The physical wellness issue Agent of lifestyle change Dr. Andrew

Transcription

T H E
J O U R N A L
O N
M a r c h / A p r i l 2 0 1 5 , Vo l . 1 4 N o . 2
Dr. Andrew Weil, ‘father of
integrative medicine’
The physical wellness issue
Agent of lifestyle change
Dr. Andrew Weil delves
into diet, aging, health &
transforming medicine
Fitness challenge
A high-level fitness option
uplifts & motivates
participants
Skills & drills
Technique tips to improve
swimming efficiency
Train the brain
Build mental ‘muscle’ to
change the way we age
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The Journal on Active Aging®
March/April 2015,Vol. 14 No. 2
CEO & PUBLISHER
Colin Milner, [email protected]
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Jenifer Milner, [email protected]
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Mary E. Sanders, PhD, CDE, RCEP, FACSM
ART DIRECTOR
Jacob Benaroch
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Julie Milner, [email protected]
VICE PRESIDENT OF EDUCATION
Patricia Ryan, MS, [email protected]
DIRECTOR OF MEMBER SERVICES
Krystyna Kasprzak, BA, [email protected]
DIRECTOR OF MARKET DEVELOPMENT
Patsy LeBlanc, [email protected]
COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Marilynn Larkin, MA, [email protected]
LEAD SERVICES
Shari Akesson
The Journal on Active Aging® is published seven times per
year by the International Council on Active Aging®
(ICAA), a division of ICAA Services Inc. Contact
ICAA to find out about memberships or subscriptions
to the Journal on Active Aging®.
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available to members in the online “Member zone.”
Editorial submissions are welcome. Please send queries to
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for length, style, content and clarity.
C O N T
The physical wellness issue
Features
Nutrition Agent of lifestyle change: Dr. Andrew
Weil sows health for the whole person pg. 24
No one can deny Dr. Andrew Weil’s bold views or his real impact
when it comes to a more holistic approach to health at all ages.
Known as the “father of integrative medicine,” this renowned
physician discusses eating for health, aging well, and transforming
healthcare with the International Council on Active Aging’s founder
and CEO. By Colin Milner
Cognitive health Training the brain to change the
way we age, part 1: understanding neuroplasticity
pg. 36
Fitness and wellness professionals can help clients—and themselves—
build mental “muscle” for everyday life by adding brain games
to physical movement. This first installment of a two-part article
explores brain functions and skills, as well as brain-training research
and how it translates into practice. By Lawrence Biscontini, MA
Program profile Senior PUMP: a high-level fitness
program incorporates functional movements pg. 60
Friendship Village of Schaumburg, Illinois, developed this comprehensive fitness program to increase strength, prevent falls and build
confidence in older adults. By Michael McCann, MS, Jeff Rose, BS,
MBA, Jessica N. Enriquez, BS, ACSM, PT, and Jenna Belt, BS,
ACSM, PT, RYT
Cover: Dr. Andrew Weil, a pioneer in the field of integrative medicine,
believes health systems and society must shift energies and focus toward
health promotion and disease prevention. Integrative medicine is a
new—and transformative—model of medicine focused on ‘health and
prevention and the body’s natural healing power,’ he says. Photo: Chris
Mooney
The Journal on Active Aging® ISSN 1814-9162 (print),
ISSN 1814-9170 (online).
Contents copyright ©2015 by the International
Council on Active Aging®. All rights reserved. Send
permissions requests to Access Copyright by emailing
[email protected].
Disclaimer: The Publisher and Authors recognize
that older adults have medical and physical conditions
that affect the appropriate application of the
recommendations and exercises published in the
Journal on Active Aging®. Consult with a physician,
physical therapist, or other trained health or exercise
professional before using the exercises. The Publisher and
Authors are not responsible for any injury or
adverse effects from the application of the material
in the articles.
4
The Journal on Active Aging March/April 2015 www.icaa.cc
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E N T S
Splash! Improving swim skills & drills, part 1: the
freestyle stroke pg. 72
It’s never too late for swimmers to address common mistakes in
technique in order to achieve safe, effective body mechanics—and a
smooth glide. A two-part article, this first part dives into skills and
drills to improve swimming efficiency. By Mary E. Sanders, PhD, CDE,
RCEP, FACSM, and Nebojša Bikić
Looking for
the right
employee
or job?
Articles
ICAA initiatives ICAA Champion: introducing
Kisco’s Alex Gerasimov pg. 22
At Kisco BridgePoint at Los Altos, Wellness Director Alex Gerasimov
promotes the positive aspects of aging to residents through programming. “There is no better feeling,” he says, than “helping my seniors
find a new passion, and seeing them grow and live a legacy.”
Cool ideas It takes a community: Westminster
Village sets a world record during Active Aging
Week 2014 pg. 44
This Indiana continuing care retirement community achieved
a “history-making” goal last September, when residents, family
members, friends and community members smashed the Guinness
World Record for the most people doing chair-based exercise.
ICAA Innovators Morrison Senior Living’s Travel
the World program enriches lives with a culinary
journey pg. 54
From Cinco de Mayo to Oktoberfest, Morrison’s client communities
experienced dining events every month during this yearlong culinary
journey. The program’s “high-touch, versatile components” engaged
residents in experiences that stimulated all the senses.
ICAA initiatives Active Aging Week 2015: resources
for running a successful campaign pg. 66
As organizations begin to plan their Active Aging Week celebrations,
they can turn to the newly launched campaign website for an array of
support materials, both for organizations and individuals.
C o l u m n s
&
8
Comment
10
Industry news
16
News from ICAA
Preferred Business Partners
d e p a r t m e n t s
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Research in the news
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ICAA Preferred Business Partners
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ICAA directions
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Center––your online link
between people and
positions. Gain access to
the more than 10,000
organizations and
professionals served by the
International Council on
Active Aging®, and find
the ideal candidate or position
for your needs.
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call toll-free 866-335-9777
or 604-734-4466. Or go to
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14-08-07 2:42 PM
a b o u t
I C A A
A d v i s o r y
Scientific Advisory Board
• Steven Blair, PED, Arnold School of
Public Health, University of South
Carolina
• Wojtek Chodzko-Zajko, PhD,
University of Illinois at Urbana–
Champaign
• Terry Ferebee Eckmann, PhD, Minot
State University
• William J. Evans, PhD,
GlaxoSmithKline
• Kathie Garbe, PhD, University of
North Carolina–Asheville
• Ben Hurley, PhD, University of
Maryland School of Public Health
• Jamie Huysman, PsyD, WellMed
Medical Management
• Bob Laventure, MEd, British Heart
Foundation National Centre for
Physical Activity and Health
• Michael R. Mantell, PhD, Behavioral
Sciences Coach
• Kevin O’Neil, MD, Brookdale Senior
Living, Inc.
• Barbara Resnick, PhD, University of
Maryland School of Nursing
• Debra Rose, PhD, California State
University, Fullerton
• Mary E. Sanders, PhD, School of
Medicine, University of Nevada, Reno
• Maria Fiatarone Singh, MD, University
of Sydney
• Wayne Westcott, PhD, Quincy College
Industry Advisory Board
• Lorrayne Anthony, BSc, The Canadian
Press
• Ginger Anzalone, MBA, Vesta Facilities
Management
• Lawrence Biscontini, MA, Mindful
Movement Specialist
• Terry Fay, BA, Senior Lifestyle
Corporation
6
I C A A
B o a r d
• Helen Foster, BA, Foster Strategy, LLC
• Jeff Glaze, MBA, ABHOW
• Barbara Kleger, BS, Kleger associates, a
division of KD Partners, LLC
• Brenda Loube, MS, Corporate Fitness
Works
• Jan Montague, MGS, Whole-Person
Wellness International
• John Rude, MS, John Rude &
Associates
• Martha Schram, BS, Aegis Therapies
• Kathy Smith, BBA, Kathy Smith
Lifestyles
• Lynn Thorneburg, JD, Institute for
Preventive Foot Health
• Kay Van Norman, MS, Brilliant Aging
• Ronda Watson, RD, Atria Senior Living
• Stephanie Wong, BA, Healthways
Marketing Advisory Board
• Lori Bitter, MS, The Business of Aging
• Robin Craig, MA, MBK Senior Living
• Douglas Fitzgerald, EdD, Boomer
Senior Living International
• Todd Harff, MBA, Creating Results
• Anne Holmes, MS, National
Association of Baby Boomer Women
• Gill Walker, MS, Evergreen Advertising
& Marketing
Supplier Advisory Board
• Nathanel Eisenberg, CogniFit
• Anson Flake, HydroWorx
• Herb Flentye, SPRI Products
• Don Gronachan, Biodex Medical
Systems
• Lee Hillman, Performance Health
Systems, LLC
• Crystal Romberger, Ball Dynamics
International, LLC
• Jocelyn Vande Velde, Matrix Fitness
THE ICAA
PHILOSOPHY
Changing the way
we age®
We can change the way we age
by staying active, to the fullest
extent possible, within all areas of
life: physical, spiritual, emotional,
intellectual, vocational, social and
environmental. Aging
within these dimensions of
wellness keeps us involved, alert
and enjoying a productive life.
Active aging
The concept of active aging is
summed up in the phrase “engaged
in life.” Individuals can participate in
life as fully as possible, regardless of
socioeconomic status or health
conditions, within the wellness
dimensions.
Age-friendly
ICAA’s age-friendly philosophy
designates programs that provide
the information, access and
motivation people need to become
and stay active through all levels of
functional ability.
A phone call a day
keeps the doctor away
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Simply have a hearing-care or healthcare professional
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Stay Connected—Stay Well
Hearing loss has a significant impact on one’s
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COMMENT
M o re t h a n a ‘ c o o l t h i n g ’
I’ve traveled in the aging-services world
for more than 20 years and visited a lot of
organizations that provide physical activity and exercise opportunities for older
adults. Many organizations grasp why it’s
important to offer these opportunities to
residents or members. Others still lack
a clear understanding. Today, I want to
clear the air. Let’s talk about the most
compelling reasons for your organization—or any aging-services organization—to give your members or residents
these options.
Physical activity opportunities are not
just a “cool thing” to offer. Nor are they
a marketing ploy or a retention tool. Yes,
you’ll achieve your desired results if that’s
what you aim to achieve—but your organization will miss out on the more important outcomes. Programs, environments
and spaces can inspire older people to
transform their lives, leading to benefits
that have a higher meaning.
To see what investing in physical activity
and exercise truly means, look into the
faces of your residents or members as
they stand on their own for the first time
in years, or dance with a granddaughter
at her wedding, or cross the finish line at
a local walking event. These life moments
are priceless. They provide everyone with
great joy and satisfaction. These moments
are only possible, though, because physical activity and exercise helped individuals reverse or slow the declines associated
with aging and lifestyle.
Physical activity not only supports quality of life, independence and improved
8
function—physical, cognitive and social—in people ages 50 and older, it also
impacts virtually every aspect of society.
There is the economic impact. Physically
active lifestyles lower the costs that inactivity impose on the healthcare system
(about US$75 billion a year in the United States alone); decrease the number
of people who leave the workplace early
due to ill-health; increase the pool of human capital; and lessen the need for supportive services (or shift the needs from
home “care” to home “health”). Society
also gains many financial benefits when
people age actively. There are effects on
everything from containing the total
wage, Social Security and private-pension
losses associated with caregiving—close
to $3 trillion in the US, according to a
2013 report from the MetLife Mature
Market Institute—to helping workplaces
and countries remain more competitive.
Yet, it is the personal impact derived from
physical activity and exercise that will
most reward you.
Don’t believe me? Consider the impact
on your life if you were to lose your ability
to function day-to-day. For example, how
would you interact with all that you take
for granted—family, friends, community?
How would you get around? Who would
you rely on for assistance, and would they
always be available? How would your
mental health change? Would your cognitive abilities diminish along with your
physical ones? And what would you pay
to restore your function?
“Transformational” is no understatement when we describe the benefits of
exercise and physical activity for older
adults.
Is it in the budget to transform lives? To
inspire change? To make a difference?
These are the vital reasons to provide
physical activity and exercise opportunities for your residents or members. When
those things become your goals, older
adults and their families will feel the
higher purpose behind your offerings.
Trust me, they will respond. You will
grow your bottom-line and you will retain
your residents or members—plus you will
have a more positive, satisfied customer
base to help you spread the word.
This issue of the Journal on Active Aging®
focuses on physical wellness, including
nutrition, exercise and related programming. You’ll also find physical movement
to be an essential element in the braintraining article on pages 36–42. Check
out these articles for ideas to incorporate
in your own setting. Society can profit—
as can you—when many more older
adults dance with their daughters, run a
10K, work or open a new enterprise, or
just have the ability to do so.
Colin Milner, CEO
Connect with Colin Milner on
Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.
T H E
A C T I V E
A G I N G
C O M P A N Y
Comprehensive Solution
to Implement Active Aging Programs
•SmartCard System
Personal computerized exercise programs
•Measure Outcomes
Sets up machines automatically and records all activities
•Manage Falls
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Industry NEWS
“[This year’s] award recipients recognize
the value of promoting strong bonds
between the generations and working
together to create a vibrant, meaningful
place to live for every generation,” stated
MetLife’s president and chief executive
officer, Dennis White. “MetLife Foundation is pleased to recognize the four
communities that have demonstrated
forward thinking in helping to create
an environment that benefits an entire
community.” For a report on these communities, visit www.gu.org.
Ian Calvert and the Singing for the Brain Chorus perform at the recent Plymouth
Dementia Conference in the United Kingdom. Image courtesy of Plymouth University
‘Singing for the Brain’ groups
help raise Alzheimer’s
awareness and funds
In partnership with Peninsula Arts at
Plymouth University in Devon, England,
Alzheimer’s Society “Singing for the
Brain” groups recently launched a bid
for chart success in the United Kingdom
with an emotional song highlighting
what is still possible after being diagnosed with dementia. Never Will Forget
(John’s Song ) was penned by Ian Calvert,
a television and radio host. Calvert was
inspired to write the song and raise
funds for Alzheimer’s research and support after witnessing his father-in-law’s
physical and mental health deteriorate
due to dementia. The songwriter is lead
vocalist on the recording. His backup
singers are people with dementia and
their caregivers, all members of the Alzheimer’s Society’s Singing for the Brain
social activity groups from Plymouth.
“Even when many memories are hard
to retrieve, music can sometimes still
be recalled,” says Debbie Donnison, regional operations manager for the
Alzheimer’s Society in South West
England. “It is great that people with
dementia were able to be actively in10
volved in the making of this record.
Working in partnership with Plymouth
University and Peninsula Arts, the Singing for the Brain groups themselves
have demonstrated that being an active
part of the community is still very much
possible if you receive a diagnosis of dementia.” A video of the singers performing is available at www.youtube.com/
watch?v=ISWNODy6WzQ; the song is
available at major online music stores.
Senior Lifestyle rebrands
wellness programming
Chicago, Illinois-based Senior Lifestyle
Corporation recently rebranded its wellness programming. “From our decades
of experience, we’ve identified what we
believe are the core elements of a fulfilling life,” observes Terry Fay, director of
Resident Programs for the senior living
company and International Council on
Active Aging Advisory Board Member.
“[They] include the freedom to move,
grow, feel, reflect, connect and contribute.” These elements are now the cornerstones of Senior Lifestyle’s programming, called “Be Inspired.”
• Carlisle, Massachusetts
• Greater Richmond Region, Virginia
• Greater Plymouth Area, Wisconsin
New Jersey provider extends
home care services
Springpoint Senior Living, a New Jerseybased nonprofit provider of seniors
housing and services, has acquired privately held Senior Care Management,
a home care company with offices in
Ewing. The addition of Senior Care
Management is expected to extend and
complement the Springpoint at Home
professional suite of health and wellness
services. Allowing for expansion in local markets, the combined Springpoint
at Home organization now has over 150
staff members serving over 100 clients
and families in New Jersey. Anticipated
revenues are projected to be nearly US$5
million annually.
A fourth community—City of Surprise,
Arizona—was named national finalist.
Continued on page 12
Communities recognized for
intergenerational ties
Earlier this year in Washington, DC,
MetLife Foundation and nonprofit Generations United presented three “age-optimized” communities with awards that
celebrate their intergenerational solidarity. The Best Intergenerational Communities Award also heightens awareness of
the important role this solidarity plays
in building strong, vibrant communities.
The recipients for 2015 were:
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Industry NEWS Continued from page 10
nutrition, and includes fitness classes,
educational activities and social events.
The state provides incentives such as
pedometers, T-shirts, water bottles and
exercise kits to participants as they reach
the goals they have set throughout the
program.
Residents at Presbyterian Village North
proved to be eager to accomplish fitness
goals they set through the Texercise program. Image courtesy of Presbyterian Village North
“Combining Senior Care Management
services with our Springpoint at Home
suite of services under the Springpoint
Senior Living umbrella supports our
comprehensive, healthcare approach,”
says Gary Puma, president and CEO.
The combined organization allows
Springpoint to provide enhanced services to residents of its continuing care
retirement communities and offer the
same healthcare and services to those in
surrounding market areas.
Residents in Dallas senior
living community take up
‘Texercise’
At Presbyterian Village North (PVN),
a nonprofit senior living community in
Dallas, Texas, more than 60 residents
started the New Year by signing up for
a 12-week health-promotion program,
Texercise, as a way to set new fitness
goals. Texercise encourages individuals
and communities to incorporate healthy
lifestyle habits, such as physical activity and improved nutrition, into daily
routines.
Offered in conjunction with the State
of Texas, Texercise provides educational sessions on physical health and
12
Wellness Director Shannon Radford has
led the program at PVN since January,
tailoring it to the needs and interests
of residents. The community was “excited to extend this opportunity to our
residents to help them enhance their
healthy fitness habits and learn more
about all aspects of wellness,” Radford
says. As of press time, participating
residents looked forward to an April
Fool’s Day walk called “Any Way Any
K” to celebrate finishing the program.
“Any Way Any K” means “residents can
complete any number of kilometers, by
running or walking, to celebrate their
fitness achievements.” PVN planned a
large breakfast and festivities after the
walk for everyone to enjoy.
In 1990, Reverend Dora Atlas opened a
soup kitchen to feed the hungry in Asheboro, North Carolina. Image courtesy of
Piedmont Crossing
Piedmont Crossing resident
honored for efforts
Nearly 300 members of the Asheboro,
North Carolina, community and surrounding areas recently honored the
Reverend Dora Atlas, who has been
Do you have news to share?
The Journal on Active Aging®
welcomes your news submissions.
Please send your press releases to
[email protected]—the Journal’s
email for submissions—and staff
will consider your news for possible
publication. Newsworthy topics
include such things as center/
community openings; initiative or
campaign launches; announcements
of awards, promotions or grants; and
other topics of interest to activeaging professionals.
feeding the homeless and others in need
for the last 25 years. Atlas, now 93, lives
at Piedmont Crossing, a United Church
Homes and Services community in
Thomasville.
In 1989, after retiring as minister of the
First Congregational United Church of
Christ in Asheboro, Atlas felt called to
take her ministry out to the community,
and set out to open a soup kitchen. She
planned to finance the project using her
social security check and personal savings. Still in full operation today, Our
Daily Bread Kitchen receives no funding—all items are donated; all time is
volunteered.
“Usually, I am not at a loss for words, but
tonight I am overwhelmed,” Atlas commented at the recent ceremony. During
her speech, she shared her appreciation
for the support of the community, and
she thanked those who donate food and
time to cook, serve and clean. In her
closing remarks, Atlas said, “I dreamed a
dream, and that dream has come true.”
Safety campaign seeks
to relieve stigma about
dementia in multilingual
communities
In partnership with the Government of
Ontario, Canada, the Alzheimer Society of Ontario will expand the award-
winning Finding Your Way™ program by
reaching out to Arabic, Tagalog, Tamil
and Urdu communities. Now available
in 12 languages, the multicultural safetyawareness initiative is designed to raise
awareness of the risks of going missing
for people with dementia. It also seeks
to prevent such incidents from happening.
Mental illnesses and neurological diseases such as dementia may be misunderstood in many ethnic communities.
Lack of awareness increases the risks
of missing incidents. Finding Your Way
works to help society as a whole better
understand some of the behaviors associated with dementia and provides
tools to deal with the risk of going
missing.
The initiative’s website includes information to help families create personalized
safety plans and tips for the community
on how to help someone with dementia
who may be lost. Various public service
announcements and caregiver video stories are also available in various languages.
Go to www.findingyourwayontario.ca
for more.
Park Springs’ performance
featured on CBS TV
On February 1, 2015, one of the segments aired on CBS Sunday Morning
featured Park Springs, a senior living
community in Stone Mountain, Georgia.
The spotlight was on 91-year-old Marvin
Himmel and his Park Springs troupe
that performed Himmel’s Forever Young,
For Evermore show to sold-out audiences
during four nights in November.
The television feature was moderated by
Bill Geist and directed by David Rothman, who with his crew visited Park
Springs a number of times during the
2014 rehearsal and development period
and shot 25 hours of material to build
the story. More than 60 Park Springs
members participated, including performers, dancers, and a technical crew
in charge of lighting, costumes, scenery
and props. Forever Young, For Evermore
was the eighth show created, directed
and produced by Himmel since he
moved into the community in 2004.
“We designed Park Springs to be a true
community for our members,” says
Kevin Isakson, director of sales and
marketing with Isakson Living, the community’s owner and operator. “Marvin
Himmel’s annual show is a great example
of how our members combine their creative and artistic energies, and enjoy life
to the fullest.”
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Industry NEWS Continued from page 13
North Carolina community
launches capital campaign
Abernethy Laurels, a continuing care retirement community in Newton, North
Carolina, recently announced a US$3.6million capital campaign to build a new
healthcare center. Now in the public
phase, the campaign will fund construction of a new two-story healthcare facility, as well as complete demolition and
rebuilding of the existing healthcare
center.
The first phase of the project will
house those needing rehabilitation and
memory care services. “It’s important
that we prepare to serve the aging Baby
Boomer population, which is expected
to increase 68% over the next two decades in Catawba and Lincoln counties,”
comments Amber McIntosh, Abernethy
Laurels’ executive director.
Anthony A. Argondizza. Image
courtesy of Springpoint Senior Living
Correction
In the Journal on Active Aging’s
January/February 2015 issue,
we incorrectly reported that
Springpoint Senior Living had
appointed Anthony A. Argondizza
as senior vice president. In fact,
Argondizza is executive vice
president of the New Jersey seniors
housing and services provider. We
apologize for this error.
