Blueprint Partners Progress Newsletter: March 2007

In This Issue

CDC Released its State of Aging Report this Month
Older Americans Month Theme Determined
Older Adults Return to their Midwestern and Northern Roots
Study Shows Baby Boomers May Approach Retirement in Worse Shape than the Previous Generation
The Eat Better & Move More Program is Proven Effective for Older Adults
AARP Offers Virtual Journey on Route 66

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CDC Released its State of Aging Report this Month
CDC’s report, The State of Aging and Health in America 2007, provides an overview of the nation’s progress in promoting the health and well-being of older adults. It also highlights three key areas that can significantly improve quality of life: reducing falls, maintaining cognitive health, and improving end-of-life care.
www.cdc.gov/aging/

Older Americans Month Theme Determined
The Administration on Aging has announced that the May Older Americans Month theme for 2007 is “Older Americans: Making Choices for a Healthier Future.” Materials are available for downloading on the AoA website.

Older Adults Return to their Midwestern and Northern Roots
USA Today reports that many retirees who once moved to Florida, Arizona, and other warmer climates are now moving back to the Midwest and North due to ailing health and a desire to be near their children. Often when older adults face a major illness, death of a spouse, or a financial crisis, they realize that they lost their support system. Seniors usually elect to move back to the place they came from, especially if children or other relatives live in that area. This trend, which is expected to grow as the population ages, has ramifications for communities in the Midwest and northern states as the elderly population swells.
www.usatoday.com

Study Shows Baby Boomers May Approach Retirement in Worse Shape than the Previous Generation
New research supported by the National Institutes on Aging showed that Americans in their early to mid-50s report poorer health, more pain, and more difficulty doing everyday physical tasks than the previous generation reported at the same age years ago. Researchers compared the self-reported health of people in three birth groups: ages 66 to 71, ages 60 to 65, and ages 54 to 59. The youngest group reported having more pain, chronic health conditions, and drinking and psychiatric problems than people who were the same age 12 years earlier. The youngest group was also more likely than the oldest group to have reported difficulty in walking, climbing steps, getting up from a chair, kneeling or crouching, and doing other normal daily activities. Researchers question whether this group of pre-retirees will reach retirement age in poorer health than their predecessors.
www.nih.gov/news

The Eat Better and Move More Program is Proven Effective for Older Adults
The government funded program, Eat Better and Move More, was designed to encourage older Americans to adopt a healthier lifestyle. Its effectiveness was tested at 10 sites that participate in the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program, which includes home deliveries, group dining, and nutrition education. Nearly 1,000 older adults enrolled in the program, which offered weekly “mini-talks” on nutrition and exercise, and gave participants step counters to encourage more walking. The program was offered at neighborhood senior centers, churches, and housing complexes. The evaluation results, published in the American Journal of Public Health, showed that of the 620 participants who completed the 12-week program, 75 percent of those with less-than-ideal eating and exercise habits improved their ways, or at least said they intended to. (Reuters Health)

AARP Offers Virtual Journey on Route 66
AARP’s Get Fit on Route 66 offers a free virtual adventure, with participants traveling 2,448 miles from Chicago to Santa Monica, CA in equivalent exercise minutes. One minute of any type of exercise equals one mile on the route. Participants choose one of four classic Route 66-era vehicles to track daily progress. The website also offers tips, healthy recipes, and inspiring e-mails.
www.aarp.getfitonroute66.com

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The Blueprint Partners Project is an initiative of the Active Aging Partnership. For more information, contact the Blueprint Partnership Office at the University of Illinois Department of Kinesiology and Community Health.
Website: www.agingblueprint.org