The Revolution in Aging: Implications for Curriculum Development and Professional Preparation in Physical Education

1994 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-272
Author(s):  
C. Jessie Jones ◽  
Roberta E. Rikli
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Curriculum Development ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Professional Preparation ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Self Study ◽  
Older Adult Population

Despite dramatic increases in the older adult population, curriculum development in the area of physical activity and aging has been minimal or nonexistent in most physical education departments in higher education. As a consequence, many practitioners leading programs for older adults have had to rely primarily on self-study and on-the-job training for the knowledge and skills they need. The purpose of this paper is to suggest minimum competencies for preparing specialists in the field of physical activity and aging and to recommend corresponding curriculum development. Suggested core offerings for a concentration in physical activity and aging are presented, including specific course content for three specialty courses: physical activity and aging, physical assessment and exercise programming for older adults, and therapeutic exercise for age related chronic conditions. In view of the fact that many departments are faced with declining budgets and program cutbacks, alternative strategies for curricular revision and for integrating gerontological content into the existing physical education curriculum are discussed.

scholarly journals Physical Activity, Diabetes, and Heart Conditions Among Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 403-404
Author(s):  
Yeonjung (Jane) Lee ◽  
Tyran Terada
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Protective Factor ◽  
Native Hawaiian ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Pacific Islander ◽  
The United States ◽  
Activity Promotion ◽  
Older Adult Population

Abstract The Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHOPI) older adult population remains understudied and are disproportionately affected by diabetes and heart conditions. Research has shown that participating in physical activity is a protective factor for many of the health conditions experienced by older adults. Yet, the link between physical activity, diabetes, and heart conditions among the NHOPI older adult population is limited. The purpose of this study is to identify the characteristics of NHOPI older adults and to explore the association between physical activity levels and diabetes/heart conditions. Methods and findings Using data from the 2014 Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander National Health Interview Survey (NHPI NHIS), which is considered to have a representative sample of NHOPI, the study explores the associations between physical activity and diabetes/heart conditions. A total of 1,045 older adults ages 50 years and older were included for analyses. Weighted multivariate analyses with multiple imputation techniques were used. The NHPI NHIS is the first federal survey focusing on the NHOPI population of the United States with rich information on health. Results and Implications Those with who were engaged in a sufficient physical activity had lower odds of having diabetes or heart conditions than their counterparts without physical activity while controlling for other sociodemographic characteristics. Findings highlight the importance of physical activity promotion intervention in preventing cardiovascular disease. Research and practice addressing health disparities and cardiovascular conditions should leverage efforts to provide culturally relevant physical activity types and resources to NHOPI older adults.

Taking Diversity into Account

2016 ◽  
pp. 290-299
Author(s):  
Meirong Kuang ◽  
Felix-Nicolai Müller ◽  
Yang Fang ◽  
Helene H. Fung ◽  
Frieder R. Lang
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Span ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Psychological Assessment ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Assessment Instruments ◽  
Everyday Functioning ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Older Adult Population ◽  
Theoretical Considerations

Psychological assessment of the older adult population must take into account the methodological issues arising from age-related diversity. This chapter begins with an overview of theoretical considerations when assessing older adults: the need to conceptualize development as a process of selective optimization and compensation over the entire life span, and the importance of containing the influences of stereotypic images of the aging process. It discusses three central issues surrounding psychological assessment of the older adult population. First, many assessment instruments currently used for older adults were originally designed and normed for younger adults. Second, statistical norms may not reflect functional norms: older adults’ performance on standardized tests may underestimate their level of everyday functioning. Third, life-span-related contextual factors can be potential conflating elements that challenge the validity of assessment instruments among older adults, whose performance may be affected by differences in goals and motivations, memory processes and strategies, and expectations.

Physical Activity Tracking Wristbands for Use in Research With Older Adults: An Overview and Recommendations

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 265-273
Author(s):  
Alanna Weisberg ◽  
Alexandre Monte Campelo ◽  
Tanzeel Bhaidani ◽  
Larry Katz
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Activity Tracking ◽  
Measurement Tools ◽  
Methodological Considerations ◽  
Older Adult Population ◽  
Tracking Technology ◽  
Select Activity

Traditional physical activity tracking tools, such as self-report questionnaires, are inherently subjective and vulnerable to bias. Physical activity tracking technology, such as activity tracking wristbands, is becoming more reliable and readily available. As such, researchers are employing these objective measurement tools in both observational- and intervention-based studies. There remains a gap in the literature on how to properly select activity tracking wristbands for research, specifically for the older adult population. This paper outlines considerations for choosing the most appropriate wrist-worn wearable device for use in research with older adults. Device features, outcome measures, population, and methodological considerations are explored.