14
Moves and more
Inez Oehlke, 94, who was featured in
the November/December 2014 Journal
on Active Aging®, was recently named
“Citizen of the Year” by the Woodbury Area Chamber of Commerce in
Woodbury, Minnesota, and honored at
a gala event; Oehlke and Helen Miller
are among the Woodbury Senior Living residents featured in the new “Face
Aging MN” campaign launched by
the Long-Term Care Imperative, a collaboration between Care Providers of
Minnesota and LeadingAge Minnesota
… Abernethy Laurels in Newton, North
Carolina, recently welcomed the Reverend Susan Roddey to serve as director of spiritual life at the not-for-profit
community … Doug Leidig, chief operating officer of Asbury Communities
Inc., headquartered in Germantown,
Maryland, was elected to chair the
board of LeadingAge Maryland … Alice
Wong, Canada’s minister of state for
seniors, announced the appointment of
James T. Evanchuk, executive director
of the Active Living Coalition for Older
Adults (ALCOA) in Manitoba, to the
National Seniors Council; the Council
advises the federal government on matters related to older-adult well-being
and quality of life … Richard Kieley
has become a partner at c.c. hodgson
architectural group in Cleveland, Ohio
… Capitol Lakes Foundation, located in
Madison, Wisconsin, has named Elaine
Friedman Glowacki as its new director
… David Eskenazy has succeeded Tana
Gall as president of Seattle, Washington-based Merrill Gardens … Traditions
of America, headquartered in Radnor,
Pennsylvania, recently received six gold
and one silver award in the National
Association of Home Builders’ Best of
50+ Housing Awards competition …
the John A. Hartford Foundation announced that Terry Fulmer, PhD, RN,
FAAN, international leader in geriatrics and dean of the Bouvé College of
Health Sciences at Northeastern University, will become its new president,
effective May 2015 … Lowell Fein,
who chairs the board for the National
and International Councils of Certified
Dementia Practitioners, was selected
as Distinguished Administrator of the
Year by the New Jersey chapter of the
American College of Health Care Administrators … Steve Muller has joined
Garden Spot Village in New Holland,
Pennsylvania, as chief operating officer
… Linda Siminerio, RN, PhD, is now
chair of the National Diabetes Education Program, a joint program of the
US National Institutes of Health and
the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention … Stagebridge senior theater company in Oakland, California,
welcomed Sadie Harmon as Training
Institute and Outreach manager …
Pennsylvania-based Genesis HealthCare, LLC, has completed its previously announced merger with Skilled
Healthcare Group, Inc.; the newly
combined company will operate under
the name Genesis Healthcare, Inc.
… the National Senior Citizens Law
Center, headquartered in Washington,
DC, has changed its name to Justice
In Aging … AGE Platform Europe,
based in Brussels, Belgium, joined the
World Health Organization’s Global
Network of Age-Friendly Cities and
Communities as an institutional affiliate … John Diffey, president and CEO
of Pennsylvania-based Kendal Corporation since 1992, has notified the
board of directors that he will retire in
mid-2016 … and, after serving nearly
20 years as chief operating officer of
Oxford, Mississippi-based ProMatura
Group, Bernie L. Smith is stepping
down to pursue a new family business
venture; Bobby A. Towery has joined
the global market research and advisory firm as president.
Industry news: studies, campaigns and programs
CDC releases resource
Arthritis affects more than 52 million
adults in the United States and is the
most common cause of disability. Despite this, arthritis often takes a back
seat to other chronic diseases both in
treatment and in public awareness. The
US Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention has released an Arthritis
Media Kit that can be a useful source
of information for newsletter articles
or health education programs intended
to help individuals improve quality of
life. Available at www.cdc.gov/arthritis/
press/index.html, the kit provides arthritis data and statistics. It also includes
infographics that capture key information and transform it into shortened
messages in visually appealing images.
Grant enables researchers to
study safety of older drivers
To understand the safety and mobility
needs of older drivers, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has launched a
five-year, US$12-million Longitudinal
Research on Aging Drivers (LongROAD)
project with Columbia University’s
Mailman School of Public Health and
six other institutions. The project will
track approximately 3,000 active drivers ages 65–79 years. Findings from
five study sites in California, Colorado,
Maryland, Michigan and New York will
shed light on the effects of aging on
driving, specific risk factors (including
prescription drug use and deteriorating vision), circumstances surrounding
driving cessation, and mobility options
for older adults who no longer drive.
Researchers will follow drivers through
annual assessments and interviews. To
learn about the participants’ driving patterns, each vehicle will be fitted with a
GPS device.
Data from the project will allow researchers to better understand the role
of physical and cognitive functions,
medical conditions, medications and
vehicle technologies in driving safety.
Researchers will also examine how older
drivers self-regulate to avoid difficult
driving conditions, and the causes and
consequences of driving cessation.
NHS, Age UK craft proactive
approach to managing frailty
In light of the increasing aging population in the United Kingdom, Catherine
Thompson, head of Patient Experience
for Acute Services at NHS [National
Health Service] England, recently highlighted the need “to provide highquality health and social care, so that we
not only live longer lives, but live longer
healthier, active and independent lives.”
For many people, however, “advancing
age is associated with frailty,” Thompson
said. She emphasized the importance of
“rethinking” old age and moving from
a reactive to a proactive approach to
managing frailty. With that in mind,
NHS England is working in partnership
with London-based charity Age UK to
raise awareness and explore potential
solutions.
Two “Empowering Older People’s Care”
summits were held in February and
March to facilitate the sharing of good
practice, networking, and the exchange
of ideas around delivering the best
possible care to frail older adults. The
partners’ overarching aim is to develop
new tools and resources to support NHS
commissioners and providers in this
work. They also want to explore what
good care might look like in various
localities.
Global collaboration launches
to fund dementia disease
research
Alzheimer’s Research UK, the Alzheimer’s Association in the United States, and
the Weston Brain Institute in Canada recently launched the initiative MEND—
”MEchanisms of cellular death in NeuroDegeneration”—with a fund of US$1.25
million for targeted research into brain
diseases that cause dementia. MEND
is open to applications from scientists
around the globe. Researchers will be
encouraged to collaborate on projects,
sharing knowledge and resources in
order to speed up progress. The project
hopes to help answer fundamental questions about the similarities and differences between different diseases that
cause dementia, such as whether the
underlying mechanisms that cause cell
death differ from one disease to another.
More information is available at www.
alz.org/research/alzheimers_grants/
mend.asp.
Dietary guidelines report
reinforces need for healthy
eating, says AHA
The American Heart Association says
new recommendations for the next update of US federal Dietary Guidelines
will provide effective support for those
who want to achieve a healthy diet. Released in February by the 2015 Dietary
Guidelines Advisory Committee, the
advisory committee’s preliminary report
will inform the Departments of Health
and Human Services and Agriculture
as they craft new guidelines, due later
this year. The report, written by a panel
of 14 nutrition experts, stresses the importance of a healthy dietary pattern
limited in saturated and trans fats, added
sugars, and sodium. The report is available at www.dietaryguidelines.gov.
University press debuts
interdisciplinary journal
Oxford University Press (OUP) recently
launched a peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary journal, Work, Aging and Retirement, which is published in association
with Lingnan (University) College of
Sun Yat-sen University in China. Initially, the journal will be freely
accessible.
“… Throughout the world, nations
are just beginning to adapt to aging
populations, making this a vital area of
research,” says Alison Denby, editorial
director of the OUP journals program.
“Oxford University Press is happy to
help drive communication of these important results through [Work, Aging
and Retirement ], which will … directly
address aging workforce issues.” The
journal reflects a broad community of
professionals in the fields of psychology,
sociology, economics, gerontology, business and management, and industrial
labor relations. For more information,
including article submission guidelines,
visit workar.oxfordjournals.org.
15
NEWS from ICAA Preferred Business Partners
to a game, favorite television show, spiritual content, or calming sounds and music, depending on their needs, interests
or skills. Results showed a 20–50% drop
in the total number of doses given to
individuals taking as-needed psychotropic medications. See www.in2l.com for
company details.
UltraSite’s new approach provides outdoor
fitness for the age 50+ adult
UltraSite launches outdoor
fitness solution
UltraSite recently released its FiftyPlus
Fitness approach for those who wish
to maintain everyday activities and
enjoy the outdoors at the same time.
The products in the FiftyPlus program
are designed specifically for the activeaging population and feature elements
that provide extra support and stability,
allowing for a comfortable exercise experience. These features include, among
others, extra-wide comfort seats with
built-in handgrips, handrails and support bars with textured handgrips, and
lowered stepover points to reduce tripping hazards. All ActionFit equipment
lines provide cardiovascular training,
muscle strengthening, balance/flexibility and core strength. For more about the
FiftyPlus Fitness program, refer to www.
actionfitoutdoors.com.
iN2L systems appear to lower
use of psychotropic drugs
Preliminary results of a yearlong study
by It’s Never 2 Late (iN2L) and Western
Home Communities in Iowa show that
use of person-centered engagement
technology reduces the need for psychotropic medication in residents with
dementia. Western Home Communities
implemented iN2L computer systems in
its Martin Health Center. Residents who
displayed behavioral and psychological
symptoms of dementia were redirected
16
EnerG by Aegis increases
resident engagement
EnerG by Aegis® Wellness Services
has developed programs that embrace
ICAA’s Changing the Way We Age®
Campaign, to advance the way the aging population is perceived and increase
resident engagement/participation. A
recent Aegis survey showed residents
reporting a 90% increase in community
engagement and a 128% increase in
participation.
Also, EnerG expanded its Wellness
University, which offers educational
opportunities for residents. Wellness
University now includes a link that will
streamline patient flow throughout the
care transition, allowing individuals to
regain strength and independence for
improved quality of life, while opening
a gateway to active aging. For information, visit www.aegistherapies.com.
Body Bar debuts new water
fitness programs, products
Body Bar recently introduced AquaFlex Part Deux to expand its AquaFlex
water-fitness workout with new moves.
The company also offers the NoodleFlex, which combines the buoyancy of a
standard pool noodle with the resistive
properties of the AquaFlex bar for a
suspended, challenging aqua-fitness experience. Additionally, as of press time,
Body Bar’s Flex Trek Walking Program
will be presented at the FitnessFest Conference & Expo in Scottsdale, Arizona,
in late April. Created by award-winning
instructor/teacher trainer June Kahn,
the low-impact walking workout is designed to enhance cardiorespiratory and
heart health, plus muscular endurance
and core conditioning. For details, view
www.bodybar.com.
Davey Coach welcomes new
manufacturer
Davey Coach Sales has expanded its
manufacturers’ list to include Meridian
Specialty Vehicles, a specialty upfitter of Mercedes-Benz Sprinter shuttle
buses. Meridian vehicles are known for
their forward plug doors, which allow
up to 20 seats with easy entry and exit.
All Sprinters and buses (including Meridian vehicles) sold by Davey Coach
may be customized to meet customers’
specific needs. This includes installing
ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act]approved wheelchair lifts, Nanocide
antimicrobial clean bus conversions,
foldaway seating options, and moveable
luggage walls. A wide variety of floor
plans and seating options are available.
Check out www.daveycoach.com to
learn more.
Biodex’s Sit2Stand allows multiple repetitions of the sit-to-stand cycle
Biodex unveils device
Biodex Medical Systems recently released its Sit2Stand™ Trainer, a mobility
enhancement device designed to provide
the lower-body strength with proper
biomechanics to achieve the sit-to-stand
motion. Suitable for use in both physical rehabilitation and wellness settings,
the trainer provides a safe, progressive
environment for the individual to move
through the seated to standing motions, either independently or with a
therapist’s guidance. Features include
accessible, easy-to-use adjustment levers
and biomechanically positioned arm
supports. The Sit2Stand contributes to
upper-extremity strength as well, to help
diminish pain from upper-body compensation for lower-extremity weakness.
For additional information, visit Biodex
online at www.biodex.com/rehab.
Article highlights results for
HydroWorx client
HydroWorx recently called attention
to an article published in Provider
magazine’s September 2014 issue, in
which author Jackie Halbin, living well
manager at Lakeview Village in Lenexa,
Kansas, describes the community’s use
of technology—including its therapy
pool—to improve residents’ overall wellness. Although not stated, Lakeview uses
the HydroWorx 1200 therapy pool as
part of its fall prevention program, allowing balance exercises to be done in a
safe environment. The article reported
“an overall 45% increase in center of
gravity, 64% increase in lower-body
strength, and 35% increase in agility in
participants ….” Visit www.hydroworx.
com for product details.
Rejuvenate expands into
Utah, refreshes website
Rejuvenate Salon & Spa is partnering
with Kisco Senior Living to provide
salon and spa services for a new Kisco
community in Utah, scheduled to open
in May 2015. With its latest partnership, Rejuvenate now serves senior living communities in seven states. Kisco
residents will receive a full suite of
contemporary salon services as well as
massage, skincare, manicures, pedicures,
and other spa and wellness services. To
learn what else is new at Rejuvenate, see
the company’s latest newsletter. Log on
to Rejuvenate’s updated website at www.
rejuvenatesalonandspas.com, scroll to
the bottom of the “Services” page, and
click on the newsletter button.
Moving Toward Health begins
research on hand function
Moving Toward Health has joined with
a research team at Minnesota State Uni-
versity for a study to determine if Nia
hand and finger moves provide relief
from hand discomfort due to arthritis
or injury in older adults. In addition, the
study will measure handgrip strength
and function performing common
tasks. Participants will be drawn from
both independent-living and assistedliving communities. Nia is a mind-body
exercise program that uses “52 Moves”
incorporated into its choreography. The
15 moves specific to hands and fingers
will be used in the study. For additional
information, contact janet@moving
towardhealth.com or call 541-729-2894.
Morrison will place an even greater emphasis on healthy, sustainable menus
Morrison announces key
initiatives
Morrison Senior Living will engage
four key initiatives based on “Menus of
Change” Principles of Healthy, Sustainable Menus recently adopted by parent
company Compass Group. The initiatives are:
1. Increase customer access to vegetables and fruits by focusing on globally
inspired, largely plant-based cooking.
2. Include recipes/concepts where meat
plays a more supporting role, reducing red-meat portion sizes and offerings, and leveraging strategies from
seasonal and local flavors, vegetable
proteins and global cuisines.
3. Increase offerings of grain options
that are more than 50% whole grain.
4. Employ conscious menuing and
messaging that promotes health and
sustainability.
For company information, see www.
morrisonseniorliving.com.
The Cybex Eagle NX Back Extension
trains lumbar and hip extension
Cybex equipment nominated
for award
Cybex International has garnered FIBO
award attention again. In 2012, the exercise equipment manufacturer won the
FIBO Innovation Award for its Bravo
Functional Trainer. Now, the company
is nominated for the 2015 Innovation
Award for its Cybex Eagle NX Back Extension. Part of Cybex’s 15-piece Eagle
NX strength line, the machine has a
curved lumbar pad to encourage optimal
spinal range of motion and promote
controlled movement. A two-position
lumbar pad allows users to train hip or
lumbar extension, or both at the same
time. And a counterbalancing system
offsets the user’s weight for more consistent loading. For Cybex product details,
visit www.cybexintl.com
NuStep debuts new feature
NuStep, Inc., recently introduced StrideLock™, a feature designed to enhance
the safety of NuStep recumbent cross
trainers and promote greater ease of use.
Developed as a result of customer feedback, StrideLock locks the machine’s
arm handles and foot pedals to facilitate
client transfers on/off the equipment.
The StrideLock feature also increases the
sense of safety and stability for clients—
including those with mobility issues—
who want to exercise independently. “As
an advocate of inclusive fitness, NuStep
is always seeking ways to enhance the
accessibility of our products,” says Vice
President of Sales and Marketing Steve
Sarns. Refer to www.nustep.com for
product information.
17
RESEARCH in the news
dietary advice was confirmed both with
dietary records and by measuring specific
biomarkers in the participants’ blood and
urine.
Healthy diet lowers risk of
heart disease by a third
Men and women who adapt their daily
diet to meet current United Kingdom
dietary guidelines could reduce their risk
of a heart attack or stroke significantly,
according to a new study by researchers
from King’s College London.
The study recruited 162 healthy, nonsmoking men and women to compare the
effects on cardiovascular disease (CVD)
risk factors of following a diet based on
the guidelines compared with a traditional British diet (high in saturated fat,
salt and sugar; low in fiber, oily fish and
fruits and vegetables). Participants were
between 40 and 70 years of age. Their predicted risk of CVD over the next 10 years
was estimated to be about 8% in the men
and 4% in the women.
In the randomized controlled trial, researchers measured the blood pressure,
vascular function and CVD risk factors
(such as cholesterol) in the individuals
who followed a traditional diet (control
group) or an adapted one over a 12-week
period. Those on the modified diet ate
oily fish once a week, consumed more
fruits and vegetables, replaced refined
with wholegrain cereals, swapped highfat dairy products and meats for low-fat
alternatives, and restricted their intake of
added sugar and salt. Participants were
asked to replace cakes and cookies with
fruits and nuts; they were also supplied
with cooking oils and spreads high in
monounsaturated fat. Adherence to the
18
Significant falls in systolic blood pressure/diastolic blood pressure of 4.2/2.5
mmHg for daytime and 2.9/1.9 mmHg
for nighttime were measured in the dietary group compared with the control
group; the average heart rate was found
to have lowered by 1.8 beats per minute.
Levels of cholesterol also fell by 8%.
Changes in the ratio of total cholesterol
to high-density cholesterol were modest, however, compared with the effects
of drugs such as statins. No significant
change was recorded in markers for insulin sensitivity, which predicts the risk of
developing type 2 diabetes.
Overall, the study concluded that healthy
men and women over age 40 who adapt
their diet to current UK dietary guidelines reduce their risk of heart disease
by up to a third. “Our findings apply to
middle-aged and older people without
existing health problems,” says Emeritus
Professor Tom Sanders, study coauthor.
“This is important because most heart
attacks and strokes occur in those not
identified as being at high risk.” Citation: American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2015, doi:10.3945/ajcn.114.097352.
Source: King’s College London, March
18, 2015
Healthy eating, exercise
and brain training may slow
cognitive decline
A recent randomized controlled trial
appears to show that a comprehensive
program providing older Finns at risk of
dementia with healthy eating guidance,
exercise, brain training, and management
of metabolic and vascular risk factors
slows cognitive decline.
In the Finnish Geriatric Intervention
Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment
and Disability (FINGER) study, researchers assessed the effects on brain function
of an intervention aimed at addressing
some of the most important risk factors
for age-related dementia, such as high
body-mass index and heart health. A total
of 1,260 people from across Finland, ages
60–77 years, were included in the study.
Half the participants were randomly assigned to the intervention group and the
other half to a control group that received
regular health advice only. All study participants were deemed at risk of dementia, based on standardized test scores.
Regular meetings took place with physicians, nurses and other health professionals over 2 years. Participants were given
comprehensive advice on maintaining
a healthy diet, both muscle- and cardiovascular-training exercise programs,
brain-training exercises, and management of metabolic and vascular risk factors through regular blood tests and other
means.
After 2 years, study participants’ mental
function was scored using a standard
test, the Neuropsychological Test Battery, where a higher score corresponds to
better mental functioning. Overall test
scores in the intervention group were
25% higher than in the control group.
For some parts of the test, the difference
between groups was even more striking—
for executive functioning (the brain’s
ability to organize and regulate thought
processes), scores were 83% higher in the
intervention group, and processing speed
was 150% higher.
The researchers plan to monitor the participants for at least 7 years to determine
whether reduced levels of dementia and
Alzheimer’s diagnoses will follow the
diminished cognitive decline seen in this
trial. The team will also investigate possible mechanisms whereby the intervention
might affect brain function. Citation:
The Lancet, 2015; doi: 10.1016/S01406736(15)60461-5. Source: The Lancet,
March 11, 2015
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19
RESEARCH in the news Continued from page 18
‘New freedoms’ help age 65+
adults live in the ‘best home
of their lives’
Sixty-five percent of retired individuals
say they are living in the best homes of
their lives, according to a recent Merrill
Lynch study conducted in partnership
with consulting firm Age Wave. With
newfound freedom from work and family
restrictions, fewer home-related financial
concerns, and unprecedented longevity,
America’s “retirees” are more empowered
to pursue a home that fits their desired
lifestyle and changing priorities, the researchers note.
Released in February 2015, the “Home
in Retirement: More Freedom, New
Choices” study further reveals that 64%
of retirees are likely to move at least once
during retirement, with 37% having
already moved and 27% anticipating doing so. The study, based on a nationally
representative survey of more than 3,600
respondents, also examines the connections people have to where they live.
Highlights of the findings include:
• Work and family largely determine
where people live throughout most of
people’s lives. By age 61, however, the
majority of survey respondents feel
free to choose where they most want
to live.
• Retirees are more than twice as likely
to say they are free to choose where
they want to live compared with
people who have yet to retire (67% vs.
30%).
• About 4 out of 5 Americans ages 65+
(81%) are homeowners. Among this
group, 72% have fully paid off their
mortgage.
• An estimated 4.2 million retirees
moved into new homes in 2014 alone.
Retirees’ top motivations for moving
include being closer to family (29%),
reducing home expenses (26%), and
changes in health (17%) or marital status (12%).
• Among retirees who have not and do
not plan to move during retirement,
20
the top reasons include their deep
emotional connection with their home
(54%), close proximity to family (48%)
and friends (31%), desire to remain
independent (44%), or because they
simply can’t afford to move (28%).
• Prior to age 55, more homeowners say
the financial value of their home outweighs its emotional value. As people
age, however, they become far more
likely to say their home’s emotional
value is more important, as cited by
nearly 2 in 3 people (63%) ages 75 and
older.
“How and where our nation’s aging
population chooses to live will have widespread implications on the way homes are
designed, the resources people will need,
and how communities and businesses
nationwide should prepare,” states Andy
Sieg, head of Global Wealth and Retirement Solutions for Bank of America
Merrill Lynch. Citation: “Home in Retirement: More Freedom, New Choices.”
February 2015. Available at www.ml.com/
retirementstudy. Source: Bank of America,
February 25, 2015
Walking program fails
to prevent falls in older
Australians
In Australia, a self-directed walking program designed for sedentary older people
did not reduce the incidence of falls.
However, the program did increase mobility levels, according to results of
the Easy Steps randomized controlled
trial.
Easy Steps randomized 386 physically
inactive, community-dwelling adults
aged 65 or over from the greater Sydney area into an intervention or control
group. The intervention group received a
self-directed, 48-week walking program
that involved 3 mailed printed manuals and telephone coaching. The control
group received health information that
was unrelated to falls. Monthly fall calendars were used to monitor falls during the
study period. Secondary outcomes were
self-reported, including information on
quality of life, exercise levels and walking
levels.
There was no statistically significant difference in fall rates between the intervention group and the control group, and no
significant differences in the proportion
of fallers or recurrent fallers between the
groups. A subsample of 178 participants
took part in a home visit program that
measured mobility levels, choice step
reaction time (participants stepped onto
“4 randomly illuminated panels”), and
knee extension strength. Among those
participants, there was no evidence that
the walking program had an impact on
choice step reaction time or knee extension strength. Mobility scores, however,
improved significantly. In addition, there
was a nonsignificant increase in selfreported quality of life for the walking
group.
“These results show that walking is
unlikely to have an effect on falls,” says
lead author Alexander Voukelatos, PhD.
“Therefore, we need to reconsider how
walking is incorporated into falls prevention guidelines given that it is currently
considered by a majority of older people
to be a good way to prevent falls.” Still,
“walking may be a useful adjunct to increase physical activity for older people
…,” Voukelatos concludes. Citation: Age
and Ageing, 2015; doi:10.1093/ageing/
afu186. Source: Oxford University Press,
January 7, 2015
ICAA Research Review. Stay up to date
with current research by reading ICAA
Research Review, the online newsletter of
breaking news in health, wellness and demographics. Published 38 times each year,
ICAA Research Review is emailed to
members. For more information, visit
www.icaa.cc or call ICAA toll-free at
866-335-9777.
You focus on what’s most important
and we’ll handle the rest.
Enhance Quality of Care with a Proven Partner
Understand the precise needs of your members with assessments
including the Senior Fitness Test, Fullerton Advanced Balance
Scale, and the Wellcoaches® Wellbeing assessment.
Outcomes reports, designed for individual members and your
institution as a whole, display progress on everything from
biometrics and functional fitness to exercise history.
Contact us for a Demonstration
[email protected]
877-654-3837 option 7
www.InteractiveHealthPartner.com
ICAA initiatives
ICAA Champion: introducing Kisco’s Alex Gerasimov
located within the San Francisco Bay Area,
in Santa Clara County. Los Altos itself lies
right at the heart of Silicon Valley. The
global high-technology hub attracts a mix
of cultures, and that diversity is present in
BridgePoint’s population.
