How can we improve the health of the nation’s fastest growing group? The Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) gathered the best ideas from dozens of experts on innovative behavioral and psycho-social approaches to address the unique health needs of older adults.
“Fostering Engagement and Independence: Opportunities and Challenges for an Aging Society” was just released as a special supplement to the SOPHE journal Health Education & Behavior. The hope is to encourage readers to look at innovative ways to influence health, functioning and well being of the growing senior population, according to guest editor Lynda Anderson, Ph.D., Healthy Aging Program Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The peer-reviewed articles cover issues of mobility, cognitive function and dementia, the aging workforce, chronic disease self-management, social engagement, healthy communities, technology and health-related quality of life. Taken together, they paint a comprehensive picture of the many challenges society faces to address the disparate needs of community-dwelling older adults.
Reporters will find a treasure trove of background information in these articles, along with plenty of data and contact information for the lead authors – all of whom are potential expert sources. Importantly, many of these articles can also be the impetus for local angles – including those on the village model, health disparities, volunteering, and workplace initiatives.
Access the main table of contents here .