scholarly journals Strategies for Preventing Cognitive Decline in Healthy Older Adults

2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (11) ◽  
pp. 754-760 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie A. Dumas
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Decline ◽  
Cognitive Aging ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Institute Of Medicine ◽  
Cognitive Changes ◽  
Brain Functioning ◽  
Healthy Older Adults ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Older Adult Population

Objective: Many advances have been made in the understanding of age-related changes in cognition. As research details the cognitive and neurobiological changes that occur in aging, there is increased interest in developing and understanding methods to prevent, slow, or reverse the cognitive decline that may occur in normal healthy older adults. The Institute of Medicine has recently recognized cognitive aging as having important financial and public health implications for society with the increasing older adult population worldwide. Cognitive aging is not dementia and does not result in the loss of neurons but rather changes in neurotransmission that affect brain functioning. The fact that neurons are structurally intact but may be functionally affected by increased age implies that there is potential for remediation. Method and Results: This review article presents recent work using medication-based strategies for slowing cognitive changes in aging. The primary method presented is a hormonal approach for affecting cognition in older women. In addition, a summary of the work examining modifiable lifestyle factors that have shown promise in benefiting cognition in both older men and women is described. Conclusions: Much work remains to be done so that evidence-based recommendations can be made for slowing cognitive decline in healthy older adults. The success of some of these methods thus far indicates that the brains of healthy older adults are plastic enough to be able to respond to these cognitive decline prevention strategies, and further work is needed to define the most beneficial methods.

scholarly journals A Protocol Paper on the Preservation of Identity: Understanding the Technology Adoption Patterns of Older Adults With Age-Related Vision Loss (ARVL)

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 160940691983183
Author(s):  
Colleen McGrath ◽  
Monica L. Molinaro ◽  
Elena J. Sheldrake ◽  
Debbie Laliberte Rudman ◽  
Arlene Astell
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Technology Adoption ◽  
Vision Loss ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Recruitment Strategy ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Older Adult Population

There are a growing number of older adults with age-related vision loss (ARVL) for whom technology holds promise in supporting their engagement in daily activities. Despite the growing presence of technologies intended to support older adults with ARVL, there remains high rates of abandonment. This phenomenon of technology abandonment may be partly explained by the concept of self-image, meaning that older adults with ARVL avoid the use of particular technologies due to an underlying fear that use of such technologies may mark them as objects of pity, ridicule, and/or stigmatization. In response to this, the proposed study aims to understand how the decision-making processes of older adults with ARVL, as it relates to technology adoption, are influenced by the negotiation of identity. The study protocol will justify the need for this critical ethnographic study; unpack the theoretical underpinnings of this work; detail the sampling/recruitment strategy; and describe the methods which included a home tour, go-along, and semistructured in-depth interview, as well as the collective approach taken to analyze the data. The protocol concludes by examining the ethical tensions associated with this study, including a focus on the methods adopted as well as the ethical challenges inherent when working with an older adult population experiencing vision loss.

scholarly journals Flipping the Script About Aging Through Films: The Gerontological Movie Database Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 102-102
Author(s):  
Sara Hackett
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Life Course ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Life Course Perspective ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Innovative Strategies ◽  
The Life Course ◽  
Older Adult Population

Abstract Education about the heterogeneity of the older adult population is an important step for reducing ageist attitudes. As many undergraduate students view gerontology as an unrelatable discipline, educators are tasked with identifying innovative strategies to make course content engaging. The purpose of this presentation is to share an emerging educator’s experience with creating a novel essay assignment. Based off the International Movie Database (IMDb), the Gerontological Movie Database (GMDb) Review encourages students to use their knowledge to evaluate how older adults are portrayed in films. Explicitly, students must 1) choose a film that focuses on older adult characters and 2) apply key gerontological concepts (e.g., the life course perspective) to critique the film’s representation of aging. Though movie reviews are not a typical genre of writing, this assignment increases students’ understanding of how their perception of aging, coupled with master narratives embedded within today’s culture, influences the construction of age.