At Kisco BridgePoint at Los Altos, Wellness
Director Alex Gerasimov supports Nell Lewis
as she performs a ‘Stand Strong’ exercise.
Image courtesy of Kisco Senior Living
In 2011, the International Council on
Active Aging® launched ICAA’s Changing the
Way We Age® Campaign to promote positive
views of aging as well as the value of active
aging. ICAA Champions are individuals and
organizations that act as role models and
advocates. This column celebrates those
supporters.
Alex Gerasimov credits his grandparents
with playing an instrumental role in his
development. Growing up in Russia, “I
always enjoyed spending time with them
and learning from their vast life experiences,” Gerasimov reveals. Since he graduated from college in the United States with
a degree in health and wellness, he has devoted his life to “giving back to seniors and
assisting them in living a happy and fulfilling life.” Kisco Senior Living’s BridgePoint at Los Altos community launched
Gerasimov on his vocation by hiring him
as a wellness assistant. Seven years ago, he
was promoted to wellness director.
Owned and operated by California-based
Kisco, BridgePoint at Los Altos is an independent- and assisted-living community
22
For Gerasimov, who competes at bodybuilding and basketball, active aging
means a continuous personal growth
across the different dimensions of wellness. He is fortunate, he says, to have family members and friends who inspire and
motivate him to stay active and healthy.
Resident Nell Lewis, 89, whose favorite
quote is “Use it or lose it,” “is BridgePoint’s
volunteer yoga/dance instructor, and she
is incredibly limber, alert, and full of energy and personality,” Gerasimov says. Lewis
is also the face of the “Stand Strong” fallreduction program being implemented in
Kisco’s communities. Mary Nell Venable,
88, took up writing poetry after relocating to BridgePoint a few years ago, and
has since produced more than 200 poems.
“Her work was recognized by the California State Capitol when she was invited
to showcase her work,” Gerasimov states.
Pointing to his friends as active-aging examples, he adds, “They show the power of
staying physically and mentally active at
any age, as well as the amazing experiences
and possibilities that can come into your
life if you make an effort.”
Experiences with thriving older adults can
profoundly shape younger people’s views.
Gerasimov sees bridging the generational
gap as one of the most effective ways that
BridgePoint spreads positive messages of
aging. “By partnering with local schools,
youth and volunteer organizations on a
number of collaborative projects, our goal
is to break the common stereotypes about
aging, for both young and old,” he explains. “We also develop a stronger sense
of community by building friendships,
improving skills, and gaining awareness on
social issues.”
At all Kisco communities, The Art of Living WellSM philosophy infuses daily life to
foster belief in older-adult potential. The
corporate website promises programs that
“bring a new lifestyle perspective, an optimistic outlook, and a can-do attitude for
both residents and associates”—outcomes
that ICAA’s Changing the Way We Age®
Campaign supports. In line with Kisco’s
commitment as an ICAA Champion,
Gerasimov and his colleagues promote
the positive aspects of aging to residents
through programming, in particular.
“BridgePoint’s wellness team and community management participate in Kisco
wellness initiatives,” Gerasimov reveals.
“We also try to model the behavior of eating right, working hard, having fun and
exercising.” Individualized assessments
assist the team in structuring programs to
address residents’ interests and needs. “But
when you add a little spice and out-of-thebox ideas,” Gerasimov continues, “you
experience engagement, enjoyment, and
satisfaction from everyone around. And
you continue to build on that success.”
Ongoing change and evolution are “key to
promoting a fulfilling wellness program,”
Gerasimov stresses. For example, an annual employee “Thank You Car Wash” is now
an annual fundraiser for a concert band in
Los Altos; and a group-exercise class has
become a boot camp and training venue
for San Francisco’s Bay to Breakers run.
Gerasimov believes that as wellness programs evolve, people grow and see new
possibilities for their lives. “There is no
better feeling,” he says, “than being involved in helping my seniors find a new
passion, and seeing them grow and live a
legacy.”
Thanks to Atria Senior Living, the Institute
for Preventive Foot Health and THOR•LO,
Inc., founding partners of ICAA’s Changing
the Way We Age® Campaign, for supporting
the ICAA Champions program. Visit www.
changingthewayweage.com to enroll as an
ICAA Champion.
Nutrition
Agent of
lifestyle change:
Dr. Andrew Weil sows
health for the whole
person
Known as the ‘father of
integrative medicine,’ this
renowned physician discusses
eating for health, aging well
and transforming healthcare
by Colin Milner
Did you know that 80% of Americans
believe they can use healthy foods and
beverages to improve their quality of
life?1 Of course, they are not alone. People around the globe share a belief in the
health-promoting qualities of certain
foods and beverages—popular examples
include green tea, kale and red grapes.
This fact, among others, drives the food
industry to deliver solutions with health
claims ranging from improved brain
health to reduced cholesterol levels.
Some foods and beverages today are
touted as “smart”; others are “energy
boosting.” Whether they have health
conditions or diets that lack certain nutrients, individuals are likely to find
24
a “nutraceutical,” “functional” or “super”
food that promises to make a difference.
Here’s the paradox: The more food is
modified for reasons that include human
health, the more questions arise about
its safety. In fact, the American Institute
for Cancer Research in Washington, DC,
found in a 2015 survey2 that between
54% and 62% of respondents believed
a person’s cancer risk rose due to hormones in beef, genetically modified
foods, and “food additives.”
So, do these new foods and beverages
help meet our nutritional requirements,
or are we being sold empty promises?
Even more importantly, what do we need
to know in order to harness the benefits
of diet for healthy aging?
To address these questions and others
for the Journal on Active Aging®, I recently interviewed Andrew Weil, MD,
founder and director of the Arizona
‘I’ve traveled widely,
and I’ve looked at
lots of cultures to see
how they do things,’
says Dr. Andrew Weil.
‘That’s how I put
together my ideas for
integrative medicine.’
Photo: Chris Mooney
Agent of lifestyle change: Dr. Andrew Weil sows health for
the whole person Continued from page 24
sources” on page 32).6 That same year,
Weil testified before the United States
Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Describing
the need not just to reform healthcare,
but to transform medicine, he proposed
integrative medicine as “a vital part” of a
new healthcare system.7
Two advocates for healthy aging: Dr. Andrew Weil welcomed the International Council
on Active Aging’s Colin Milner to Tucson, Arizona, for a wide-ranging and stimulating
interview. Photo: Chris Mooney
Center for Integrative Medicine
(AzCIM) at the University of Arizona
College of Medicine–Tucson. Weil, 72,
is also Lovell-Jones Endowed Chair in
Integrative Rheumatology, clinical professor of medicine, and professor of public health at the university. He founded
and chairs the Weil Foundation, a notfor-profit organization to support integrative medicine through training, education and research, to which he donates
his after-tax profits from sales of Weil
Lifestyle products. A frequent lecturer
and media expert, the Harvard-educated
physician has written 13 books, including the national number-one bestseller
Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your
Well-Being (see “Resources” on page 32).
He has also written numerous scientific
articles and papers.3
These are all impressive credentials. But
what makes Weil unique is not his status
as a New York Times bestselling author,
or his appearances on the cover of TIME
Magazine—once in 1997, when named
as one of TIME’s 25 Most Influential
Americans; and again in 2005, when the
publication ranked him one of the 100
26
Most Influential People in the World.4
No, what makes Weil unique is his reputation as the Wayne Gretzky of health.
Fondly referred to as “The Great One,”
Gretzky is arguably the best professional
hockey player of all time. What made
this athlete special was his ability to
skate to where the puck would go, not
where it had been. He could read the
game like no one else—and it propelled
him to greatness. Weil’s ability to read
the game is what makes him a pioneer in
the field of integrative medicine, which
his website defines as “healing-oriented
medicine that takes account of the
whole person (body, mind and spirit),
including all aspects of lifestyle.”5
This game-reading ability also makes
Weil someone who challenges outdated
health systems. He sees where health
systems are today, focuses on where
they need to be, and looks at how to get
there. In 2009, the renowned leader in
integrative medicine tackled the topic of
healthcare in his bestselling book Why
Our Health Matters: A Vision of Medicine
that Can Transform Our Future (see “Re-
In his prepared statement, Weil explained: “For practitioners of IM, preventing disease is not an afterthought, it
is the cornerstone of our practice—the
physician and patient form an ongoing
partnership to maintain health, rather
than fight illness, and IM practitioners
are trained to be agents of lifestyle
change. We treat illness promptly and
aggressively when appropriate,” he
added, “but always seek to maximize the
body’s innate capacity to stay healthy
and resist disease and injury.”7
Weil also stresses the need for “a culture
of health.”6 At all levels, health systems
and society must shift energies and focus
toward health promotion and disease
prevention, which includes the necessary
support for individuals to take responsibility for their health.
Unsurprisingly, Weil is a controversial
figure. Many people consider the physician a health guru and visionary. Skeptics characterize him as a quack. Others
call him an uncritical proponent of “alternative medicine”—a label he rejects.5
Regardless of how people view Weil, no
one can deny his bold views or his real
impact when it comes to a more holistic
approach to health at all ages. In our interview for the Journal on Active Aging®,
he was eager to share his insights and
advice on topics that include healthy aging. Let’s dive in.
CM: Thanks for taking the time to talk
with me today, Dr. Weil. Let’s start with
a getting-to-know-you question. Beyond
your biography, who is Andrew Weil?
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AW: I am a doctor, but I don’t always
think of myself as a doctor. I’m a teacher.
I’m a writer. I’m just an active, curious
guy. I was curious as a child. My parents
encouraged me to follow my curiosity, so
I have explored a lot of different things.
CM: Was your curiosity key to developing
your approach to integrative medicine?
AW: I’ve traveled widely, and I’ve looked
at lots of cultures to see how they do
things. That’s how I put together my
ideas for integrative medicine. I have a
longstanding interest in plants, in food
and in the mind—and how the mind
affects the body. My range of interests
is wide. [Ed. Weil’s Harvard education
included a bachelor’s degree in biology
(botany).3]
CM: Your book Healthy Aging was published in 2005. Where does your interest in
healthy aging come from?
AW: My interest in healthy aging is
very personal. As I became older—especially when I turned 60—I realized that
healthy aging was of great importance
to me in how I want to spend the rest of
my life.
CM: How do you define healthy aging
personally?
AW: To me, healthy aging means that
however old I am, I feel generally good.
I have enough energy to meet life’s demands; I am engaged with life; and I am
not experiencing any major disabilities
from the common diseases of aging.
Plus, I’m not totally engulfed by negative
perceptions of aging—that’s difficult to
do when our culture strongly sends the
message that the worth of human life
diminishes with age. All the media and
marketing targets a very young demographic and forgets about the rest
of us.
CM: What nutritional approach do you
believe promotes healthy aging?
28
AW: I have long advocated an anti-inflammatory diet as the overall best strategy for health and healthy aging. That’s
because the diseases of aging—the big
ones such as cardiovascular disease and
neurodegenerative disease like Alzheimer’s—begin as inflammatory processes
in the body. Cancer is linked here, too,
as anything that increases inflammation
also increases cell proliferation, which
increases the risk of malignant transformation. Eating an anti-inflammatory
diet is our best overall strategy. I’ve
developed such a diet. It’s based on the
Mediterranean diet, but I’ve tweaked it
with Asian influences to make it even
more powerful. It is not a difficult way to
eat, and it allows a lot of pleasure. (For
more information, see “Dr. Weil’s AntiInflammatory Diet” on page 29.)
CM: What specific advice do you give
older adults for eating well?
AW: It’s important to eat a good diet
throughout life. In North America, our
eating habits are bad. We eat more processed and manufactured food than any
other people in the world, and I think
it is a factor in the increase in chronic
diseases, especially diseases of aging.
There are a lot of pressures in our society
that work against people eating well.
Most people I know say they don’t have
time to cook or make meals at home.
The whole trend toward eating manufactured food is very unhealthy, and I think
a lot of older people start eating that way
for convenience.
CM: Do people need to make nutritional
adjustments to counter health issues such
as muscle and bone loss?
AW: The need to have the right balance of fats, carbohydrates and proteins
stays constant throughout life. In terms
of muscle loss and bone loss, the best
way to combat them is through physical
activity and eating well earlier in life,
because we build muscle mass and bone
density until about 20–25 years of age.
After that, all we can do is slow loss. So
in the early part of life, people should eat
well, get the right kind of physical activity, and do all the things they can to give
them strong bones and muscles to last
throughout life.
CM: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, published jointly by the US Departments of Health and Human Services and
Agriculture, provides guidance intended
to help people eat well. What are your
thoughts about the current guidelines?
AW: I think the guidelines are so-so.
First of all, industry strongly influences
the guidelines—for instance, the dairy
industry had an extra serving of dairy
added to the 2010 revision,8 even though
it is not necessary. Also, there is not
enough distinction in the kind of carbohydrates. They tell people to eat wholegrain foods such as whole-wheat bread,
but that’s not a whole-grain food. The
guidelines could be much better.
CM: I think that sometimes people are
confused by the advice to eat more fruits
and vegetables. After all, not all fruits and
vegetables are created equal.
AW: Exactly. The government is always
telling us to eat more fruits and vegetables. I think the message mainly should
be eat more vegetables. Fruits are sugar
sources, so we want to be careful with
them. As you say, there is a distinction
between temperate fruits like berries and
cherries, and tropical fruits like mangoes
and pineapples, which are much higher
in sugar. People mostly need to eat more
vegetables—vegetables of great variety
across the color spectrum.
CM: People seem confused about how to
eat well because recommendations continue to change. How can we make informed
choices in an environment of constant
flux?
D r. We i l ’ s A n t i - I n f l a m m a t o r y D i e t
In 2008, Dr. Andrew Weil introduced his Anti-Inflammatory
Diet to counter the chronic, low-level inflammation that
damages the body and promotes disease. Dietary choices
influence the body’s inflammatory response. The AntiInflammatory Diet is based on the Mediterranean diet,
“tweaked with Asian influences” to enhance its potency, according to Weil. This diet emphasizes fruits and vegetables,
fish, whole grains, beans and legumes, healthy fats, as well
as soy and Asian mushrooms. It also includes principles for
preparing food in healthier ways.
Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid (below)
accompanies his diet. The “practical eating guide”
is an educational tool to help people make dietary
choices for better health at all ages. For an interactive
or downloadable graphic and a full description of Dr.
Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid, visit www.
drweil.com/drw/u/PAG00361/anti-inflammatory-foodpyramid.html.
Figure 1. Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid shows foods, beverages and spices included in his diet.
Source: Dr. Andrew Weil. Reprinted with permission.
29
In 1994, Dr. Andrew Weil founded the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine,
in Tucson. Weil views integrative medicine as a transformative model of medicine—one that ‘always seek[s] to maximize the body’s
innate capacity to stay healthy and resist disease and injury.’ Photo: Chris Mooney
AW: I could produce a solid argument
against any food, so if we accept everything we hear about food, we would have
nothing to eat. People say, “Well, they
told us saturated fat was bad and now
it’s not, and butter was bad and now it’s
good. So, what does it matter? We might
as well eat anything.” I don’t think that’s
true. There is actually a good consensus
among nutrition researchers about all
the big questions. We know what makes
an optimum diet, and what are good
carbs and bad carbs, and good fats and
bad fats—but somehow that information does not make it into the training of
doctors. It is certainly not making it into
the general media, which leaves most
people completely confused.
For example, there was a lot of publicity
about various thinking on cholesterol
just recently. The research was that cholesterol in foods does not significantly
influence serum [blood] cholesterol.
30
This message got really distorted. Based
on the way the media reported this
news, many people will think that cholesterol isn’t important, when the research was about the influence of dietary
cholesterol.9
CM: Speaking of the media, we see marketers and the media push “superfoods” as
one way to influence the way we age. What
do you think about these foods?
AW: A lot of this is hype. Everybody
is waiting for the next “superfood” to
come along, yet we have a lot of great
superfoods right in our own supermarkets. Berries are a superfood. They are
full of antioxidants and low on the glycemic load scale, so they don’t spike blood
sugar too much. They’re great! Blueberries, for example, are as good as any of
the exotic fruits that people promote.
Broccoli is another superfood—it’s very
strongly cancer protective. That’s true
of a lot of common fruits, vegetables,
and herbs and spices like ginger and turmeric, which are the most potent natural
anti-inflammatory agents we know.
CM: Can you tell our readers what inflammation is?
AW: Inflammation is the cornerstone
of the body’s healing response. It is the
way the body gets more nourishment
and more immune activity to an area
that needs it. We all know inflammation on the surface of the body as local
redness, heat, swelling and pain, but
this response is so powerful and so potentially destructive that it is vital that
it stays where it is supposed to stay and
ends when it is supposed to end. When
inflammation persists, it becomes productive of disease. The kind of inflammation that concerns me is imperceptible, chronic low-level inflammation
throughout the body.
Inflammation has many influences. Your
body has to be able to produce enough
of a response to resist infection, but not
so much that it causes problems. Diet is a
powerful influence on the inflammatory
process. The mainstream diet in North
America is strongly pro-inflammatory.
It gives us the wrong carbohydrates and
the wrong fats, as well as too few of the
protective elements found mostly in
fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices.
CM: In your view, what is the essential
message about diet today that everyone
should know?
AW: The essential message is: Processed, manufactured and refined foods
are worse for us than anything else we
may eat. This is one message that will
not change. People are way ahead of the
game if they reduce or eliminate this
kind of food in their diet. I would say
the next concern is the amount of sugar
people consume, and I would focus on
sweetened drinks. People do not have
to drink sweet liquids. By that, I mean
sodas [carbonated soft drinks], as well
as sweet tea, sugar in coffee, and energy
drinks. We would be much better off if
people would stop drinking sweet beverages or at least minimize the amount
they consume.
CM: Why do you think people find it hard
to cut out these foods?
AW: These foods are cheap and available. The government has made junk
foods inexpensive by subsidizing commodity crops, which is one of the difficulties and great ironies of the situation.
High-fructose corn syrup is in everything because it’s cheap, and it’s made
cheap by subsidies to corn. Refined
soybean oil—the source of the excess
omega-6 fatty acids in the North American diet—is also in everything because
it’s cheap and it’s subsidized. There have
been no subsidies for fruits and vegetables. So fruits and vegetables are often
out of reach for poorer people.
CM: How do dietary supplements fit into
the overall picture?
AW: Dietary supplements are not substitutes for foods that contain them,
and taking them does not excuse people
from eating a good diet. I think supplements can be useful as insurance against
gaps in the diet. Some supplements have
specific therapeutic or protective effects
when taken in higher doses than we
can easily get from food. For example,
in North America we don’t get enough
omega-3 fatty acids, mostly found in
cold-water oily fish; they are strongly
protective of both mental and physical
health. So it is definitely a good idea to
take supplemental fish oil, even if people
eat fish. Of course, fish is problematic
today both from the environmental and
toxic-contamination points of view, so
people must take care which fish they
eat.
CM: The nutritional picture today
appears complicated, but the advice
for healthy eating seems to focus on basics.
Why do you think so many people have
difficulty understanding dietary
information?
AW: I don’t see the good information
presented in ways that really connect
with people. Part of the problem is that
our health professionals—medical doctors especially—are not well-trained in
nutrition, so they are not properly prepared to give this kind of information to
their patients.
This needs to change. Nutrition is a big
piece of the puzzle for improving health
outcomes in the US. Yet it always gets
short shrift.
[Ed. In a study led by Marion Vetter,
MD, RD, of the New York University
School of Medicine, 94% of internal
medicine interns believed they were
obliged to talk to patients about nutrition, but only 14% felt physicians were
adequately trained to do so.10 Further,
a University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) study found that the
number of hours medical schools devote
to teaching nutrition has actually declined—from 22.3 hours in 2004, to 19.6
hours in 2009.11 The National Academy
of Sciences recommends 25–30 hours,
according to the UNC article.11]
CM: You mentioned improving health
outcomes, which is among the driving
forces of healthcare reform. What are your
thoughts about changing the healthcare
system?
AW: The prospect looks almost impossible. There are a lot of vested interests
out there that oppose change. Look
at the power lobbies. An even deeper
problem is that as dysfunctional as the
healthcare system is, it generates rivers of money—and that money goes
to very few pockets. … So I don’t think
change can come from the government.
It can only happen if there is a grassroots
movement that changes the politics of
all this, and we elect representatives who
are not beholden to those interests.
Yet change may still happen. Because
the whole system may collapse, and then
we’ll have no alternative. Costs keep
going up. Doctor dissatisfaction keeps
increasing. Medical outcomes are awful. We spend far more per capita on
health in the US than any people in the
world12—heading toward 20% of our
Gross Domestic Product13—and our
health outcomes are the worst among
older developed countries.14 Something
is wrong with that picture.
CM: Do you think the medical community has embraced integrative medicine as
part of reforming the system?
AW: The medical community is in
the process of embracing integrative
medicine. It is being forced to change,
because the economics of healthcare,
31
especially in the US, are so dismal and
getting worse. The promise of integrative
medicine is that it can lower costs and
improve outcomes.
CM: My last question for you relates to
legacy. What do you want people to remember you for?
AW: I would like to be remembered for
changing medicine. The Arizona Center
for Integrative Medicine has graduated
over 1,200 physicians from intensive
training, and we’re training hundreds
more. This is really a new model of medicine that puts the focus on health and
prevention and the body’s natural healing
power. That’s what I would like people to
remember me for in the future.
Colin Milner is the chief executive officer
of the International Council on Active
Aging®.
References
1. Natural Marketing Institute. (2011). NMI
2011 Consumer Trends in Healthy Aging.
Available from http://www.nmisolutions.com.
2. American Institute for Cancer Research.
(2015, February). The AICR 2015 Cancer
Risk Awareness Survey Report. Retrieved on
March 30, 2015, from http://www.aicr.org/
assets/docs/pdf/education/aicr-awarenessreport-2015.pdf.
3. DrWeil.com. Fact Sheet. Retrieved on March
31, 2015, from http://www.drweil.com/
drw/u/PAG00070/Dr-Weil-Fact-Sheet.html.
4. DrWeil.com. Press release: Hudson Street
Press Acquires Dr. Weil’s New Book. Retrieved
on March 31, 2015, from http://www.drweil.
com/drw/u/ART03045/Hudson-Street-PressAcquires-Dr-Weils-2009-Book.html.
5. Lemley, B. What Is Integrative Medicine?
Retrieved on March 31, 2015, from http://
www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02054/AndrewWeil-Integrative-Medicine.html.
6. Weil, A. (2009). Why Our Health Matters: A
Vision of Medicine that Can Transform Our
Future. New York, NY: Hudson Street Press.
tive Medicine: A Vital Part of the New Health
Care System. Testimony of Andrew Weil,
MD. Prepared for Full Committee Hearing on
“Integrative Care: A Pathway to a Healthier
Nation,” February 26, 2009. Available for
download at http://www.help.senate.gov/
hearings/hearing/?id=03629575-0924-cb2e13cb-68a8065ababb.
8. US Department of Agriculture and US Department of Health and Human Services.
(2010, December). Dietary Guidelines for
Americans, 2010. 7th Edition. Washington, DC:
US Government Printing Office. Retrieved
on March 31, 2015, from http://www.
health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2010/
DietaryGuidelines2010.pdf.
9. Templeton, D. (2015, 7 April). Scientists Debate Impact of Removing Dietary Guide
lines for Cholesterol. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Retrieved on April 8, 2015, from http://www.
post-gazette.com/news/health/2015/04/07/
Scientists-debate-impact-of-removingdietary-guidelines-for-dietary-cholesterol/
stories/201504010210.
