjusted the program itself to fit the older client?
Physical wellness
Older adults get WISE in New Jersey by Diane Liga, BS
It all started in the mid-1990s with an article in a local newspaper. A reporter happened to visit his mother, who lived in one of New Jersey’s many retirement communities, on recycling day. As he drove through the neighborhood to her house, he was amazed to see street after street lined with recycling containers overflowing with liquor and wine bottles and beer cans. Rather than simply shake his head, he realized he was witnessing evidence of a serious problem.
morePhysical wellness
Strength training for frail older adults by Wayne L. Westcott, PhD, CSCS
There are numerous health-related reasons why adults of all ages should perform regular resistance exercise. Research has demonstrated that strength training is an effective means for:
• increasing muscle mass
• raising resting metabolic rate
• reducing body fat
• increasing bone mineral density
• improving glucose metabolism
•increasing gastrointestinal transit speed (i.e., how quickly food travels through the digestive system)
Physical wellness
Effective physical activity for the oldest-old by Marilynn Larkin, MA
On any given day, Tony Martin, 97, might be among the Hollywood personalities doing yoga under the guidance of Yuriko Byers, a personal yoga trainer from Malibu, California. Although Martin is a relatively new client, Byers worked with his wife, Cyd Charisse (who died in 2008), for many years. In a career spanning close to 40 years, Byers has learned that celebrities are no different from others when it comes to doing yoga: They may need some prodding and encouragement, but they appreciate the benefits, which include stress reduction and the ability to center themselves, as well as function better.
morePhysical wellness
Dance for older adults: a fun approach to exercise by Terry Ferebee Eckmann, PhD
If you want to increase physical activity among older clients, consider adding dance to your fitness/wellness programming. There are many reasons to incorporate dance into your activities. Dance to music is fun. And people are more likely to become and stay physically active if they enjoy what they’re doing. Dance can add variety to group fitness classes or a new dimension to services offered to this population. In addition, dance is a great physical activity—one that offers important benefits for older adults.
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