Is Research on Aging and Physical Activity Really Increasing? A Bibliometric Analysis

1999 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 182-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronnie Lidor ◽  
Uri Miller ◽  
Arie Rotstein
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Bibliometric Analysis ◽  
Older Adult ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Is Research ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Number Of Publications ◽  
Older Adult Population

In light of the dramatic increase in the older adult population, we analyzed publications on aging and physical activity during the last 3 decades, based on (a) the ratio of the number of publications on aging to the total number of publications and the ratios of (b) the total number of publications on physical activity and aging and (c) the number of such publications in 6 selected journals to the number of publications on physical activity in general. Our findings indicate that few changes have occurred during the last 3 decades with regard to the volume of publication on aging and physical activity. Two conclusions can be reached: (a) The interest of researchers in exercise and sport sciences does not reflect that of society at large concerning older adults, and (b) an in-depth analysis should be conducted to study the periodicals that are published not only in the area of exercise and sport sciences but also in other related areas such as medicine, psychology, and health.

Physical Activity Prevalence and Correlates Among New Zealand Older Adults

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-83 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hayley Guiney ◽  
Michael Keall ◽  
Liana Machado
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Promotion ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Physical Inactivity ◽  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Sociodemographic Correlates ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Older Adult Population

The aim of this study was to provide up-to-date information about physical activity (PA) levels in New Zealand older adults to inform the development and targeting of relevant health promotion initiatives. Nationally-representative survey (N = 1,468) data were analyzed to assess in people aged ≥ 60 years the prevalence of physical inactivity and meeting PA guidelines, differences between 2012 and 2014, and sociodemographic correlates. One-fifth (20.7%) of respondents were inactive; 46.2% met PA guidelines. Multivariate analyses revealed lower PA in 2014 versus 2012, and identified self-rated health and education as correlates of both PA measures. Age and socioeconomic deprivation were associated with physical inactivity only, while sex and employment were correlates of meeting PA guidelines. Low PA among older adults signals a need to promote PA engagement in that age group. This analysis aids effective intervention design by identifying specific segments of the older adult population that tailored health promotion initiatives should target.

scholarly journals Older Persons’ Use of Social Media for Communication During Hurricane Matthew

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 693-693
Author(s):  
Allison Gibson ◽  
Nancy Kusmaul ◽  
Ethan Engelhardt
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Natural Disasters ◽  
Older Persons ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
The Public ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Use Of Social Media ◽  
Older Adult Population ◽  
Communication Resource

Abstract Older persons are frequently identified as more vulnerable during natural disasters due to age-related changes and chronic conditions. Over the last decade, the use of social media has grown, even among the older adult population. While many communities and organizations have utilized social media as a platform to communicate news and information about natural disasters among the public, little is known regarding how older adults utilize social media to plan, evacuate, and recovery from natural disaster events. This study examined the experiences of 23 older adults (n=23) use of social media following Hurricane Matthew. Individuals were able to speak about what they perceived as helpful in the information communicated, and recommendations they had for how such communications could be improved. The presentation will conclude with recommendations on how individuals helping with evacuation and recovery can utilize social media as a communication resource for older adults during disasters. Part of a symposium sponsored by Disasters and Older Adults Interest Group.

scholarly journals Frailty transitions and cognitive function among South Korean older adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatima Nari ◽  
Bich Na Jang ◽  
Hin Moi Youn ◽  
Wonjeong Jeong ◽  
Sung-In Jang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Function ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Mini Mental State Examination ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Geriatric Syndrome ◽  
South Korean ◽  
Adl Disability ◽  
Older Adult Population ◽  
State Examination

AbstractFrailty is considered a multidimensional geriatric syndrome, manifested by the accumulation of age-associated deficits. The consequences of frailty transitions are still understudied. This study evaluated the influence of frailty transitions on cognitive function in the older adult population. We used data derived from the Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA) (2008–2018) on older adults aged ≥ 65 years. Frailty was assessed using a validated Korean frailty measure known as the frailty instrument (FI), and cognitive function was measured using the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE). Transitions in frailty and their relationship with cognitive function were investigated using lagged generalized estimating equations (GEE), t-tests, and ANOVA. Respondents who experienced frailty transitions (those with ameliorating frailty), those who developed frailty, and whose frailty remained constant, were more likely to have a lower cognitive function than those who were consistently non-frail. Older age, activities of daily living (ADL) disability, and instrumental ADL disability were more negatively associated with declining cognitive function, especially in the “frail → frail” group. Changes in all individual components of the frailty instrument were significantly associated with impaired cognitive function. The results suggest an association between frailty transitions and cognitive impairment. Over a 2-year span, the remaining frail individuals had the highest rate of cognitive decline in men, while the change from non-frail to frail state in women was significantly associated with the lowest cognitive function values. We recommend early interventions and prevention strategies in older adults to help ameliorate or slow down both frailty and cognitive function decline.

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