10. Vetter, M. L., Herring, S. J., Sood, M., et al.
(2008). What Do Resident Physicians Know
about Nutrition? An Evaluation of Attitudes,
Self-Perceived Proficiency and Knowledge.
Journal of the American College of Nutrition,
27(2), 287–298.
11. Adams, K. M., Kohlmeier, M., & Zeisel, S. H.
(2010). Nutrition Education in US Medical
Schools: Latest Update of a National Survey.
Academic Medicine: Journal of the Association
of American Medical Colleges, 85(9), 1537–
1542.
12. Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD). Why Is Spending in
the United States So High? Health at a Glance
2011: OECD Indicators. OECD Publishing.
Retrieved on March 31, 2015, from http://
www.oecd.org/unitedstates/49084355.pdf.
13. Sisko, A. M., Keehan, S. P., Cuckler, G. A., et
al. (2014). National Health Expenditure Projections, 2013–23: Faster Growth Expected
with Expanded Coverage and Improving
Economy. Health Affairs, 33(10), 1841–1850;
doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2014.0560.
14. Murray, C. J. L., & Frenk, J. (2010). Ranking
37th—Measuring the Performance of the US
Health Care System. New England Journal of
Medicine, 362(2), 98–99. Retrieved on March
31, 2015, from http://www.nejm.org/doi/
full/10.1056/NEJMp0910064.
7. United States Senate Committee on Health,
Education, Labor & Pensions. (2009). Integra-
32
Resources
Internet
DrWeil.com
www.drweil.com
DrWeil.com: Anti-Inflammatory
Diet & Pyramid
www.drweil.com/drw/u/
PAG00361/anti-inflammatoryfood-pyramid.html
Dr. Andrew Weil’s Daily
Health Tips
www.drweilblog.com
Dr. Weil on Healthy Aging:
Your Online Guide to the AntiInflammatory Diet (subscription)
www.drweilonhealthyaging.com
University of Arizona Center for
Integrative Medicine
http://integrativemedicine.
arizona.edu
The Weil Foundation
www.weilfoundation.org
Multimedia
Andrew Weil’s YouTube channel
www.youtube.com/user/drweil
Print
Weil, A. (2005). Healthy Aging: A
Lifelong Guide to Your Well-Being.
New York, NY: Knopf Doubleday
Publishing Group
Weil, A. (2009). Why Our Health
Matters: A Vision of Medicine that
Can Transform Our Future. New
York, NY: Hudson Street Press
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36
As we try to enhance the way we train
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including the brain in our approaches
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brain training can serve as the best point
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abound, including sets, repetitions and
overload. The good news is research now
shows how a similar approach works for
brain training as well.
Plasticity, the original term related to
brain training, dates back to William
James and his 1890 book, Principles
of Psychology. More lately evolved to
neuroplasticity, this concept refers to
the brain’s ability to reorganize and
Training the brain to change the way we age, part 1:
understanding neuroplasticity Continued from page 36
Brain Awareness Week
highlights brain research
rewire itself in response to experiences
and stimuli.1,2 Recent research supports training the brain (neuroplasticity
training) as if it were a muscle, applying
similar fitness concepts of adaptation,
sets, repetitions, timed performance,
and specificity.3,4 Other research tells us
about the importance of neuroplastic
training combined with physical movement skills, to strengthen, improve and
even change some brain regions.5,6 Training the brain’s different capacities may
also help individuals manage anger, fear
and depression.7 It may further serve as
a viable complement—and sometimes
alternative—to interventions with brain
medication.8
This two-part article sheds light on
brain-training research. It includes affordable tips that we, as fitness and wellness professionals, can use to add neuroplasticity training into everyday life, as
we train both our clients and ourselves
to age “smart.”
The brain hemispheres
Many brain specialists have written on
the complicated nature of the right and
left brain hemispheres and their importance. For this article, the most impor38
tant concepts to focus on include brain
games that tax not only the left and right
sides and the different areas of the brain
working individually, but also the independent sections working collectively.
Let’s start with a look at what the left
and right brain hemispheres do. The left
side mostly controls speech, language,
math and analytical skills, memories of
names and words, and motor skills on
the right side of the body. Conversely,
the right side mostly controls creative
skills (including problem-solving),
emotions, memories of images such as
faces, spatial zones, patterns of details,
and motor skills on the left side of the
body. An approach of right-and-leftbrain training draws upon mental tasks
that require the different sides of the
brain to undulate (fluctuate between
hemispheres). Mental tasks alone are
not enough, however, for neuroplasticity
training.
The body must move
Executing any type of brain skill—doing
Sudoku puzzles while comfortably seated in a lounge chair, for example—may
Every year Brain Awareness Week
engages hundreds of thousands of
people through exhibits, activities,
lectures and efforts organized by
campaign partners. The Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives launched
the global campaign in 1996 to
educate the public about the brain
and the promise of brain research. In
March 2015, the initiative celebrated
20 years of public outreach. The
Dana Alliance supported a number of free public events, including
“Staying Sharp,” a panel on memory,
brain health, and healthy brain aging, held March 17 at the New York
University Langone Medical Center.
AARP and the NYU Langone Center on Cognitive Neurology collaborated with the alliance to present
this discussion.
A New York-based nonprofit organization of 350 eminent neuroscientists, The Dana Alliance is dedicated
to advancing public awareness
about the progress and benefits of
brain research. Its partners in Brain
Awareness Week include the Society
of Neuroscience, universities, museums, patient advocacy groups, K-12
schools, and others. Those interested
in participating in next year’s Brain
Awareness Week and/or learning
more about brain research will find
accessible educational resources,
downloadable graphics, publications
and general information on the campaign website, www.dana.org/BAW.
Why do
my feet
hurt?
What can I do
to help prevent
foot problems?
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while doing alternating forward lunges.
Lunging forward with the left leg, the
person says “broccoli,” for example,
followed by “pineapple” when lunging
forward with the right leg. The process
continues without stopping, with the
individual naming a vegetable with each
left-leg lunge and a fruit with each rightleg lunge. This task constitutes neuroplasticity training because the mind is
working while the body engages. In addition, the problem-solving effort taxes
the brain with right-brain tasks, while
the physical movement coordination is a
left-brain task.
work a particular area of the brain (left
side for math skills), but such activity
does not constitute neuroplastic training
for the purposes of this article. To train
neuroplasticity, mental tasks must combine with physical movement.9
The body’s movement does not have
to be intense, to be sure. But for brain
training, mental tasks must take place
during some form of coordinated physical movement—for example, tapping
toes while seated on the edge of a chair
and working on Sudoku puzzles.
Anyone who has engaged in a moderately challenging brain skill while walking
and talking will remember how much
easier it becomes to stop and think.
That’s because stopping movement decreases the sensory input to the brain
and allows it to concentrate on other
processes, such as recalling a memory
or finishing a complicated math skill.
While limiting input may prove more
comfortable at the time, we need to encourage the brain to function simultaneously with the body’s needs, as required
in life. Answering a caller’s questions
on a cellphone while walking across the
street amidst heavy car traffic demands
just such multitasking.
One caveat: Readers must choose and
adapt the appropriate level of physical
movement for clients to accompany
40
any suggestions provided in this article.
With brain training, intensity of movement is not the point. The body needs
only to move.
Let’s move now from discussing the left
and right brain hemispheres and brain
training, to look at the different parts of
the brain and their functions.
Training brain and body:
common examples
Introducing mental tasks to movement
is possible while going about daily activities or doing more purposeful physical
activity. Here are a couple of examples of
combining mental and physical tasks to
train neuroplasticity:
Regions of the brain
Several key sections make up the brain.
When these areas work in synchronicity
in a moment of particular focus, it illustrates the work of the mind. The term
mind-body, in its truest sense, comes from
anything that originates in the brain as
conscious movement with form, purpose,
dedication and concentration. All training that uses the brain in this manner falls
under a “mind-body” training umbrella.
Conversation example
“What did you have for dinner last
night?” seems an innocuous question
between friends. The answer depends
on one’s ability to use a certain amount
of memory. This task does not train the
brain. However, if the friends asked each
other to list in reverse order what they
ate the previous night while they walked
their pets on an evening stroll, the task
would train neuroplasticity for two reasons. First, it would require the mind
to work simultaneously as the body engaged in a movement skill. Second, and
more specifically, the memory-recall and
spatial skills of reverse order come from
left-brain tasks.
Lunge example
In an example using a more traditional
fitness-training movement, a client
makes a list of fruits and vegetables
The various sections of the brain serve
different purposes. The cerebrum, the
largest portion of the brain, contains
sections in both the right and left brain
hemispheres: the frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital lobes. These critical
areas control the following complex
brain functions:
• frontal lobe: elements such as creative
thought, problem-solving (including
decision-making), intellect, judgment,
behavior, attention, abstract thinking,
physical reaction, muscle movement,
coordinated movement, smell and
overall personality
• parietal lobe: comprehension, language, reading, internal stimuli, tactile
sensation and sensory comprehension
• temporal lobe: auditory memories,
speech, language and behavior
• occipital lobe: vision
The cerebellum sits at the back lower part
of the brain. Particularly important for
fitness instructors and trainers to understand, this area controls balance, posture,
and coordination of motor skills and
movements.
Other structures of the brain containing glands comprise the limbic system.
The amygdala helps the body respond to
emotions, memories and fear. Its small
shape resembles a raw almond, and the
word itself means “almond” in Greek
(ΑΜΥΓΔΑΛΑ).
The hippocampus allows learning and
memory of emotions, specifically converting temporary memories into permanent memories, which can be stored
within the brain. The hippocampus also
helps people analyze and remember spatial relationships, allowing for accurate
movements.
The hypothalamus region controls mood,
thirst, hunger and temperature. It also
contains glands that control the hormonal processes throughout the body. Making healthy decisions about food amounts
involves the frontal lobe’s decisionmaking properties, but understanding
the true feelings of physical hunger involves the hypothalamus.
The thalamus, located in the center of the
brain, controls attention span and pain
sensing, as well as the input of constant
sensations moving in and out of the
brain.
Finally, the origins of life function reside in the brain stem, including our
heartbeat, blood pressure and breathing.
Perhaps most importantly, this section
connects all the aforementioned sections
of the brain with the rest of the body
through the spinal cord.
The brain in action: the
pizza example
A practical example can help to simplify
the regions of the brain above and how
they work. The following comments
about pizza illustrate the brain in action:
ways while continuing a movement pattern, which challenges memory, spatial
skills, problem-solving, and more. The
next article installment will feature brain
games that use conversation and vision
as pathways to neuroplasticity training.
• “I remember the first time I had pizza
at a lovely outside square in Rome”
reflects the hippocampus (emotional
memories).
• “I’m hungry for thin-crust pizza” uses
the hypothalamus (hunger).
• “I remembered that in Italian, the
word pizza stays the same—‘la pizza’”
uses the temporal lobe (memories of
sound, language skills).
• “In a general sense, I love all kinds of
thick and thin crust vegetable pizza”
comes from the parietal lobe (abstract
thinking).
• “I searched on the Internet to find out
where to buy authentic pizza in my zip
code” uses the parietal lobe (reading
and research skills).
• “I’m going to walk to the pizzeria to
order some pizza takeaway” reflects
the frontal lobe (decision-making and
physical movement).
• “When I come to the restaurant, I
choose the kind of pizza I want from
the menu” uses the occipital lobe
(vision).
• “I’m now eating my pizza, savoring
each slice as I bring it to my mouth”
uses the cerebellum (coordinated
movements).
Efforts build mental ‘muscle’
Engaging in simple right and left brain
games during movement does not involve learning a new way to train the
body. We can merely add an extra layer
of “brain games” to what we, and our
clients, already do. Yes, we may feel
strange, frustrated and even uncomfortable when we first introduce these games
Just as we can favor certain muscles and
muscle groups with physical training, so,
too, we can favor certain brain functions
and brain games. Some people prefer leftbrain mathematical puzzles; others prefer
right-brain crossword puzzles. It proves
necessary, then, to include brain games
using all different brain areas to offer
well-rounded training.
This article installment includes an activity called “Phone Number Games with
a friend” on page 42. In these games, 2
participants recite digits in a variety of
Resources
Internet
Brain Awareness Week (The Dana
Alliance): Tips and Resources
Downloadable materials include
“Staying Sharp” and “BAW Favorites”
puzzle series
www.dana.org/BAW/content.
aspx?id=44679
The Brainwaves Center: Puzzles
and Self-Tests
www.brainwaves.com/puzzles_self
Tests.html
SharpBrains: Brain Teasers
http://sharpbrains.com/brainteasers/
brain-games-and-teasers-top-50
Print
Doidge, N. (2007). The Brain That
Changes Itself: Stories of Personal
Triumph from the Frontiers of Brain
Science. New York, NY: Viking
Eckmann, T. (2013). 101 Brain
Boosters. Monterrey, CA: Healthy
Learning
41
into familiar activities, such as going for
a walk or working out. In our effort to
build mental “muscle,” though, it may
help to remember that brain training
can prove just as important as traditional movement to our overall health, aging
and success.
Lawrence Biscontini, MA, has been involved in brain training since an eye operation in 1972 left him without sight for
several months in recovery. As an Advisory
Board Member for the International
Council on Active Aging®, and as an “active ager” himself, Biscontini dedicates a
great deal of time to making practical the
most recent research on keeping our brains
as young and sharp as possible. He copresented the workshop “Training neuroplasticity: current research for training the
active older adult” at the ICAA Conference 2014, in Orlando, Florida. Biscontini
neither supports nor endorses any sources
of brain games. He can be reached at www.
findlawrence.com.
References
5. Adams, T. B, Moore, M. T., & Dye, J. (2007).
The Relationship Between Physical Activity
and Mental Health in a National Sample of
College Females. Women and Health, 45(1),
69–83.
1. Merzenich, M. M. (2005). Change Minds for
the Better. Journal on Active Aging, 4(6), 22–30;
November/December issue. Available to ICAA
members in the online content library (go to:
“Wellness articles” [“Cognitive health”]) at
http://www.icaa.cc.
6. Reynolds, G. (2009, September 16). Phys Ed:
What Sort of Exercise Can Make You Smarter?
New York Times, “Well” blog. Retrieved on
March 20, 2015, from http://well.blogs.nytimes.
com/2009/09/16/what-sort-of-exercise-canmake-you-smarter.
2. Fernandez, A. (2009). Healthy Brain Aging:
Why We Need to “Use It or Lose It.” Journal on
Active Aging, 8(4), 40–43; July/August issue.
Available to ICAA members in the online content library (go to: “Wellness articles” [“Cognitive health”]) at http://www.icaa.cc.
7. Begley, S. (2007, January 19). How Thinking
Can Change the Brain. Wall Street Journal.
Retrieved on February 12, 2015, from http://
www.dalailama.com.
3. Ferris, L. T., Williams, J. S., & Shen, C. L.
(2007). The Effect of Acute Exercise on Serum
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Levels and
Cognitive Function. Medicine and Science in
Sports and Exercise, 39(4), 728–734.
4. Eckmann, T. (2013). 101 Brain Boosters. Monterrey, CA: Healthy Learning.
8. Doidge, N. (2007). The Brain That Changes
Itself: Stories of Personal Triumph from the
Frontiers of Brain Science. New York, NY:
Viking.
9. Fleshner, M., Maier, S. F., Lyons, D. M., &
Raskind, M. A. (2011). The Neurobiology of
the Stress-Resistant Brain. Stress, 14(5),
498–502.
Phone Number Games with a friend
Part 1
Two people get into a “holding pattern” of movement. This activity can
range from simple seated marching
to more involved patterns such as
standing marching, grapevines and
squats.
One person is Friend A; the other
is Friend 1. Dividing and labeling
“friends” in this unexpected way
unites left and right brain skills from
the start. In addition to the individuals having to stay alert to remember
these unique partner names, such
labels also work to keep every game
positive: Each partner is first in the
alphabet or number system.
To begin the Phone Number Games,
Friend A tells Friend 1 the last 4 digits
of his/her phone number. The 2 individuals then play the following brain
games as both partners continue to
42
move (for example, marching in place or
walking around the block).
Friend 1 recites the digits in the same
forward order, and then:
• recites the digits backwards
• adds the digits, two at a time, and
sums a grand total
• spells each digit forwards
• spells each digit backwards
Now, change roles! Repeat the above
for up to 5 minutes per partner, as appropriate. Either partner may request
assistance and “collaboratively problem solve” with the other person when
needed.
Part 2
After about 10 minutes of Part 1, Friend
A and Friend 1 start completely different
movement skills (for example, standing
in place and each making figure 8s with
the hands while keeping the palms
together in a folded-hands-in-prayer
gesture, all fingers pointing forward
away from the body, instead of towards the sky).
The 2 partners repeat the above Phone
Number Games, adding the first 3 digits of the phone number to the existing 4, to play with a total of 7 digits.
They continue with this method until
they can execute some or all of the
games.
To progress in the session or in future
sessions, the partners then add the
area code (for a total of 10 digits) and
repeat playing all the games as above.
Whenever tempted to pause to think,
Friend A and Friend 1 should encourage each other to “keep moving, and
keep thinking,” reminding themselves
of the 2 simultaneous keys for neuroplasticity training.
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services?
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Cool ideas
At Westminster Village,
participants of all ages exercised
together to break the Guinness
World Record. Image courtesy
of Westminster Village
It takes a
community:
Westminster Village sets
a world record during
Active Aging Week 2014
This Indiana continuing care retirement community achieved a
‘history-making’ goal for last September’s campaign
At Westminster Village in West Lafayette, Indiana, Active Aging Week 2014
had an audacious goal: Set a new Guinness World Record for the number of
people participating in a chair-based
44
exercise class. The record-breaking attempt fit the theme of the September
health-promotion event—“Let the adventure begin.” It also fit the community
and its goals.
Located just two miles from Purdue University,1 “Westminster Village is a vibrant, progressive continuing care retirement community,” says Health and Wellness Director Jordan Morrow. About 350
adults live in the Village’s independentliving apartments and homes, licensed
assisted-living apartments, and skilled
nursing center, with rehabilitative care
and memory support care also provided.
The not-for-profit community, managed
by Life Care Services (LCS), “creates opportunities for, and connects seniors to, a
lifestyle of optimal well-being.”
Morrow notes that “many of the Village’s
current residents have been active all
their lives. As their physical and cognitive abilities diminish, however, they find
themselves in need of skilled support,
understanding and adaptations.” To enhance residents’ daily lives and help them
enjoy the highest level of independence,
the community offers “enrichment opportunities within all eight dimensions
of wellness,” he explains. These dimensions include physical, emotional, social,
vocational, spiritual, intellectual, health
services and environmental.
In 2013, Westminster Village introduced
the residents to Active Aging Week®, a national campaign sponsored each year by
the International Council on Active Aging®. Host organizations typically develop
events that appeal to those who embrace
a wellness lifestyle, as well as those taking
their first steps toward lifestyle change.
Programming encourages living well at
any age. “The Village created and replicated some amazing and fun activities”
in 2013, recalls Morrow. “It was the first
year our community had celebrated Active Aging Week, and it was a grand success. In 2014, we broke a world record!”
‘Amazing feat’
So where did the idea come from to
pursue the Guinness World Record for
chair exercise in 2014? “Guinness World
Records is the universally recognized authority on record-breaking achievement,”
Morrow says. “Because we believe that
LCS residents are the best in the world,
we wanted to prove it.” A bold goal such
as Westminster Village’s may help to foster an individual and collective sense of
challenge—and pride—among all who
support or participate in achieving it. An
inclusive goal will also build community
spirit.
From independent and assisted living
to skilled nursing, Westminster Village
residents of all fitness levels can choose
from a variety of chair-based exercise
classes on campus, according to Morrow.
So, “it was only natural that we attempted
to break a world record that all residents
could participate in—and one that represented something we embrace as a continuing care retirement community.”
On September 22, 2014, participants
gathered at Westminster Village’s main
entrance to perform the 40-minute chairexercise class. Event organizers asked participants to bring cans of food to use as
weights during the class and to donate afterwards to the local food bank. “We collected 761 lbs. of canned foods for Food
Finders Food Bank,” Morrow reveals. In
the end, the group numbered 481 people2—smashing the existing record (384)
by almost 100 people. Residents, family
members, friends and community members united to break the record, states
Morrow, who adds, “It was truly a team
effort to pull off this amazing feat.”
The chair-exercise record had been set four
times previously, Morrow mentions. But
Westminster Village’s achievement resonates all the more because the community
“broke the record by an unprecedented
increase in participants.” For the wellness
professional, the most inspiring aspect of
the event was its intergenerational nature.
“The 481 successful participants ranged in
age from 3 to 98 years old,” he shares.
Event organization
Westminster Village’s record attempt
harnessed the positive, “can-do” energy
Resources
Active Aging Week
www.activeagingweek.com
Guinness World Records
www.guinnessworldrecords.com
Life Care Services
www.lcsnet.com
Westminster Village West
Lafayette
www.wvwl.org
of Active Aging Week to engage residents in a memorable adventure. The
community’s objectives synchronized
with those of the health-promotion
campaign in giving as many people as
possible the opportunity to get involved
in the experience.
“A number of our residents participate
in various chair-based exercise classes
every week to help them stay fit and active,” Morrow says. “The chance to set
a Guinness World Record was an opportunity to encourage nonparticipants
to try the activity. Adding the charity
component appealed to another group
of residents,” he continues. “Through
a program sponsored by our local food
bank and coordinated through local
schools, many Village residents fill backpacks with food every week for children
who otherwise would go hungry. Keeping in the spirit of whole-being wellness,
we decided to incorporate the vocational
component into our event.”
What was involved practically in organizing the Westminster Village effort?
Quite a lot, it turns out. “In order to
officially break a record, you need to
meet Guinness World Records rigorous
demands,” Morrow notes. “The recordattempt packet consists of nearly 20
45
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47
©2014 Welcamp
It takes a community: Westminster Village sets a world
record during Active Aging Week 2014 Continued from page 45
Become
an ICAA
Champion
Shape his view of aging.
Become an ICAA Champion
or Partner in ICAA’s
Changing the Way We
Age® Campaign and help
change society’s views and
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To learn how you or
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or visit
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Founding Partners
48
pages of rules, regulations, requirements,
guidelines and expectations.” (For information, go to “Set a record” on the
Guinness World Records website; see
“Resources” on page 45.)
Not surprisingly, Westminster Village
enlisted nearly 50 volunteers to help
organize and execute the event, Morrow
says, while most staff members helped
prepare for and/or participated in the
class. “We blocked off the parking lot
and rented 500 chairs and a sound system,” he states. “Considering the event
was outdoors and in Indiana of all
places, we put a lot of faith in Mother
Nature, but when the day came, we had
clear sunny skies and a temperature in
the mid-70s.”
Community support
A well-organized event was essential for
Westminster Village’s attempt to comply
with Guinness World Records demands.
The event also needed to attract enough
support to succeed. How did the Village
encourage sufficient participation and
enlist support for the effort without losing its focus on creating resident
opportunities?
“By engaging the Westminster Village
community to participate in the event as
instructors, seat counters and timekeepers, we stayed true to our mission and
made the event about the community,”
says Morrow. “We used meetings, flyers
and the resident newsletter to invite residents. We also used our Facebook page,
press release to the local media, direct
mail, phone calls to local schools, and
newspaper ads to invite participants.”
People’s familiarity with Guinness
World Records helped with outreach.
The Lafayette Journal & Courier, for example, highlighted the opportunity “to
make history with Westminster Village”
in a call for event volunteers.3 Communications from the Village invited the
greater community “to be part of the
fun.”4 Takeaways also encouraged people
ICAA Champion ad 1c.indd 1
14-05-28 2:55 PM
to get involved: Each event participant
was promised a free T-shirt, as well as an
official certificate from Guinness World
Records if the group effort triumphed.
Its success left a lot of people happily
anticipating their certificates.
Campaign synergy
Together with its residents and supporters, Westminster Village achieved more
than a Guinness World Record during
Active Aging Week 2014. The community as a whole embraced a spirit of
adventure and embodied what the yearly
campaign promotes: People living well
at any age—regardless of health challenges—and continuing to participate
fully in society. This synergy was neatly
echoed in the Village’s “Live connected.
Live well.” tagline.5
What’s next at Westminster Village after
last year’s Active Aging Week feat? Morrow isn’t saying. “But we can’t wait to see
what our residents have in store for this
year’s campaign.”
References
1. Westminster Village. About us. Retrieved on
April 8, 2015, from http://www.wvwl.org/
about.php.
2. Guinness World Records. Most people doing
chair-based exercise. Retrieved on April 8,
2015, from http://www.guinnessworldrecords.
com/world-records/most-people-doing-chairbased-exercise.
3. Staff reports. (2014, September 11). Volunteer Needs: Week of Sept. 12. Lafayette
Journal & Courier. Retrieved on April 8,
2015, from http://www.jconline.com/
story/life/2014/09/11/volunteer-needssept/15352303.
4. Westminster Village. News & Events. Westminster Village invites community to attempt
to break Guinness World Record. Retrieved
on April 8, 2015, from http://www.wvwl.org/
news/westminster-village-invites-communityto-attempt-to-break-guinness-world-record.
5. Westminster Village. Home page. Live Connected. Live Well. Retrieved on April 8, 2015,
from http://www.wvwl.org.
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better quality of life.
By responding to both the possibilities and challenges of aging, we will
ensure—at all levels—an environment
transformed by the benefits of active
aging.
In 2015, the International Council
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Life at every stage presents us with
challenges and possibilities. Where we
focus will influence how we live. So it is
with aging today. As individuals, professionals, organizations and societies,
we can choose whether to embrace the
possibilities of aging or to focus on the
challenges.
Embracing possibilities doesn’t mean
ignoring challenges. In fact, to maximize the possibilities of aging, we must
strive to minimize its challenges. As the
Reverend Billy Graham said, “The best
way to meet the challenges of old age
is to prepare for them now, before they
arrive.”
Physical inactivity, for example, is a
significant challenge. For far too many
adults 50 years of age or older, life contains little physical activity, raising the
risk for health, cognitive and functional
declines, early retirement from the
workforce, limited involvement in the
community, and poorer overall quality
of life. Active older adults, on the other
The ICAA Conference 2015 offers a
dynamic educational and networking
experience for professionals with a
unique focus—older-adult quality of
life. Created with ICAA member input,
this year’s educational program features
more than 60 lectures and workshops to
inspire you and your team and expand
your horizons.
Learn from industry leaders and experts in sessions that:
• target different roles, settings and solutions in active aging—from program
development to program delivery,
partnership to leadership, marketing
to management, and beyond
• explore special focus areas—for example, supporting wellness and
physical activity in people with cognitive decline, movement disorders
or chronic pain
• offer creative takes on established
approaches—such as walking programs that include meditation, brain
games, strength training or walking
poles, or several of these elements
combined
The ICAA Conference offers a wealth
of educational opportunities on key
topics in the industry, plus additional
programming to enhance your learning.
You’ll want to stay until the very end!
Connect with colleagues who embrace
the possibilities of aging. ICAA’s multilevel conference attracts like-minded
professionals—including conference
faculty, exhibitors and volunteer staff—
who are devoted to the well-being of
older adults. This warm environment
fosters camaraderie across the activeaging spectrum and supports informal
learning.
Grow your knowledge and resources to
support your role in promoting quality of life for older adults. At the ICAA
Conference, you’ll gain the ideas, research, best practices, case studies, and
practical tools and methods to develop
or refresh your practices, programs and
environments. Tailor your experience
to support your organization’s needs
and aspirations, plus expand the possibilities in your career. You’ll also build
your professional network.
Active aging promotes living as fully
and actively as possible in all areas of
life and at any age, regardless of health
conditions. You encourage your clients
to learn, connect and grow. Now it’s
your turn.
Revitalize your passion: Learn, connect
and grow at the ICAA Conference 2015.
Join us in embracing the possibilities.
“Like” the ICAA Conference
2015 on Facebook! You’ll find
information, updates, videos
and more at facebook.com/
icaaconference2015
6 reasons to attend
1. Targeted education
4. Great networking
2. Top-notch presenters
5. Educational credits
Select from a multitude of educational
seminars and workshops targeted
to the many dimensions, roles and
solutions in active aging.
Learn from industry leaders and
experts who reflect the diverse
backgrounds in active aging—all
with first-rate skills, knowledge and
experience.
3. Helpful handouts
Access available session handouts
online on your computer or electronic
device prior to the conference, plus
download archived handouts from the
ICAA website after the event.
Connect with like-minded colleagues from across the activeaging spectrum and expand your
professional network.
Enhance your professional
development by registering for
continuing education units (CEUs)
offered by key providers.
6. Premier expo
Gain entry to the Athletic Business
Expo, a showcase of products and
services for wellness, exercise and
recreation. Visit ICAA’s Pavilion
for offerings designed especially for
older-adult wellness.
Keep up to date and stay connected! Use #icaaneworleans to follow ICAA
Conference news on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.
Who should attend?
Wellness directors
Program directors
Activities directors
Executive directors
Administrators
Board members
Sales and marketing personnel
Developers and architects
Resident life executives
Fitness instructors
Personal trainers
Health educators
Social workers
Chaplains
Physicians
Nutritionists/dietitians
Therapists
Researchers
Professors
Visit www.icaa.cc for conference information.
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Wellness, Asbury Place
educational seminars at four conferences
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in Exhibit Halls B–C
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before November 2, $40 on-site).
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on Active Aging®
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Register today for the ICAA Conference 2015! Call toll-free 866335-9777 (North America only) or
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ICAA Innovators
Morrison
Senior Living’s
Travel the World program
enriches lives with a
culinary journey
From Cinco de Mayo to
Oktoberfest, residents
in client communities
experienced stimulating
dining events every month
during this yearlong program
This article profiles the recipient of the
2014 ICAA Innovators Practical Solutions
Award. This category of the annual Innovators Awards showcases creative products
and services designed to improve wellness
for active older adults. Presented in three
categories, the Innovators Awards honor
creativity and excellence in the activeaging industry. They also highlight innovations that lead the way, set new standards,
and make a difference in the lives of older
adults.
With Boomers and their elders redefining daily what it means to grow old,
many organizations that target the older
adult are in the process of adjusting. Providers of aging services and housing, for
54
example, are paying close attention to
the research and trends, and considering
what they mean for their organizations.
How are their customers changing?
What do their customers need, want and
expect? And what must change to reach
and serve these customers successfully
today, and in the future?
Many older adults now seek environments and services that will help them
lead healthier, more vibrant lives. In
organizations that embrace active aging, professionals challenge themselves
to come up with new programs that
promote wellness in all the dimensions
of life—physical, social, spiritual, intellectual, emotional, vocational and
environmental. Innovative products and
services are essential to their efforts to
advance wellness. And companies that
provide these products and services are
increasingly in step with the professionContinued on page 56
Morrison Senior Living’s Travel the World
program provided food, fun and festivities
for Oktoberfest, a German tradition
Morrison Senior Living’s Travel the World program enriches
lives with a culinary journey Continued from page 54
Themed décor, music, costumes and food stimulated participants’ senses during the Oktoberfest dining event offered to Morrison client
communities through the Travel the World program
als. To encourage companies to keep
developing and refining offerings that
move the industry forward, the International Council on Active Aging® presents
the ICAA Innovators Practical Solutions
Award each year. This award recognizes
wellness products and services that demonstrate creativity and excellence.
In 2014, the Practical Solutions Award
went to Travel the World, a dining event
program created by Morrison Senior
Living in Atlanta, Georgia. A member of
foodservice company Compass Group®
USA, Morrison provides food, nutrition,
hospitality and environmental services
to more than 450 senior living communities in 41 states.
“Our holistic approach—which is
centered on our purpose of enriching
lives—includes integrated offerings that
nourish the mind, body and soul,” states
56
Regan Medzhibzher, Morrison’s director of marketing. “Our dining options
are designed with ‘foodies’ in mind; our
EmpowerUSM program combines nutrition and wellness to help residents at
all stages of the care continuum achieve
success; and our communityworks®
peace-of-mind/environmental services
program gives residents ease by taking
the stress out of routine maintenance
items. In tandem with industry trends,”
Medzhibzher continues, “we see these
pieces connecting to provide the best
experience possible for senior living
residents.”
a collaborative, innovative fashion to
deliver these dining events. This made
the program even more impactful and
meaningful,” she adds.
With the Travel the World program,
Morrison used “high-touch, versatile
components” to engage residents in experiences that stimulated all the senses,
Medzhibzher says. “Associate engagement, one of our key focus areas, also
thrived, as team members worked in
RM: Our 2014 dining program series,
“Travel the World,” took residents in our
client communities on a culinary journey featuring a different country and
its native foods each month. Examples
included: Paris, the City of Love, in February; Cinco de Mayo in Mexico in May;
To learn more about Travel the World,
the Journal on Active Aging® recently
asked Medzhibzher to describe how
Morrison developed and delivered the
program, as well as what impact it had in
client communities and for the company
itself.
JAA: Please describe Morrison’s Travel
the World initiative in brief.
and Safari in Africa in August. Each
event was truly an experience, complete
with themed décor, music, costumes and
dining offerings. Residents received a
passport and had 12 stamps available to
mark their journeys. Those who received
all 12 passport stamps were entered to
win a special “Captain’s dinner” in their
community.
JAA: What inspired Morrison to create
Travel the World?
RM: Several things inspired the Travel
the World dining event program. These
included:
• Research: Our Silent Generation research has revealed that residents who
are well-traveled, educated, and selfproclaimed foodies are increasingly
the new face of senior living.
• Community without walls & client
marketability: The program was
meant to break down the four walls
of the community by taking residents
on a global tour while also inviting
in the public. (Family members and
prospective residents attended several
events.)
• Continuum of care: Each year, we
work to create flexible and accessible
dining programs that engage all levels
of residents—from skilled nursing to
independent living—to enhance their
overall community experience.
JAA: What were the company’s goals for
Travel the World?
RM: We had three goals for this program: resident satisfaction, client marketability and associate engagement.
JAA: What were the key components of
Travel the World?
RM: Our dining program included several key components:
• themed menus with the ability to customize to meet residents’ and commu-
nities’ specific needs, including diet
spreads and texture-modified menus
(for individuals who have trouble
swallowing)
• a diverse, adaptable resident and associate experience guide that provided
décor and music suggestions, activities and educational information
• a marketing and communications
toolkit (invitations to events, flyers,
posters, press release templates, etc.)
for the community leadership to leverage in order to enhance existing
resident engagement and market to
prospective residents
• social media tools that included a music playlist on Spotify, video stream
on YouTube, community Facebook
page and Instagram account
JAA: What was involved practically
in developing and delivering Travel the
World events in client communities?
RM: We interviewed our directors in
client communities about their experiences. Here is what we heard from Jon
Long, director of dining services at
Pine Run Community–The Village in
Doylestown, Pennsylvania:
“We took the time to plan these events
several months in advance. This allowed
us to really dig into the marketing material provided and to source out supplies,
room logistics, etc. We built a ‘center
stage’ display for each individual event,
which typically featured a Chef ’s Action
Station, a drink station and a dessert
station. We used different spaces to hold
these events—primarily the dining room
for any cooking display, but drinks were
served in the bar or auditorium along
with hors d’oeuvres. This allowed residents to enjoy several destinations.
“Our budget allows us to purchase a
fair share of supplies/decorations each
month, and we took full advantage of
that. … Items ranged from tabletop displays, buffet displays, costumes, linens,
and a lot more.
“Residents here really looked forward to
these special events and to the monthly
collection of their passport stamps. We
had over 130 fully returned passports!
The first-place winner received a full
course meal of the person’s choosing,”
prepared for up to 8 people in the winner’s cottage by the community’s Chef
Matthew.
“Menu items were prepared using all of
Travel the World’s recipes. Residents
enjoyed some of the more exotic items,
and through their feedback we actually
added certain items to our core menu.
“Because we planned these events out in
advance, we were able to schedule staffing appropriately. Team members had a
great time dressing up in outfits and costumes, and we were able to get residents
to dress up as well.”
JAA: How did Morrison roll out Travel
the World, and what was the response?
RM: To roll out Travel the World, we
held a series of company-wide webinars.
We also loaded materials into our Webbased portal, “My Marketing Plan,” including the marketing and communications toolkit, which included activation
materials to foster engagement over the
12-month period.
There was a very positive response to
the Travel the World program. We had
a record engagement level of almost
80%—meaning nearly 80% of our client
communities implemented this campaign. We also saw increased resident
satisfaction and enhanced associate
engagement.
JAA: What challenges did Morrison discover in developing and delivering Travel
the World in client communities, and how
did the organization address them? Also,
were there any unexpected opportunities?
57
Morrison Senior Living’s Travel the World program enriches
lives with a culinary journey Continued from page 57
RM: We are very pleased by the response from both associates and residents to this program and, most of all,
around the collaborative process involved to create the dining theme. There
is something rewarding about working
alongside chefs, nutritionists, marketers
and field managers to achieve a meaningful and impactful program. The Travel the World program is an example of
how collaborative work can yield great
outcomes.
The Journal on Active Aging thanks
Regan Medzhibzher for her help with this
article. For more information about
Morrison Senior Living, visit www.
morrisonseniorliving.com.
Developed by Morrison Senior Living, Travel the World menus featured foods native to each
country visited on the yearlong culinary journey
RM: With any program, adoption and
engagement are always top of mind and
can pose some challenges. We worked
to be as proactive as possible with our
Travel the World program, giving ample
lead time for events, providing reminders around materials, and encouraging
sharing of success stories for inclusion in
internal communications.
While we were very pleased with the
77% engagement rate—up from the
53% rate for previous campaigns—having a 100% rate would have been ideal.
That said, we did take the challenge of
adoption and used it as a learning opportunity. We conducted post-event
focus groups/surveys with communities
to gain insights and experiences, taking
those lessons learned into account with
our current dining program, “Diner
Days.” As our industry demands, we are
always working to be nimble and adaptable to achieve the best outcomes.
JAA: In your view, how did Travel the
World advance active aging in Morrison’s
client communities?
58
RM: Many individuals that reside in our
communities defy the traditional stereotype of a “senior.” The sheer diversity of
our residents—from the GI Generation,
to the Silent Generation, to the Boomers—creates a rich, dynamic environment. Our purpose is to enrich the lives
of our residents, and we take that commitment to heart through our desire to
engage and positively impact them. This
pledge culminates in our dining program
through the interactive components that
engage the senses of touch, taste and
smell—and, for many, happy memories.
We want older adults to feel empowered,
not constrained, because of their age.
Our Travel the World program not only
provided an experience, it brought out
previous experiences and stories, and
best of all provided a forum for connectivity between other residents and associates. As Dale Carnegie said, “The royal
road to a man’s heart is to talk to him
about the things he treasures most.”
JAA: Is there anything you would like to
add about Travel the World?
Images courtesy of Morrison Senior
Living
Morrison’s five key steps
for providing a successful
culinary journey
1. Ask for feedback along the way.
2. Be sure your program is adaptable
to individuals at various stages
of the care continuum/levels of
function.
3. Include integrated and interactive
elements.
4. Create opportunities for associates and participants to engage.
5. Share your success and lessons
learned.
Become
an ICAA
Champion
Founding Partners
Shape views of aging. Become an ICAA
Champion or Partner in ICAA’s Changing the Way
We Age® Campaign and help change society’s
views and expectations of aging.
To learn how you or your organization can get
involved, call the International Council on Active
Aging® at 866-335-9777 or visit
www.changingthewayweage.com
Program profile
Senior PUMP: a high-level fitness program
incorporates functional
movements
This comprehensive fitness
program aims to increase
strength, prevent falls and
build confidence in older
adults
by Michael McCann, MS, Jeff Rose, BS,
MBA, Jessica N. Enriquez, BS, ACSM, PT,
and Jenna Belt, BS, ACSM, PT, RYT
What is ageism, and why is it a dirty
word? Ageism is stereotyping and
discriminating against individuals or
groups on the basis of their age. This
may be casual or systematic. Ageism
includes believing that every teenager
is irresponsible or that all older adults
are afraid and cannot function independently. It may also mean believing that
older people cannot participate in highlevel fitness and wellness programs.
At Friendship Village of Schaumburg,
Illinois, our Lifestyles team has developed a new level of a higher-engagement
fitness program and introduced it to the
independent-living area of our continuing care retirement community. This
program is called Senior PUMP (Physical-Uplifting-Motivational-Power). We
feel it is important to introduce new fitness trends and principles into the lives
60
of our residents to foster their independence and increase their knowledge and
awareness of balanced wellness.
Senior PUMP takes elements of highintensity interval training (HIIT) and
adapts them for older adults. We achieve
this through the proper assessment of
weights being used and the time of intervals being accomplished. So the program
features the same principles and exercises
found in fitness centers, tailored to the
specific age demographic. Senior PUMP
participants work with kettlebells and
heavy ropes, and pull weighted bags down
the hallways of the community.
After a steady progression of exercises,
participants are introduced to “extreme”
activities such as snow tubing, indoor
skydiving, horseback riding and rock
climbing. This year, residents are preparing for events such as camping, canoeing
and go-kart racing. Our Lifestyles team
feels that if individuals are involved in the
comprehensive Senior PUMP fitness program, they can experience everything
life has to offer at any age. They do not
have to sacrifice their passions and
interests.
Senior PUMP participant
Betty Young rises to a
standing position as she
does a kettlebell swing
with added resistance
Senior PUMP: a high-level fitness program incorporates
functional movements Continued from page 60
chained single-joint movements using
large muscle groups, or Level 2, complex
closed-chained multi-joint movements
using small and large muscle groups.
The kinetic chain involves links between
parts of the body that together produce
movement. During open-chained exercises, the extremities (e.g., arms, legs)
are able to move freely while isolating a
single muscle group at a single joint. A
bicep curl is one example. Closed-chain
exercises require the extremities to be
in a fixed position while targeting multiple muscle groups and multiple joints
through multiple planes of motion. A
squat is an example of a close-chained
exercise.2 (A resource listed on page 65
offers more information.)
The Senior PUMP workout changes weekly. Some additional circuit exercises include work
with battle (heavy) ropes, as Dolores Vedrine demonstrates in the foreground, as well as
squats from an unstable surface such as a BOSU, as Helen Moffett shows in the background
Our team’s philosophy in developing the
program is twofold. It is based upon a
belief that life does not happen in slow
motion. The paradigm for senior fitness,
however, traditionally consists of slow
and methodical movements and exercises. Senior PUMP challenges that paradigm by introducing a modern program
filled with complex power movements
that engage multiple muscle groups. We
designed the program using functional
movements that mimic activities of daily
living (ADL). Its ultimate goal is to increase strength, prevent falls and build
confidence in participants.
Program elements
Group-exercise classes for active-aging
adults must weave in certain principles
to promote successful aging. Elements
integrated into the Super PUMP class
are as follows:
• Kinetic foundation: allowing the
body to learn the movements, while
establishing proper form.
• Muscular strength: improving the
muscles’ ability to generate force
62
against an object such as dumbbells,
resistance bands and medicine balls.
• Cardiovascular endurance: improving the heart’s ability to provide oxygen to muscles during an extended
period of time.
• Functional movements: using multiple joints through multiple planes of
motion during complex movements
of ADL.
• Safe progressions: utilizing a wellrounded program that offers safety
cues, modifications, and enough
time for safe progressions.
Before starting the program, every participant must go through an assessment
based on recommendations for the aging
population from the American College of
Sports Medicine.1 Areas assessed include
balance, strength, flexibility and cardiovascular endurance. The most commonly
known assessment tests are the sit-tostand test, the 2-minute step test, the arm
curl test, and the timed up-and-go test.
Based on the assessment results, participants either begin with Level 1, open-
Program overview
For the Senior PUMP program, our
Lifestyles team created an open group
of 10–15 women, ages 76–86 years, who
live at Friendship Village of Schaumburg. All participants reside in independent living. Like many other groups of
older adults, the participants have common chronic health conditions, such as
high blood pressure, osteoarthritis and
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,
as well as joint replacements and different levels of cognitive function.
The group meets for three sessions per
week. Each Senior PUMP session is 45
minutes long; it begins with a dynamic
warm-up such as low-impact aerobics,
and ends with a static cooldown or
stretch. While the exercises vary, the
circuit always consists of at least 10–15
stations.
The sample circuit below focuses on
upper body, lower body, core, cardiovascular endurance, strength and balance.
Each station is performed for 2 oneminute sets, with a 25–30 second break
between each set.
1. Step-ups: Using an aerobic step at
varying heights, the participant
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
steps up and down as many times as
possible.
Seated adduction: With a mid-tension ball placed between the knees,
the participant squeezes and releases
the ball several times.
Trunk rotation: Using a light-tension
resistance band attached to a balance bar, the standing participant
grasps the band and rotates at the
core, keeping the feet planted on the
floor. The participant then returns to
the starting position. The second set
works the other side.
Seated reverse crunch: With a 1–3
lb. pilates ball held between the feet,
the seated participant lifts the legs up
while keeping the knees bent, then
returns the feet to the floor.
Seated ball transfer with stability
ball: While seated in a chair, the
participant raises the ball from waist
level to above the head with both
hands, then lowers the ball to meet
one foot that is raised in the air. The
participant continues to perform this
task, alternating the feet.
Wall squat with stability ball: With a
stability ball placed behind the back,
the participant leans against the wall
and performs a squat.
Seated hamstring curls: Using a resistance band, the participant wraps
the band around the ankle and flexes
at the knee, extending the leg, then
returns to the starting position. The
participant alternates the leg with
each set.
Resistive kettlebell swing with sit-tostand: With a kettlebell attached to
a resistance band, the seated participant anchors the band by stepping
on each end. The participant then
swings the kettlebell up while rising
to a standing position. (See page 61.)
Front squat: Using a 3 lb. weighted
bar, the participant performs a squat
holding the bar at shoulder level in
front of the body.
Figure 1. During a Senior PUMP workout, Kay Overland flips a plyometric box from a
squat, strengthening her leg muscles.
Figure 2. Judy Kucz meets the Senior PUMP challenge by pulling a weighted bag during
a circuit.
63
Senior PUMP: a high-level fitness program incorporates
functional movements Continued from page 63
10.Plyometric box flip: Using a large,
Styrofoam plyometric box, the participant squats to lift the box and then
pushes it to flip the box over. (See
Figure 1.)
11.Lunge with trunk rotation: Using a
medicine ball, the participant performs a lunge while also twisting at
the core. The participant returns to
the starting position, then lunges on
the other leg.
12.Weighted bag pull: Using a 15–20
lb. weighted bag connected with a
Velcro strap around the waist, the
participant walks a distance of approximately 20–25 yds. (19–23 m.),
dragging the bag behind him or her.
(See Figure 2.)
All workouts are facilitated by two exercise physiologists. These team members
provide safety cues and constant oversight and instruction to decrease the
risk of falls and injuries. Modifications
are provided on a case-by-case basis, depending on the needs of the individual
participant.
Program goals & objectives
Senior PUMP is designed not only to
increase functionality of ADL in each
participant, but also to prevent falls and
injuries related to falling. The program’s
goals and main objectives are to improve the functional movements with
multi-planar and multi-joint movements,
increase cardiovascular endurance and
muscular strength, improve ADL function and build camaraderie amongst the
participants in order to create a network
of individuals who are driven by health
and wellness.
The workout has 3 phases. Each phase
consists of options and modifications for
both Level 1 and Level 2 participants.
Phase 1. Introduction
Phase 1 introduces the exercises to the
participants. It also allows them time to
acclimate to the exercises, as they learn
the form and function of each movement.
64
• Easy open-chained single-joint
movements using large muscle
groups.
• Body weight to low weight, with
12–20 repetitions.
Phase 2. Hypertrophy
Phase 2 progresses participants to a
workout that increases muscle growth,
decreases repetitions, and increases
weight lifted.
• Combination of easy open-chained
single-joint movements using large
muscle groups, and complex closedchained multi-joint movements using small and large muscle groups.
• Low to moderate weight, with 8–12
repetitions.
Phase 3. Functional Strength
Phase 3 progresses participants to a
workout focusing mainly on complex
exercises while decreasing repetitions
and increasing weight lifted.
• Complex closed-chained multi-joint
movements using small and large
muscle groups.
• Moderate to high weight, with 6–8
repetitions.
Today, Senior PUMP participants have
reached and surpassed many of the
program’s goals and objectives. After
progressing through the first two phases,
they are now in Phase 3 (Functional
Strength). These residents can properly
perform complex closed-chain exercises
using large and small muscle groups and
multiple joints through all planes of
motion.
Participants report feeling mentally and
physically stronger after Senior PUMP.
Resident Anna Hauser told us, “I was
not sure whether I could do these exercises when I started. However, I am enjoying all the new movements, and
I am proud and impressed with myself for trying and accomplishing the
program.”
Fostering independence
Senior athletes require a special approach that includes increasing ADL
and falls prevention. These individuals
should participate in a challenging program that allows them to meet personal
goals and maintain function—a program like Senior PUMP. At Friendship
Village of Schaumburg, we created this
high-level fitness program to support
our residents in staying independent
and active. By incorporating exercises
that involve multiple muscle groups into
workouts, we believe that participants
not only build confidence, improve selfimage and increase strength, but they
are also better equipped to live a life full
of energy, activity and socialization.
Michael McCann, MS, is director of lifestyles for Friendship Senior Options in
Schaumburg, Illinois. Friendship Senior
Options sponsors two of the Chicago area’s
leading continuing care retirement communities, Friendship Village of Schaumburg and GreenFields of Geneva, as well
as services for older adults that include
rehabilitation therapy, home services and
memory support. McCann provides leadership to all facets of life enrichment at the
not-for-profit organization. As a transformational keynote speaker, he uses his
experiences in wellness and leadership to
facilitate long-term personal development
and well-being. McCann is on the faculty
of multiple Chicago universities, where
he teaches physical, mental and spiritual
wellness; and serves as a trustee for the
National Association for Activity Professionals. He has contributed numerous
articles to multiple publications and writes
a monthly wellness blog for McKnight’s
Senior Living News. McCann can be
reached at [email protected].
Jeffrey Rose, BS, MBA, is lifestyles manager for Friendship Senior Options. Rose has
worked in life enrichment for Friendship
Village of Schaumburg for eight years and
works closely with all areas of wellness.
He received his bachelor of science degree
in hospitality management from Ohio
State University and his master’s degree
in business administration from Roosevelt
University. Passionate about teaching
older adults through quality of life programming, Rose draws from his hospitality
background and passion for healthy living
in his leadership. He is a past presenter at
LeadingAge Illinois, as well as a contributing partner for Harper and Roosevelt
Universities.
Jessica Enriquez, BS, ACSM, PT, is an exercise physiologist for Symbria/Senior Fit,
who currently serves the Friendship Village of Schaumburg community. Literally
growing up on a gymnastic floor, Enriquez
has dedicated her whole life as an advocate for living a healthy lifestyle. A fitness
fanatic, she is inspired to share this passion
and help people achieve their personal
goals. Enriquez is continuing her study of
wellness as she prepares for her master’s
degree in occupational therapy.
Jenna Belt, BS, ACSM, PT, RYT, is a
graduate of the University of Illinois at
Chicago, where she received her bachelor of
science degree in kinesiology and nutrition.
Belt’s passion is promoting comprehensive
fitness to each participant, focusing on
spiritual wellness as much as physical. She
is a Certified Personal Trainer through the
American College of Sports Medicine and a
200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher through
Global Yoga and Wellness. Belt currently
works as a senior exercise physiologist at
Friendship Village of Schaumburg.
References
1. Thompson, W. (2010). ACSM’s Guidelines for
Exercise Testing and Prescription (8th edition).
Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins.
2. Gagliardi, C. (2012, October 15). What is a
Kinetic Chain? American Council on Exercise,
“Exam Preparation” blog. Retrieved February 5,
2015, from https://www.acefitness.org/
blog/2929/what-is-a-kinetic-chain.
Images courtesy of Friendship Senior
Options
Resources
Internet
American Council on Exercise:
What is a Kinetic Chain?
www.acefitness.org/blog/2929/
what-is-a-kinetic-chain
Friendship Senior Options
http://friendshipsenioroptions.org
Print
Thompson, W. (2010). ACSM’s
Guidelines for Exercise Testing
and Prescription (8th edition).
Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins
65
ICAA initiatives
Active Aging
Week 2015:
resources for running a
successful campaign
As organizations begin to plan their Active Aging Week
celebrations, they can turn to the newly launched campaign
website for an array of support materials
66
YMCAs, host organizations harness the
creativity of staff, residents/members,
suppliers and partners to develop a local campaign with impact. Events of
all kinds support Active Aging Week’s
mission to provide as many older adults
as possible with the opportunity to experience wellness activities. Thanks to
the outstanding efforts of all involved,
Active Aging Week has touched the lives
of millions of older adults since its 2003
launch.
With hosts in the United States, Canada
and Australia starting to plan their 2015
Active Aging Week celebrations, ICAA
recently ramped up its efforts with a new,
dedicated Active Aging Week website
(www.activeagingweek.com). Both organizations and individuals will find plenty
of campaign support materials on this
new site.
During Active Aging Week 2014, ‘the
adventure began’ at Caledonia State Park in
Pennsylvania for residents of two Lutheran
Social Services communities. Image courtesy
of Sodexo Senior Living
The last week of September is one of
the most exciting times of the year for
the International Council on Active
Aging® (ICAA) and the ICAA community. Thousands of organizations,
members and nonmembers included,
join together to participate in Active
Aging Week®. Led by ICAA, this weeklong health-promotion campaign calls
attention to and wholeheartedly celebrates the positivity of aging.
Whether retirement communities, seniors centers, fitness clubs, hospitals or
ICAA developed the online resource to
guide—and spark ideas for—local event
organizers, who have great flexibility in
how their individual organizations will
participate. These organizers customize
the Active Aging Week experience to
their settings. For example, they choose
what their schedule will be, what and
how many events they will offer, who
they will involve in their efforts, and
how they will market their offerings.
To help with these decisions, Active
Aging Week features a theme each
year. In 2015, “Live your adventure”
encourages welcoming each day with an
adventurous spirit that embraces life’s
possibilities (see “Mark your calendar”
on this page for campaign dates).
Resources & ideas aplenty
Past hosts have reported details of
campaign planning and events over the
years, and ICAA has shared these stories with readers of the Journal on Active
Aging®. Posted on the Active Aging Week
website, these articles are a treasure
trove of programming ideas, advice
and examples. Campaign resources
also include everything from planning
Mark your calendar
Observance: Active Aging Week 2015
Theme: Live Your Adventure
Dates: September 27–October 3
Website: www.activeagingweek.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
ActiveAgingWeek
Twitter: #activeagingweek and
@AAW_ICAA
guides and worksheets, to promotional
materials.
ICAA has created the two guides that
follow to familiarize you with the Active
Aging Week website and help you easily
access the resources available there:
• “Navigating ActiveAgingWeek.
com” maps out the new campaign
website. This guide on pages 68–69
shows you what the site houses and
where to find specific information
and resources.
• “Exploring the Active Aging Week
toolkit” looks at the tools provided
to assist you with running a successful
campaign. Presented on pages 70–71,
it also mentions ways you may wish to
use these tools.
No matter whether you are participating in your first Active Aging Week or
your 13th, the most important thing to
remember is to enjoy yourself. Live the
adventure with your residents/members
and colleagues. Positive life experiences
are what this celebration is all about.
As you develop your Active Aging Week
celebrations, drop us a note online to tell
us how things are going. You can also post
your stories to Active Aging Week’s Facebook page or to Twitter (refer to “Mark
your calendar” above for information). We
would love to hear your stories.
Continued with the guides on pages 68–71
67
Navigating ActiveAgingWeek.com
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9
1
10
4
2
6
5
4
3
8
12
11
14
13
15
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68
17
18
19
20
9
Are you celebrating Active Aging Week®
in 2015? If so, visit the newly launched
Active Aging Week website for resources
you can use to plan, promote and deliver
your events. This guide is intended to
help you navigate the website. It maps
the site so you can easily find the information, materials and resources you
seek, with details outlined in the key
below.
1. About
Gain an overview of the campaign,
plus frequently asked questions and
recent media releases. Also find contact
information and future Active Aging
Week dates.
2. Impact
Learn about the impact of campaign
hosts, along with their success stories
and comments. Also view last year’s
media coverage. A downloadable
infographic shows the impact that
Active Aging Week and participating
organizations achieved in 2014. It is a
powerful tool to use when seeking local
sponsors or media support.
3. Resources
Find resources for your organization, as
well as for individuals to participate on
their own. The organizational resources
will help you plan and implement your
campaign, while the promotional tools
will assist you with getting your message
heard.
4. Theme days
Build on your plans with Active Aging
Week theme days, developed by ICAA
in conjunction with industry partners.
Gain tools and, in some instances,
people to support topic areas such as
walking, hearing, foot health, food and
fun, or the power of water. View this
section for details.
5. Get involved
Find information to help you register
your participation as a host site or your
interest as an organization, individual,
media outlet or sponsor.
6. Sponsorship
Show your support for Active Aging
Week. No matter how large or small,
every campaign needs funders to
sustain it. Sponsors make possible the
Active Aging Week website and the free
campaign resources it provides.
7. Register host site
Register your organization as a
campaign host site here. Campaign
updates go out to registered hosts as
they occur. Also, ICAA sends host
information to media outlets and to
relevant incoming inquiries.
8. Facebook and Twitter
Let others know you connect to the
vision of Active Aging Week. Share
your involvement, stories, events, media
coverage, and other campaign news on
Facebook and Twitter.
9. Contact
Find contact information here to
connect with ICAA regarding Active
Aging Week, whether by telephone,
mail, email or fax. And don’t be shy. We
like to hear from you.
10. Take the challenge
Get involved in the still-to-be-named
national “walk and roll” during Active
Aging Week. Add this new campaign
event to your schedule and raise funds
for a worthy cause.
11. Resources for host
organizations
Gain a wide array of campaign resources,
all designed to help you deliver a successful campaign. Also accessible through
the top navigation bar, this section
houses everything from planning guides
to promotional materials.
12. Resources for
participants
Support individuals who wish to get
involved in Active Aging Week on their
own and/or boost their fitness ahead of
the campaign. This section will grow as
resources continue to be added.
13. Success stories
Discover the unique stories of Active
Aging Week—from setting a Guinness
World Record to taking a balloon ride.
Learn how others have celebrated the
week and the results they achieved.
Watch for new stories periodically.
And contribute your own campaign
experiences, so your stories can also
appear.
14. In the news
Explore this section to see how each
person, each event and each campaign
has an Active Aging Week story to
share. In 2014, along with 43 broadcast
features, more than 500 articles appeared in the press in North America, driving 170-million media impressions,
according to a media tracking service.
15. Tweets
Share your story with everyone who
follows Active Aging Week 2015 on
Twitter at hashtag #activeagingweek or
connect directly with the campaign at
@AAW_ICAA.
16. Media
Highlight Active Aging Week news to
your local media and partners by sharing
press releases and other media resources
housed in this section.
17. FAQs
See the most frequently asked questions
people have about Active Aging Week.
If you have an unanswered question, you
may find the answer here.
18. Site map
Consult this site map if you have trouble
locating information. This map outlines
all the pages on the website for easy
navigating.
19. Privacy policy
Review the privacy policy on information collected on the Active Aging
Week website.
20. Terms and conditions
Read the terms and conditions for use of
campaign materials and information on
the Active Aging Week website.
21. Sponsors
Learn about organizations that
financially support Active Aging Week,
helping to bring the campaign’s free tools
to you. Please visit sponsors’ sites to learn
about them, and when you can, show
appreciation by supporting them in
turn.
69
Exploring the Active Aging Week toolkit
This campaign guide describes the free
Active Aging Week resources available
to help you develop and deliver a successful September campaign.
Plan well and plan in advance—that’s
the most common advice shared by veteran hosts of Active Aging Week®. ICAA
has created three resource centers on
the Active Aging Week website (www.
activeagingweek.com) to help you both
plan and run your campaign. Outlined
below, these sections focus on event
planning, theme days, and campaign
promotional materials. You’ll also find
suggested ways to use these tools in your
local Active Aging Week campaign.
1. Planning your events
Regardless of whether or not you regularly plan programs and events, it may
seem daunting to pull together an Active
Aging Week campaign, especially if it’s
your first time as a host organization.
To help with the planning process, turn
to planning guides, worksheets and
webinars that give practical guidance
for hosting campaign events. You’ll also
discover a wealth of ideas in articles
highlighting the experiences of previous
hosts.
Guidance
“Set your goals for Active Aging Week.”
This article discusses how to set your
goals, so you ensure you remain focused
on what you wish to achieve.
“Launch your planning cycle for Active
Aging Week.” This in-depth article offers advice from past hosts for planning
a successful event. It also describes elements to build into your Active Aging
Week plan and when to implement
them. [Ed. Introduced in 2007, two
planning components from this article
have been updated for Active Aging
Week 2015. The “Active Aging Week
five-month plan” and “Planning checklist for Active Aging Week host” are
available for download from the Active
Aging Week website.]
70
Additional guidance includes:
The plan
• “Plan for Active Aging Week”
• “Active Aging Week: prepare your
action plan” (theme and 12-week
plan)
• “Active Aging Week: kicking off
the planning stage”
• “Countdown to Active Aging
Week”
The promotion
• “Develop your marketing plan for
Active Aging Week”
• “Start the publicity machine for
Active Aging Week”
• “How to get the most out of your
involvement in Active Aging
Week”
The partners
• “The value of partnerships for Active
Aging Week”
• “How to solicit donations for Active
Aging Week”
• “Promote Active Aging Week
through public officials”
• “How to request a proclamation or a
letter from a public official to recognize Active Aging Week”
2. Theme days
As you develop your plans for Active
Aging Week, keep in mind that you have
access to additional resources through
campaign theme days. These theme days
were developed by ICAA in conjunction with a variety of industry partners.
Among these themes are:
• “Foot health with the IPFH”
(Institute for Preventive Foot
Health)
• “The WALK! with Aegis Therapies
2015 Event”
• “Say Hello! with CaptionCall”
• “Take the plunge with SwimEx”
Theme days are a simple way to add topics to your schedule and expand your
Active Aging Week offerings.
3. Campaign promotional
materials
Once you have made your initial campaign plans, you may want to take an
early look at the tools available to support your Active Aging Week promotion
and marketing. Remember, there are
two campaigns to develop:
• Internal: staff, suppliers, partners,
residents/members
• External: potential residents/members, family members, friends, and
the community-at-large
The following tools are available to support your efforts:
Campaign logo. The Active Aging
Week logo is a powerful tool that you
can use to create a visual identity for
your campaign. Consider using the
logo wherever you can—for example,
your flyers, posters, brochures and
website.
T-shirt designs. Active Aging Week
T-shirts are among the most popular
promotional tools provided every
year. In 2015, you may choose between
two official T-shirt designs to heighten campaign spirit, visibility and
participation.
Posters. Displaying colorful campaign
posters is an eye-catching way to promote your Active Aging Week involvement. You may download any or all of
the five Active Aging Week 2015 posters, which show a diversity of participants. Be sure to place your logo on the
posters.
Fact sheets. Campaign fact sheets provide key points about the Active Aging
Week campaign. You can hand these
sheets to participants, media representatives and other parties at health fairs,
shopping malls and additional locations
within your community. You’ll find both
general and customizable fact sheets on
the campaign website.
Donor and sponsor fact sheets. A wellsupported presentation will increase the
likelihood of success when you solicit
organizations as local partners and sponsors for Active Aging Week. You can use
the customizable fact sheets for potential donors and sponsors to provide a
clear understanding of the campaign.
Customizable press releases. The Active Aging Week website offers press
releases that you can use within your
local community or on a national level.
Whether you target print, radio, television, blogs or online news services, you
can customize a press release to spread
the word about your participation.
LIVE YOUR
ADVENTURE
LIVE YOUR ADVENTURE
5
October 3, 201
September 27–
Sponsors
a.c
w w w. i c a
c
September 27–October
3, 2015
Sponsors
Certificates of participation. To recognize participation in Active Aging Week,
ICAA has created a number of different
certificates. You may want to download
and display a certificate to recognize—
and celebrate—your participation as
an Active Aging Week host site. You
will also find additional certificates that
recognize local event sponsors/partners
and participants. Use these certificates
to show these organizations and individuals how much you appreciate and
support their Active Aging Week
involvement.
PowerPoint presentation, with script
and handout. Many host organizations
deliver educational presentations to the
community-at-large during their Active
Aging Week celebrations. The “Changing the way we age” campaign presentation is available for your use. This
PowerPoint comes with both a script
and a handout to help you deliver an
effective, compelling presentation.
w w w. i c a a . c c
LIVE YOUR ADVE
NTURE
Active Agin
g Week pla
Planning action
nning chec
s
klist
• Organize a planni
• Form your vision ng committee.
• Establ ish budge for the week.
t.
• Inform key
people in the organi
zation about Active
Aging Week.
• Identify target
audience: who
will attend the
• Finalize list
event(s)?
of potential events
.
• Invite speake
rs or
• Reserve rooms organizations to participate.
and check for schedu
le conflicts.
• Inform manag
ers and staff of
the event activit
• Check on due
ies.
dates to advert
ise the events in
and other outsid
the organization
e sources.
’s newsletters
• Visit Active
Aging Week websit
e for promotional
and educational
• Finalize negoti
materials.
ations with speake
• Determine marke
rs or
ting pieces needed organizations that will presen
t.
.
• Register as host
site on www.activeag
• Draft the flyers
ingweek.com
and
• Mail press release notices for the website, newsle
tters and social
to local papers
media
,
televis
.
ion
• Give notices
and radio station
to Webmaster
s.
for posting.
• Finalize flyers.
• Confirm work
schedules and
tasks for allies,
during the event.
volunteers and
staff who will help
• Print out Active
Aging Week poster
• Organize the
s.
people who will
hang posters and
distribute flyers.
• Confirm Active
Aging Week activit
• Inform mainte
nance and housek ies with other departments.
• Send email about
eeping staff.
• Prepare talking events.
points for exercis
e instructors, person
staff to announce
the Week’s activit
al trainers and
activities
ies.
• Display the
events on the bulleti
• Prepare poster
n board and annou
s and signs.
nce again on social
• Double check
media ,
that events inform
• Double check
ation is in newsle
room and space
tter.
reservations.
• Confirm all
speakers and room
arrangements.
• Update voice
mail
• Send out a second blurbs to remind callers of the
events.
email.
• Check that poster
s and
multipurpose rooms flyers are in place; hang them
in dining areas,
and other nonfitn
ess locations.
• Print out certific
ates
distribute to partici of participation from the Active
Aging Week websit
pants.
• Review week’s
e to
events with team.
• Answer questi
ons.
• Prepare and
duplicate feedba
ck forms to distrib
• Tabulate feedba
ute to participants.
ck
• Conduct a follow forms.
-up with the planni
and what didn’t
ng committee to
for next year’s
discuss what worke
events.
• Mail a thank
d well
you
• Submit the resultsto your volunteer staff.
of your activities
to ICAA .
Due dates
LIVE YOUR ADVENTURE
Calendar and social media announcements. You can drive interest in your
Active Aging Week activities by disseminating campaign calendar announcements within your organization as well
as to media outlets and the vast array of
social media.
Additional action
items
ENTURE
LIVE YOUR ADV
plan
ive-month
ng Week f
Active Agi
Jun
May
Jul
Aug
Sep
es
Planning stag
le to
Contact peop
Form vision of
plan events.
what your week
will look like.
s, activities.
t audience
Choose targe
Reserve speakers
Plan marketing
, space, equipme
eting
Launch mark
Finalize work
nt.
program.
that allies, volu
othe
Post posters and
Welcome your
.
uce materials
campaign, prod
nteers and othe
rs will perform.
r displays.
participants.
Certificate of
Recognition
As a local sponsor
for Active Aging Week
2015
and an organizatio
n committed to the
ActiveAging Wellness Philo
sophy
Colin Milner, CEO
International Counci
l on Active
Aging
71
Splash!
Improving swim skills
& drills, part 1:
the freestyle stroke
It’s never too late for
swimmers to address
common mistakes in
technique in order to
achieve safe, effective body
mechanics—and a smooth
glide
world-class swimmer. Lintz is a champion
Masters swimmer and award-winning
swim coach. A former varsity swimmer at
the University of Wyoming, Sanders says
she enjoys progressing her fitness swim
skills with coaching tips from these expert
“swim buddies.”
by Mary E. Sanders, PhD, CDE, RCEP,
FACSM, and Nebojša Bikić
This two-part article identifies common
swimming mistakes—especially those
made by older swimmers who may have
developed bad habits over time—then
provides skills and drills to improve technique. The first installment focuses on the
Aquatics authority Mary Sanders teams
with coauthor Nebojša Bikić and swimmer
model Steve Lintz to share valuable skills
and drills that improve swim workouts for
older adults. Bikić, a personal trainer, is a
72
Champion swimmers Nebojša Bikić and
Steve Lintz demonstrate the freestyle stroke.
(At left: Bikić and Lintz relax for a photo.)
Photos: Mary E. Sanders. Images courtesy of
WaterFit
Improving swim skills & drills, part 1: the freestyle stroke
Continued from page 72
freestyle stroke, also known as the front
crawl. In the July/August Journal on
Active Aging®, the second installment will
delve into the breaststroke, backstroke and
butterfly.
“This journey has always been about
reaching your own other shore no matter
what it is, and that dream continues.”
– Diana Nyad, American long-distance
swimmer and motivational speaker
Diana Nyad completed one of the most
incredible swims of all time. At age 64,
Nyad became the first person confirmed
to swim from Cuba to the United States
without the aid of a shark tank. After
4 failed attempts, she completed her
successful swim across the Straits of
Florida, taking 53 hours to cover 110
miles (177 kilometers) between Havana
and Key West.1,2 Nyad spoke with courage shortly after her failed attempt in
2012, vowing not to give up.3 Instead,
she progressed her rigorous open-water
training regime from 12 hours per day to
24. And, in 2013, she succeeded on her
5th and final attempt. What propelled
Nyad to this historical accomplishment?
It was not youth’s energy, but seasoned
determination, mental ability, preparation and skill.
Nyad teaches us that swimming is an
activity people can continue for a lifetime, whether for recreation or for competition. To optimize the benefits of the
sport, however, swimmers need to master skills that allow them to swim at the
right intensity for a long enough period
of time to achieve health gains. Safe, effective body mechanics results in more
effective strokes. Such strokes maximize
a swimmer’s propulsion through the water, for optimal speed and time.
It’s never too late for people to learn
how to swim for health and fitness, or
to brush up on techniques that will improve performance. This two-part article
offers active-aging professionals and
swim enthusiasts a swim clinic that ad74
dresses common mistakes in technique
among participants and helps them
achieve a smooth glide. We’ll start with
a look at where technique goes wrong.
Identifying common mistakes
Many swimmers focus mainly on counting laps to quantify their distance.
Common mistakes are easy to identify
as “Repetitio est matrem studiorum”
(“Repetition is the mother of learning”).
If the goal of each swim workout is to
complete as many laps as possible in an
allotted time, there’s a great possibility
individuals won’t pay attention to their
body position and/or stroke mechanics.
A movement repeated countless times
becomes automatic, even if it’s incorrect.
As a result, swimmers think their technique is right.
In most cases, it’s easier to teach a
person how to swim than to correct a
bad habit that has persisted for years.
Disbelief is common when older swimmers review videos. Individuals may
say, “Why are you showing me a video
of somebody else? This person has the
same swimsuit as me, but that’s not my
swimming. When I swim, it doesn’t look
or feel anything like that.” How many
times have instructors heard or even
said, “I’ve been swimming (lifting, running, etc.) this way all of my life and my
shoulder (back, hip, etc.) suddenly started to hurt”? Sometimes this acute pain
is due to repeated poor body or stroke
mechanics. Let’s look at some common
areas to consider.
Body position
One way to increase swimming speed is
to reduce drag, a force created by resistance as the body moves through the water. The amount of drag will differ based
on a person’s shape and size. The body’s
position in the water is among the factors an individual can control to increase
swimming efficiency.
Tip: To reduce drag, swimmers should
try and keep their bodies “long,” using
their outstretched arms in front. The
body should move in a straight line from
fingertips to pointed toes. To develop
a streamlined body position, the head
must also align with the spine (looking
down when swimming on the stomach,
looking up when swimming on the
back).
Mind the head
The most common mistake made by
older swimmers involves the position
of the head. While swimming in supine
position or on the back (backstroke),
participants may hold the head too high,
with their eyes focused directly or nearly
directly backwards. When individuals
swim in prone position or on the stomach (butterfly, breaststroke and freestyle), problems occur when they focus
their eyes straight ahead. In addition,
a high head will in most cases prevent
the body rotating sufficiently during the
freestyle and backstroke, which can lead
to a lateral or side-to-side motion. This
movement will result in slow, inefficient
swimming.
Improper head position usually leads to
other mistakes, such as hip and leg drop,
where the swimmer submerges the hips
and legs too low under the surface, creating even more drag on the body. These
mistakes translate into slower swimming
speeds and higher energy usage.
Tip: Generally, the head should align
with the torso and remain in a neutral
position for all strokes. During pronepositioned strokes such as freestyle,
breaststroke and butterfly, the head
needs to face downward and align with
the spine, with the eyes focused on the
pool’s bottom. After taking a breath in
all prone strokes, the goal is to bring the
head back to neutral position as soon
as possible. During supine swimming
(backstroke), the head is in line with
the spine, eyes looking straight upward.
Swimmers don’t have to change head
Benefits of swimming
Low impact, gentle on joints
Buoyancy, along with the horizontal
position of swimming, unloads the
stress on the lower body. Good stroke
mechanics helps minimize the stress
on the shoulders as the arms move
through the resistance of water.
Lifetime activity
Jack LaLanne, who died in 2011,
swam one hour daily at age 93 years;1
and Nikola Tesla, known as the “Father of the Modern World,” swam
regularly.
Cardiorespiratory fitness
Significant health improvements and
no injuries resulted from a study in
which sedentary men and women
performed 12 weeks of swimming,
3 days per week, either as continuous
swims (2 miles per session) or highintensity interval training (HIIT)
as 30-second sprints with intervening 2-minute rests, repeated for 25
minutes. Swimmers significantly
improved their maximal oxygen consumption (10%) and stroke volume,
and reduced their blood pressure.2,3
Muscular endurance
Men who completed an 8-week
swimming program increased their
triceps muscle strength by 23%.4 The
pool is a liquid resistance machine.
The resistance increases as the swimmer’s arms and legs work faster to
push and pull the body through the
water, resulting in strong endurance
training.
Calorie burner
How many calories the body burns
during a fitness swim depends on
body composition, weight, and swimming efficiency and speed. Here
are a few rough estimates for fitness
Looking for
the right
employee
or job?
swimmers who weigh between 150
and 200 lbs.:5
Backstroke: 12–16 kcal/minute
Breaststroke: 11–15 kcal/minute
Freestyle or crawl ( fast): 11–15 kcal/
minute
Freestyle or crawl (slow): 9–12 kcal/
minute
Stay cool
Water transfers heat 25 times faster
than air. Swimming in cool water
keeps the body cool, even during vigorous swims on warm days.
Fun, fun, fun
Water sports are relaxing. A healthy
splash not only helps to decrease depression, but is also a natural mood
booster.
References
1. Weil, R. Swimming. What are the benefits
of swimming? Retrieved from http://www.
medicinenet.com/swimming/page4.htm.
2. Martin, W., Montgomery, J., Snell, P. G., et
al. (1987). Cardiovascular adaptations to
intense swim training in sedentary middleaged men and women. Circulation, 75(2),
323–330.
3. Mohr, M., Nordsborg, N. B., Lindenskov,
A., et al. (2014). High-intensity intermittent swimming improves cardiovascular
health status for women with mild hypertension. BioMed Research International, 2014(2014), Article ID 728289; doi:
10.1155/2014/728289.
4. Lavoie, J. M., Taylor, A. W., & Montpetit,
R. R. (1980). Skeletal muscle fiber size adaptation to an eight-week swimming program. European Journal of Applied
Physiology and Occupational Physiology,
44(2), 161–165.
5. McArdle, W. D., Katch, F. I., & Katch, V.
L. (1999). Sports and Exercise Nutrition.
Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams &
Wilkins.
Post your job opening on
the ICAA Career
Center––your online link
between people and
positions. Gain access to
the more than 10,000
organizations and
professionals served by the
Active Aging®, and find
the ideal candidate or position
for your needs.
For information about the
ICAA Career Center,
call toll-free 866-335-9777
or 604-734-4466. Or go to
ICAA Career ad-7.indd 1
75
15-04-12 6:03 PM
position to breath when swimming on
the back, so the goal is to keep the head
in neutral at all times.
Figure 1. Poor body rotation during freestyle swimming creates problems with stroke
mechanics and body position.
When instructing a swim clinic, activeaging professionals need to remember
that every individual is unique. There
are vast differences in swimmers’ shapes
and sizes. Body composition has a great
impact on a person’s buoyancy, while
injuries or chronic conditions may
limit ranges of motion for the arms and
legs. Range of motion influences stroke
mechanics. Certainly, genetics plays a
role as well. Some people are born with
physical characteristics that give them
an edge when swimming—for example,
long arms and large, flexible hands and
feet propel a person forward.
Despite their physical differences, all
swimmers can implement a few techniques to improve both speed and efficiency. In this article, we’ll offer skills
and drills for each stroke, starting with
the freestyle in this installment.
Figure 2. As a result of inadequate body rotation, the right arm recovers incorrectly in a
wide sideways sweep.
Performing skills & drills
for freestyle
One of 3 competitive strokes performed in
a prone position, the freestyle is the only
stroke in swimming that uses sideways
breathing. (Some swimmers may use this
way of breathing during the butterfly, but
it’s not common.) During the freestyle, the
arms alternately reach forward and back,
while the legs kick continuously up and
down using a flutter kick.
Common mistakes
Some mistakes occur when the swimmer
does not rotate the body enough, which
often goes hand-in-hand with holding
the head too high. Inadequate body rotation can occur independently, however, even when the head is held in proper
alignment with the rest of the body.
Figure 3. Some swimmers compensate for poor body rotation with a backwards-looking
motion to draw breath.
76
Check
Constant body rotation is one characteristic of freestyle swimming. From the
top of the head to the pointed toes, the
entire body needs to roll from side to
side as a single unit. Poor body rotation can lead to problems with stroke
mechanics and body position (see
Figure 1).
When the body’s rotation is inadequate
during arm strokes, the arms will recover
over the water in a wide, lateral sweeping
motion (see Figure 2).
This wide recovery can cause the hips
and legs to swing side-to-side, which
creates unnecessary drag. It can also lead
to a “high head” position during breathing, which causes the hips and legs to
drop lower in the water, again increasing
drag. In addition, with poor body rotation, some swimmers will move their
head backwards to breathe (see Figure
3), causing their whole body to swing
even more from side to side.
Figure 5. Drag increases on the body
when the swimmer holds the hands too
high while freestyle swimming (see the elevated right hand in this photo).
Correct
Freestyle swimmers should align the
body as horizontally as possible from
head to toe, including the arms, at the
water’s surface. A kickboard or noodle
can help in finding the “right” streamlined position (see Figure 4).
The shoulders tend to submerge if a
swimmer’s hands are held too high when
gliding (see Figure 5), which increases
the drag created by the entire body. If
the hands are held too low, however, the
drag from the arms will increase, causing
inefficiency.
Drills
Swim drills can improve a swimmer’s
stroke mechanics and body position in
the water. Adding the following drills
will help participants not only optimize
the efficiency and health benefits of swim
workouts, but also make them more fun!
Figure 4. Nebojša Bikić helps Steve Lintz
find a streamlined body position in the
water using a kickboard.
Figure 6. In the Catch Up drill, the swimmer ends alternating freestyle strokes with
the hands above or beside each other in the
water.
Figure 7. The swimmer can use a kickboard, if desired, to perform the Catch Up
drill.
1. Catch Up. Start in a prone, streamlined position. Complete one arm
stroke, placing the hand over or next
to the opposite hand when it returns
to the water (Figure 6). Repeat using
the opposite arm. Continue alternating arms for the length of the pool.
This drill can also be done by hold ing onto a kickboard or noodle
(Figure 7).
Figure 8. In this variation of the One
Arm drill, the swimmer strokes with one
arm while resting the other against the
side of the body.
2. One Arm. This is a modification of
the previous drill. Perform sets of
repeat strokes using only one arm,
then do sets of repeats with the other
arm. In this drill, one arm continues
to stroke 2, 3, 5 times, etc., while the
other arm stretches out and floats on
the surface ahead of the swimmer, or
rests by the person’s side (Figure 8).
77
The swimmer may hold a kickboard,
hand buoy or noodle in the outstretched hand, if preferred.
Figure 9. The “10” stage of the 3-10-3
Drill involves the swimmer kicking 10
times with the feet while gliding through
the water on the side of the body.
3. The 3-10-3 (5-10-5) Drill. After
completing a set of 3 or 5 strokes using alternating arms, kick 10 times
with the feet while lying on the side
of the body. Hold the lower arm out
in front and rest the other arm against
the side (Figure 9). After 10 kicks,
perform another set of 3 or 5 strokes
with alternating arms, then repeat 10
kicks on the other side.
During this drill, the swimmer
breathes during the stroke, or if
preferred (and water depth allows),
stands, takes a breath and continues.
In the next installment of this article,
we’ll submerge ourselves in swim drills
to improve the backstroke, breaststroke
and graceful butterfly.
Swimming for life
Whether people swim for fun and recreation, health and fitness, or the challenge of competition, they can learn
and/or refine swimming skills at any
age. A swim clinic is one way to help
them improve their technique. Safe, effective body mechanics allows individuals of all ages and abilities to continue to
swim and reap the benefits of this activ78
ity throughout the life span. (See the
sidebar on page 75 to learn more.)
In her 20s, Diana Nyad set world records
and completed a 102-mile swim from
the Bahamas to Florida. She also attempted the Straits of Florida crossing
for the first time.2 After age 30, the endurance athlete didn’t swim again until
she resurrected her dream and started
training at age 60.2 When she reached
the shores of Key West on September 2,
2013, Nyad had a message for everyone:
“You never are too old to chase your
dreams.”1
Mary E. Sanders, PhD, FACSM, RCEP,
CDE, is a clinical exercise physiologist
and Certified Diabetes Educator® in
the University of Nevada (Reno) School
of Medicine’s Division of Wellness and
Weight Management. She is also an adjunct professor in the university’s College of
Community Health Sciences. An International Council on Active Aging® Advisory
Board Member, Sanders directs WaterFit ®/
Golden Waves®. In addition, she is an
associate editor of ACSM’s Health &
Fitness Journal® and contributing editor
to the Journal on Active Aging®.
Sanders trains health and fitness professionals internationally, plus conducts
research in water exercise and in clinical
exercise as part of a medical multidisciplinary team.
Nebojša Bikić is a personal trainer at
Saint Mary’s Fitness Center in Reno,
Nevada. Born in Belgrade, Serbia, the
world-class swimmer competed in the
World Championships (Moscow, 2002)
and in the Olympic Games (Sydney,
2000). As a personal trainer, Bikić enjoys
working with participants on the land or
in the water.
Acknowledgement
Thank you to Steve Lintz, our swimmer
model. A champion swimmer, Lintz
swam for the Reno (Nevada) YMCA
as a youth and competed 2 years on the
men’s team at Oregon State University.
Returning to Nevada, he swam for the
Reno Aquatic Club, where he also began
his 25-year coaching career as a children’s swim coach. Lintz has competed
on the Sierra Nevada Masters swim team
since 1989. In 2014, he was voted the
Pacific Masters Region’s “Coach of the
Year,” and received a US Masters Swimming Kerry O’Brien Coaching Award.
References
1. Sloane, M., Hanna, J., & Ford, D. (2013, September 3). “Never, Ever Give Up”: Diana Nyad
Completes Historic Cuba-to-Florida Swim.
CNN.com. Retrieved on March 21, 2014, from
http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/02/world/
americas/diana-nyad-cuba-florida-swim.
2. TED.com. TED Speaker: Diana Nyad. Retrieved on March 21, 2014, from https://www.
ted.com/speakers/diana_nyad.
3. Forer, B. (2012, August 20). Diana Nyad: Endurance Swimmer Hits Storm on Swim from
Cuba to Florida. ABCNews.com. Retrieved on
March 21, 2014, from http://abcnews.go.com/
US/diana-nyad-endurance-swimmer-hitsstorm-swim-cuba/story?id=17040909.
Photos by Mary E. Sanders, courtesy
of WaterFit
Resources
American Swimming Association
www.americanswimmingassociation.
com
iSport Swimming
http://swim.isport.com
MedicineNet.com: Swimming
www.medicinenet.com/swimming/
article.htm
Swimming World Magazine
www.swimmingworldmagazine.com
United States Masters Swimming
www.usms.org
USA Swimming
Click on “Member resources,” then
“Swimmers.”
www.usaswimming.org
Adver tisers index
Pages 2–3
NuStep, Inc.
800-322-2209
www.nustep.com/jaa
Page 5
International Council on Active
Aging (ICAA Career Center)
866-335-9777
Page 7
CaptionCall
877-860-5043
www.captioncall.com/
captioncall/icaa
Page 9
HUR Health and Fitness Equipment
847-729-2636
www.hurusa.com
Page 11
Biodex
800-224-6339
www.biodex.com
Page 13
Power Systems
800-321-6975
www.powersystems.com/icaa
Page 19
SCIFIT
800-278-3933
www.scifit.com
Page 21
Interactive Health Partner
877-654-3837, option 7
[email protected]
Page 23
Life Fitness
866-638-9301
www.lifefitness.com/insignia
80
Page 27
Aging (ICAA)/ProMatura Group
866-335-9777
www.icaa.cc/business/
benchmarks.htm
Page 33
THOR•LO, Inc.
800-438-0286
www.thorlo.com/free-sock-offer
Pages 34–35
Active Aging Week
866-335-7777
www.activeagingweek.com
Page 39
Institute for Preventive Foot
Health (IPFH)
877-777-IPFH (4734)
www.ipfh.org
Page 43
Aging (Online Buyer’s Guide)
866-335-9777
www.icaa.cc/preferredbusiness
partners.htm
Pages 46–47
Welcamp
952-873-7900
www.welcamp.com
Page 48
Aging (ICAA Champions)
866-335-9777
Page 53
ProMatura Group
800-201-1483
[email protected]
Page 59
Aging (ICAA Champions)
866-335-9777
Page 65
Conductorcise
914-244-3803
www.conductorcise.com
Page 75
Aging (ICAA Career Center)
866-335-9777
Page 79
Go4Life Month
http://go4life.nia.nih.gov/month
Page 81
Benaroch Graphic Communication
604-230-8994
www.benaroch.com
Page 88
Aging (ICAA Preferred Business
Partners Program)
866-335-9777
www.icaa.cc
Page 91
Aging (ICAA research and resources)
866-335-9777
www.icaa.cc/
businessresourcesandtools.htm
Page 92
Morrison Senior Living
800-2-CLIENT (225-4368)
www.morrisonseniorliving.com
stand out
show your colors
One way to maintain a
competitive advantage
is to stand out from your
competitors. We can help.
Let Benaroch Graphic
Communication
provide you with the
creative tools to promote
and enhance your
corporate image.
For details call:
Benaroch Graphic Communication
T: 604.856.6627 C: 604.230.8994
[email protected]
www. benaroch.com
ICAA PREFERRED B
(ICAA) members gain access to companies
interested in doing business with them, and
in supporting the active-aging industry,
through the ICAA’s Preferred Business Partner Program. The support of the following
companies enables ICAA to provide members
with programs and services. ICAA encourages its members to support these vendors in
turn, and to take advantage of the additional
savings they offer members on products and
services.
Premier Preferred Business
Partners
Institute for Preventive Foot Health
(IPFH)
1519 West Front Street
Statesville NC 28677
Toll-free: 877-777-IPFH (4734)
Tel: 205-276-3030
Fax: 205-982-7931
[email protected]
www.ipfh.org
Focusing on preventive foot health, IPFH
helps individuals achieve more, more significant and more enthusiastic participation in all of life’s activities, no matter what
their age—in short, to enjoy greater quality
of life.
NuStep, Inc.
5111 Venture Drive, Suite 1
Ann Arbor MI 48108
Toll-free: 800-322-2209
Tel: 734-769-3939
Fax: 734-769-8180
[email protected]
www.nustep.com
At NuStep, Inc., customer satisfaction is
our highest priority. Our customer commitment and quality guides us in delivering
our brand’s core promise: assuring users the
82
opportunity for life transformation with
every NuStep experience.
THOR•LO, Inc.
2210 Newton Drive
Statesville NC 28677
Toll-free: 800-438-0286
Tel: 704-872-6522
Fax: 704-838-7006
[email protected]
www.thorlo.com
THOR•LO designs and manufactures innovative sock products for active living and
aging. The company is a founding sponsor
of the Institute for Preventive Foot Health.
Preferred Business Partners
ACP – Accelerated Care Plus
4850 Joule Street, Suite A-1
Reno NV 89502
Toll-free: 800-350-1100
Fax: 800-350-1102
[email protected]
www.acplus.com
ACP combines progressive medical
technology with evidence-based clinical
protocols and on-site therapist training.
The company partners with over 4,500
SNFs, ALFs, ILFs, outpatient clinics,
hospitals and other post-acute therapy
providers throughout the United States.
ActiveRx Active Aging Centers
4921 South Alma School Road, Suite 4
Chandler AZ 85248
Tel: 480-840-1460
Fax: 888-665-2512
[email protected]
www.activerx.com
The award-winning, research-based
ActiveRx model delivers an array of services to improve and maintain patients’
and members’ strength and physical function through franchised neighborhood
Active Aging Centers and licensed OnCampus locations in senior living centers.
Aegis Therapies
7160 Dallas Parkway, Suite 400
Plano TX 75024
Toll-free: 877-823-8375
Fax: 479-201-0402
[email protected]
www.aegistherapies.com
Aegis Therapies provides skilled therapy
and wellness services across the United
States. EnerG by Aegis provides a multidimensional approach to wellness that
produces both improved clinical outcomes
for participants and improved operational
success for organizations.
American Specialty Health
10221 Wateridge Circle
San Diego CA 92121-2702
Toll-free: 800-754-2000
Tel: 619-756-2943
[email protected]
www.silverandfit.com
ASH Fitness provides exercise and wellness
insurance benefit and incentive programs
for health plans and employer groups. Participate free in seven network programs,
including Silver&Fit®, which offers over
25 approved group-exercise formats for
older adults.
U S I N E S S PA R T N E R S
Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture
3457 Ringsby Court, Unit 200
Denver CO 80216
Tel: 303-455-1366
[email protected]
www.brsarch.com
Through a fun, passionate and peopleinspired process, Barker Rinker Seacat Architecture is dedicated to designing places
that build community, including wellness
and active-aging centers, in more than 200
communities across the United States.
Biodex Medical Systems, Inc.
20 Ramsey Road
Shirley NY 11967-4704
Toll-free: 800-224-6339
Tel: 631-924-9000
Fax: 631-924-9338
[email protected]
www.biodex.com/physmed Biodex, a long-time advocate for active
aging, offers devices and programs created
with older adults in mind. Our programs
support the products with marketing materials that help expand business—thereby
offering both clinical and business support.
Body Bar, Inc.
PO Box 4653
Boulder CO 80306-4653
Toll-free: 800-500-2030
Tel: 303-938-6865
Fax: 303-938-6864
[email protected]
www.bodybar.com
Committed to changing lives worldwide
through functional fitness, Body Bar considers passion, integrity and fun as essential
elements of its content and community.
Products include Weighted Exercise Bars,
Flex & AquaFlex Bars, and education.
BOSU, a division of Hedstrom Fitness
1 Hedstrom Drive
Ashland OH 44805
Toll-free: 800-810-6528
Tel: 419-289-9310
Fax: 419-281-3485
[email protected]
www.bosu.com
BOSU believes that balance is the
foundation of all human performance.
We offer products and programming that
encourage thoughtful and effective physical
training to help prevent unnecessary falls
and injuries while making training fun.
CapTel captioned telephone shows wordfor-word captions of everything a caller
says over the telephone—like captions on
television. CapTel’s telephone helps people
with hearing loss enjoy phone conversations, confident they’ll catch every word.
CaptionCall
4215 South Riverboat Road
Salt Lake City UT 84123
Toll-free: 877-557-2227
Tel: 801-293-6566
[email protected]
www.captioncall.com
CaptionCall is an innovative telephone for
people with hearing loss. It quickly displays
captions of what callers say on a large, easyto-read screen, so your hearing-impaired
clients can use the phone again with
confidence.
BTE
7455-L New Ridge Road
Hanover MD 21076
Toll-free: 800-331-8845
Tel: 410-850-0333
Fax: 410-850-5244
[email protected]
www.btetech.com
BTE’s expertise is human physical
performance evaluation and treatment.
Our rehabilitation equipment provides
advanced evidence-based solutions for
clinics, hospitals and private practices.
With BTE, therapists can achieve better
patient and clinic outcomes.
CapTel Captioned Telephone
450 Science Drive
Madison WI 53711
Toll-free: 800-233-9130
Tel: 608-238-5400
Fax: 608-238-3008
[email protected]
www.captel.com
Cascade Health and Fitness, LLC
17280 Woodinville-Redmond Road NE,
Suite 800
Woodinville WA 98072
Tel: 425-402-4062
Fax: 425-402-4063
[email protected]
www.cascadehealthandfitness.com
The ChairMaster brings well-balanced
wellness and fitness into daily life.
Converting a functional chair into a
recumbent bike, strength-training tool
and yoga/balance device, the ChairMaster
makes fitness accessible to anyone and
improves people’s lives.
83
ICAA PREFERRED B
Conductorcise, LLC
PO Box 248
Bedford Hills NY 10507
Tel: 914-244-3803
Fax: 914-244-3878
[email protected]
www.conductorcise.com
Davey Coach Sales, Inc.
7182 Reynolds Drive
Sedalia CO 80135
Toll-free: 800-873-1856
Tel: 303-683-9500
Fax: 303-683-6008
[email protected]
www.daveycoach.com
Conductorcise is a joyous, physical exercise
that uses the magic of classical music to
prompt brain and physical stimulation and
engagement of all levels. A flexible, fun way
to improve mind, body and spirit.
Davey Coach Sales offers small and midsized buses for sale, rent and lease. Offering
vehicles that accommodate from 5 to 51
passengers, wheelchair accessible models,
vehicle graphics and short-term leasing options, we do it all.
Cornell Communications, Inc.
7915 North 81st Street
Milwaukee WI 53223
Toll-free: 800-558-8957
Tel: 414-351-4660
Fax: 414-351-4657
[email protected]
www.cornell.com
Exerstrider
6400 Gisholt Drive, Suite 111
Madison WI 53713-4800
Toll-free: 888-285-7392
Tel: 608-223-9321
Fax: 608-223-9320
[email protected]
www.exerstrider.com
Cornell has provided emergency call systems
for over 40 years. We have wired and wireless
products available in basic visual or with
two-way voice capability to meet the specific
needs of your residents or clients.
Exerstrider walking poles help turn walking
into a safer, functional total-body exercise,
improving walking confidence, balance,
gait and posture. Exerstrider’s poles and
programs were developed to assist people
of all ages in improving health and fitness.
Cybex International, Inc.
10 Trotter Drive
Medway MA 02053
Tel: 631-379-7493
[email protected]
www.cybexintl.com
Cybex offers a full range of safe, effective
and accessible fitness equipment. Products
include the Arc Trainer, treadmills, bikes,
the Eagle, VR3 and VR1 strength-training
lines, Bravo functional trainer, and Inclusive
Fitness Initiative-certified Total Access line.
84
Greenfields Outdoor Fitness, Inc.
Santa Ana CA
Toll-free: 888-315-9037
Fax: 866-308-9719
[email protected]
www.greenfieldsfitness.com
By providing distinctive and well-planned
outdoor fitness settings that are accessible
for active older adults, Greenfields offers
several levels of activities that are both
physical and social in nature, including
strength, cardio and flexibility training.
Healthways
1445 South Spectrum Boulevard,
Suite 100
Chandler AZ 85286
Toll-free: 888-423-4632
[email protected]
www.silversneakers.com
SilverSneakers, a product of Healthways,
is an evidence-based program, proven to
reduce healthcare costs through a unique
blend of fitness, fun and friends.
HUR Health and Fitness Equipment
3019 Commercial Avenue
Northbrook IL 60062
Toll-free: 877-729-2636
Tel: 847-729-2636
Fax: 847-509-4500
[email protected]
www.hurusa.com/index.asp
HUR, a leader in falls prevention and
incontinence, offers computerized balance
testing and training systems, strength training equipment for older adults and physical
therapy, and specialty wheelchair accessible
strength machines.
HydroWorx
1420 Stoneridge Drive
Middletown PA 17057
Toll-free: 800-753-9633
Tel: 717-902-1923
Fax: 717-902-1933
[email protected]
www.hydroworx.com
HydroWorx, a premier manufacturer of
aquatic rehabilitation, fitness and wellness
products, offers innovation in every pool
with fully adjustable floor, underwater
treadmill and options to fit every application and budget.
ICAA/ProMatura Wellness Benchmarks
3307 Trutch Street
Toll-free: 866-335-9777
Tel: 604-734-4466
Fax: 604-708-4464
[email protected]
www.icaa.cc/business/benchmarks.htm
The ICAA/ProMatura Wellness Benchmarks is a free, Web-based business
reporting tool to track wellness program
outcomes in retirement communities.
Enter information, track resident
participation and satisfaction, and generate on-demand reports.
Interactive Health Partner
785 West 1700 South, Suite 1
Salt Lake City UT 84104
Toll-free: 877-654-3837
Tel: 801-973-9993, Option 3
Fax: 801-973-9923
[email protected]
www.interactivehealthpartner.com
It’s Never 2 Late builds computers residents enjoy. Intuitive systems empower individuals to connect, engage and enjoy life
with dignity through the benefits of today’s
technology for therapy and activity use.
Keiser
2470 South Cherry Avenue
Fresno CA 93706
Toll-free: 800-888-7009
Tel: 559-256-8000
Fax: 559-256-8100
[email protected]
www.keiser.com
Keiser AIR series and Infinity Series
exercise equipment feature pneumatic
technology—which means users are
“pumping air” and placing less stress on
joints and connective tissue.
Life Fitness
Columbia Centre III, 9525 West Bryn
Mawr Avenue
Rosemont IL 60018
Toll-free: 800-527-6062
Fax: 614-675-7820
[email protected]
www.lifefitness.com/index.html
The Interactive Health Partner Wellness
Program addresses fall prevention with assessments, outcomes tracking and exercise
prescription in an easy-to-use, comprehensive online system.
Life Fitness offers an extensive selection
of cardio and strength-training products.
From designing floor plans to offering flexible financing solutions, we make it easy to
create a perfect solution.
It’s Never 2 Late
7330 South Alton Way, Suite O
Centennial CO 80112
Tel: 303-806-0797
Fax: 303-789-1533
[email protected]
www.in2l.com
Lifetime Wellness, Ltd.
1500 Waters Ridge Drive
Lewisville TX 75057
Tel: 972-899-4176
[email protected]
www.lifetimewellness.us
Lifetime Wellness is dedicated to quality
wellness services for all our clients. From
program design and staffing to consulting
and managing, our expertise lies in our
ability to customize a successful solution
for our clients.
Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging
1603 Orrington Avenue, Suite 1800
Evanston IL 60201
Toll-free: 888-722-6468
Tel: 847-492-7433
[email protected]
www.matherlifewaysinstituteonaging.com
Through applied research, Mather LifeWays Institute on Aging has developed
award-winning, evidence-based education
programs in areas such as brain health,
wellness and person-centered care, for professionals who serve older adults.
Matrix Fitness
1600 Landmark Drive
Cottage Grove WI 53527
Toll-free: 866-693-4863
Tel: 608-839-8686
Fax: 608-839-8687
[email protected]
www.matrixfitness.com
Matrix Fitness Systems is the commercial
division of Johnson Health Tech Co. Ltd.,
a leading fitness equipment manufacturer.
Matrix delivers durable commercial fitness
products, with low total cost of ownership.
Medical Fitness Solutions
543 East Alvarado Street
Fallbrook CA 92028
Toll-free: 800-831-7665
Tel: 760-451-3445
Fax: 760-451-8995
[email protected]
www.medicalfitsolutions.com
85
ICAA PREFERRED B
Medical Fitness Solutions’ staff has over
32 years’ experience in providing programs
and products for physical therapy and
senior health. The company is built on
education, exemplary customer service and
unwavering loyalty to its customers.
Morrison Senior Living
5801 Peachtree Dunwoody Road
Atlanta GA 30342
Tel: 404-845-3330
[email protected]
www.morrisonseniorliving.com
Morrison specializes in the senior living
industry, providing exceptional hospitality
experiences across the United States. The
company’s vision is simple: Great people
will deliver great service and great results.
Moving Toward Health
36555 Star Road
Pleasant Hill OR 97455
Tel: 541-729-2894
[email protected]
www.movingtowardhealth.com
Moving Toward Health offers training to
establish multilevel fitness programming.
Chair Masters and The Nia Technique
workshops for staff and clients include
balance, strength, agility, bone density,
and brain growth. Quality core program
without outsourcing.
National Institute for Fitness and
Sport (NIFS)
250 University Boulevard
Indianapolis IN 46202
Tel: 317-274-3432 ext. 208
Fax: 317-252-0738
[email protected]
www.wellness.nifs.org
86
NIFS provides comprehensive management of your fitness and wellness program.
Our staff deliver customized best-practice
programs and services that elevate resident
engagement. We also specialize in design
and equipment layout of community
fitness spaces.
National Strength and Conditioning
Association (NSCA)
1885 Bob Johnson Drive
Colorado Springs CO 80906
Toll-free: 800-815-6826
Tel: 719-632-6722
Fax: 719-632-6367
[email protected]
www.nsca.com
Fitness professionals with the NSCA’s
Certified Special Population Specialist
(CSPS) credential are regarded as experts
on delivering research-based programs
to work with clients with varying health
conditions, fitness abilities and age groups.
Power Systems, Inc.
5700 Casey Drive
Knoxville TN 37909
Toll-free: 800-321-6975
Tel: 865-769-8223
Fax: 865-769-8211
[email protected]
www.powersystems.com
Power Systems is a leading supplier of
fitness and sports performance training
equipment. We offer over 2,400 innovative products and training solutions, plus
award-winning customer service, for customers such as health clubs and universities, among others.
Precor, Inc.
20031 142nd Avenue NE
Woodinville WA 98072
Toll-free: 800-786-8404
Fax: 425-482-3888
[email protected]
www.precor.com
Precor, a leading brand in fitness, offers cardio, strength and entertainment equipment
that helps users live beyond their limits.
Precor equipment is simple to operate and
offers a smooth, fluid experience.
Redcord
83 Princeton Avenue
Hopewell NJ 08525
Toll-free: 800-455-8982
Tel: 609-683-1010
[email protected]
www.redcord.us
Redcord is an integrated tool for therapists
and patients for medical rehabilitation,
functional enhancement exercise, injury
prevention and performance training. It is
effective and useful for those who want to
improve their functional level.
Rejuvenate Salon & Spa
2107 Gunn Highway, Suite 108
Odessa FL 33556
Toll-free: 877-792-1366
Tel: 813-792-1366
Fax : 813-792-0608
[email protected]
www.rejuvenatesalonandspas.com
Rejuvenate Salon & Spa is a multiservice
spa and wellness solution for senior
communities. Founders Abby and Tim
Germain have been privileged to represent
over 80 luxurious senior communities in
five states since 1996.
Resistance Dynamics/MoveMor
9249 South Broadway, 200-366
Littleton CO 80129
Tel: 303-515-7070
Fax: 303-904-3218
[email protected]
www.resistancedynamics.com
Resistance Dynamics helps older adults
regain and preserve the strength and mobility to live independently. MoveMor, the
company’s multidirectional resistance system, builds lower-body strength from one
safely seated position.
SCIFIT
5151 South 110 East Avenue
Tulsa OK 74146
Toll-free: 800-278-3933
Tel: 918-359-2000
Fax: 918-359-2012
[email protected]
www.scifit.com
SCIFIT offers an extensive range of
comfortable, safe, age-friendly cardio and
strength equipment. SCIFIT equipment
and programs provide opportunities for
people of all ages to stay active.
SPRI Products
1769 Northwind Boulevard
Libertyville IL 60048
Toll-free: 800-222-7774
Tel: 847-680-7774
Fax: 303-648-5418
[email protected]
www.spri.com
SPRI helps people enjoy a healthier, happier, active lifestyle. SPRI offers simple,
effective exercise products for all fitness
levels. Exclusive 15% discount for all
ICAA members/subscribers (refer to code:
ICAADISCOUNT).
Viniferamine offers a complete system of
skin and wound care products designed to
protect and heal damaged skin, especially
in the long-term care or inpatient hospital
settings.
SwimEx, Inc.
846 Airport Road
Fall River MA 02720
Toll-free: 800-877-7946
Tel: 508-646-1600
Fax: 508-675-0525
[email protected]
www.swimex.com
SwimEx pools offer an exercise environment that’s gentle on joints, and takes up
little space. The pools feature an adjustable
paddlewheel water current that is smooth
and nonturbulent for clients’ exercise routines or swimming strokes.
UltraSite
1675 Locust Street
Red Bud IL 62278
Toll-free: 800-458-5872
Tel: 618-282-8200
Fax: 618-282-8202
[email protected]
www.actionfitoutdoors.com
UltraSite introduces FiftyPlus Fitness, a
brand new outdoor fitness solution that
provides older adults the opportunity to
absorb valuable Vitamin D, to socialize
with others, and to be empowered and
healthy for life.
Viniferamine
2769 Heartland Drive, Suite 303
Coralville IA 52241
Toll-free: 855-312-8667
Tel: 319-351-3201
Fax: 319-545-2040
[email protected]
www.viniferamine.com
WaterFit c/o DSW Fitness, Human
Kinetics Continuing Education
PO Box 5076
Champaign IL 61825-5076
Toll-free: 800-873-6759
Tel: 217-351-5076
Fax: 217-351-1549
[email protected]
www.humankinetics.com/
continuing-education
WaterFit offers educational courses (via
correspondence or on-site workshops)
based on current health and medical fitness
science and practice. WaterFit also supplies
equipment for water exercise comfort, progression and safety.
Welcamp, Fitness Where You Live
4420 Valley View Road, Suite 201
Edina MN 55424
Tel: 952-873-7900
Fax: 952-873-7999
[email protected]
www.welcamp.com
The brainchild of Tom and Suzy Boerboom, long-time healthcare executives and
active-aging experts, Welcamp is a turnkey
fitness franchise for residents living on a
senior campus.
87
I C A A PREFERRED BUSINESS PARTNERS
New Preferred Business
Partners
Arrowhead Medical
35010 Rolland Road
Cohasset MN 55721
Toll-free: 888-932-0016
Tel: 218-328-0016
Fax: 218-328-0015
[email protected]
www.arrowheadmed.com
Arrowhead Medical Resources (AMR)
provides therapeutic and senior wellness
equipment. AMR supplies products such
as balance systems, physical therapy tables
and electrotherapy equipment, including PhysioFit and Therapy Propeller. The
company also offers equipment consulting
services.
Become
an ICAA
Preferred
Business
Partner
The ICAA Preferred Business Partner Program
is another great way to keep your products and
services in front of ICAA members year-round.
Want more
information?
To learn about the benefits of
becoming an ICAA Preferred
Business Partner, call ICAA
toll-free at 866.335.9777.
88
To learn about the benefits of
becoming an ICAA Preferred
Business Partner, call ICAA toll-free
866.335.9777 or email [email protected]
Or go online to www.icaa.cc
ICAA-PBP 2c ad.indd 1
on Active Aging®
3307 Trutch Street
Toll-free: 866-335-9777
Tel: 604-734-4466
Fax: 604-708-4464
15-02-09 12:11 PM
d i r e c t i o n s
Catch up with the association that supports professionals in older-adult wellness
ICAA founder heads to
Washington
As of press time, Colin Milner, CEO
of the International Council on Active
Aging®, will go to Washington, DC, in
late April to share his expertise at the
National Council on Aging (NCOA)
2015 Falls Prevention Summit. The invitation only summit is a 2015 White
House Conference on Aging event. The
summit’s purpose is to update the 2005
Falls Free® National Action Plan and recommendations from the 2008 National
Advisory Group, as well as to engage key
stakeholders in committing to implement recommendations of the revised
National Action Plan. Findings from the
Washington summit will help inform
the agenda for the 2015 White House
Conference on Aging. A member of the
NCOA-led Falls Free Coalition, ICAA
has participated in National Plan efforts
since December 2004.
Alliance launches implementation guide, small
grants program
The Osteoarthritis Action Alliance
(OAAA), in which ICAA participates,
is a broad coalition of public health
leaders and stakeholders committed to
elevating osteoarthritis as a national
health priority. ICAA’s vice president
of education, Pat Ryan, represents the
association on OAAA’s Physical Activity workgroup. Recently, the alliance
launched an “Implementation Guide
for Environmental and Policy Strategies
to Increase Physical Activity Among
Adults with Arthritis.” The Guide is a
collection of online resources aimed at
increasing physical activity around six
key sectors, including business, healthcare, parks and recreation, mass media,
communities, and transportation and
land use. It is intended to engage community organizations and to advance
the objectives of OAAA’s 2011 report,
“Environmental and Policy Strategies to
Increase Physical Activity Among Adults
with Arthritis.” To encourage use of the
guide, the alliance has also established
ICAA’s Colin Milner (center) marks his visit to Lambeth House with a photograph taken
with community residents and leaders. Photo: Julie Milner
a mini-grants program to fund several
small community-based projects. For information, refer to OAAA’s new website
at http://oaaction.unc.edu.
Stanford Center names design
contest winner
In fall 2014, ICAA announced its marketing sponsorship of the 2014–2015
Stanford Center on Longevity Design
Challenge, a global competition intended to spur students to create products
and services that improve the lives of
older adults. The association also assisted with judging entries for the contest,
which focused on the theme, “Enabling
personal mobility across the life span.”
Eight finalists were announced at the
end of January. They were tasked with
further developing their ideas and creating a presentation for the finals at Stanford University on April 9. There, the
winning project was SPAN, designed by
the California College of the Arts. This
portable structure provides users with a
secure platform to get up/down from the
ground in a safe, independent manner.
The device will be featured in the Journal on Active Aging’s upcoming Special
Developer’s Issue.
ICAA leaders journey to the
‘Big Easy’
With planning well underway for the
ICAA Conference 2015, association
leaders traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana, at the start of March for a site visit.
The annual conference returns to the
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
in the “Big Easy” from November 19 to
21—and the educational program is just
about final. (Watch for the full conference brochure and schedule with the
May/June Journal.)
While in New Orleans, Colin and Julie
Milner called at Lambeth House, a
continuing care retirement community
in the city’s uptown. Lambeth House
warmly welcomed and assisted ICAA
staff ahead of the 2012 ICAA Conference, and a number of the community’s
residents volunteered at the event.
ICAA’s CEO presented at Lambeth
House in 2012, and gave a talk during
this year’s visit as well. Colin Milner
presented to the community’s leaders
and residents—with familiar faces in the
audience—about steps to age well.
Spreading the word in
the media
In February 2015, the New York Times’
Elizabeth Olson talked to ICAA’s Colin Milner for the article “Training for
Triathlons at an Older Age.” Published
on February 27, the article shows the
media’s increasing interest in older
people performing at higher levels. For
89
d i r e c t i o n s
the article, Olson also interviewed ICAA
member Denise Heimlich, director of
wellness at Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community in West Columbia,
South Carolina. The community’s Triathlon Team and Training Program was
featured in the September/October 2014
issue of ICAA’s journal.
Then, in March, Milner shared the message of active aging in an interview for
the BBC World Service (the international radio channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation). Dan Damon, host
of the high-profile news program World
Update, asked Milner about people’s
ability to be active in later life—including higher levels of activity—in the fourminute interview. The clip can be heard
through World Update’s online iPlayer
Radio at www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/
p02lr6fp.
Advisor honored with award
for achievements
ICAA congratulates Lawrence Biscontini, a member of the ICAA Advisory
Board, who recently received the 2015
ECA/OBOW Lifetime Achievement
Award. An author and award-winning
instructor/trainer, Biscontini creates
group fitness and personal training
programming for clubs and spas. The
mindful movement specialist presents at
industry conferences, including ICAA’s
annual meeting, and contributes to industry magazines. In this issue of the
Journal on Active Aging, the first part
in his two-part article on “Training the
brain to change the way we age” appears
on pages 36–42. The second installment
will follow.
ECA World Fitness Alliance, an international association for fitness professionals, holds its OBOW Awards every year
to recognize excellence in the field of
fitness. To receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, individuals must have won
previous ECA awards plus awards from
several other associations; be recognized
as a leader and innovator in the indus90
try, as well as for making a significant
impact on it as a presenter and trainer/
instructor; and have contributed to the
industry’s growth through their specific
teachings and programs. From a field of
selected nominees, ECA’s 50,000-strong
community chooses the winner.
Answering ICAA surveys
brings rewards
ICAA recognizes that it’s a challenge
to carve out time to complete an ICAA
survey. Yet putting aside 10–15 minutes
to answer a survey will benefit industry
professionals and contribute to their
organizations, as well as to everyone in
the ICAA community.
Surveys provide the big picture of wellness, from different angles. Professionals
can use the information to reach out to
a new group, back up a new program or
budget item, validate their efforts with
outside data, and show their colleagues
how wellness is important to fulfilling an
organization’s purpose.
In January, ICAA released the topline
results for its most recent survey, the
ICAA Active-Aging Industry Development Survey 2015, sponsored by Precor.
As a way to thank people who completed the survey, the association invited
them to provide their emails to enter a
drawing. Three emails were randomly
selected.
The grand-prize winner was Kim
Eichinger of Country Meadows Retirement Communities, headquartered in
Hershey, Pennsylvania. In addition to an
iPad mini, Eichinger won a complimentary registration to the ICAA Conference
2015 in New Orleans. Additional prize
winners were Angela Butler-Hackett of
Parc Communities, Georgia, and Rhonda
MacIsaac of Willis-Knighton Health
System, Louisiana. Each received a complimentary registration to ICAA’s 2015
conference. ICAA thanks everyone who
completed the survey..
ICAA 100: investing in the
future
The ICAA 100 is a group of
committed leaders who guide the
active-aging industry through their
contributions to strategic planning
and research. In this Journal on Active
Aging® issue, ICAA recognizes these
organizations for their industry
support:
• Aegis Senior Communities
• Alberta Retired Teachers’
Association
• Atria Senior Living Group
• Brightview Senior Living
• Brookdale Senior Living
• Covenant Retirement
Communities
• Good Samaritan Society
• Healthcare Therapy Services, Inc.
• Heritage Healthcare, Inc.
• Kisco Senior Living
• Life Care Services
• Lifespace Communities
• Masterpiece Living
• Presbyterian Homes & Services
• RehabCare
• Select Rehab
• Senior Lifestyle Corporation
• Senior Resource Group
• Vi (formerly Classic Residence
by Hyatt)
• Watermark Retirement
Communities
• Westminster Communities of
Florida
ICAA 100 membership is open to
organizations with more than 14
locations. To learn more, call toll-free
866-335-9777.
Stay on top of a
changing industry
with ICAA research
and resources
Sponsored by:
on Active Aging®
3307 Trutch Street
Vancouver, BC V6L 2T3
Toll-free: 866-335-9777
Tel: 604-734-4466
www.icaa.cc
Let the International Council on Active Aging® become your
one-stop source for guidance on industry issues. From
practical solutions to industry research, you’ll find valuable
resources and tools to help you decide every step of your
active-aging journey.
To learn more, call ICAA toll-free at
866-335-9777 or visit
www.icaa.cc/businessresourcesandtools.htm
HELP YOUR RESIDENTS
LIVE AT THEIR
SE
LEA
W
A
NE
N A E INTO
R
U
F
T
LI
ON
r
e
t
t
b e ay
wl i f e
of
LEARN
I
TO LIVNG
E
empow
e red
EmpowerUSM, by Morrison Senior Living, is a powerful and proven
wellness program that helps your residents eat better, move better and feel better.
It’s a complete wellness program that empowers participants to stay actively in
charge of their lives and make the most of all that your community has to offer.
With EmpowerU, you’ll not only help create a difference your residents can
see and feel in themselves, but a marketable difference others will
associate with life in your community.
morrisonseniorliving.com
ENGAGE through a series
of functional assessments
and lifestyle surveys.
EDUCATE through a variety
of lectures and interactive
experiences.
EVOLVE through a
positive mind and body
connection.

The physical wellness issue Agent of lifestyle change Dr. Andrew

Transcription

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