In This Issue

AoA’s Strategic Plan is Now Available
ASA’s New Knowledge Center Caters to Professionals
U.S. Health Campaign Urges Patients to Ask Questions
Older Adults with Poor Functioning Still Report Life Satisfaction
Diabetes is Linked to Multiple Health Conditions
Walkable Communities Lower Depression Risk in Men
AARP Article Suggests Ways to Stay Healthy

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AoA’s Strategic Plan
The 2007-2012 Strategic Plan, now available online, outlines the agency’s five goals for modernizing the Older Americans Act services. One goal is to empower older people to stay active and healthy through Older Americans Act services and the new prevention Medicare benefits.

ASA’s New Knowledge Center Caters to Professionals
Links, tools, and program models from the American Society on Aging (ASA) web site are now offered in one user-friendly location for ASA members. Among the topic areas are cultural competence, health promotion, mental/behavioral health, positive aging, and promising practices and model programs.

U.S. Health Campaign Urges Patients to Ask Questions
A U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services campaign and accompanying web site, Questions are the Answer: Get More Involved With Your Health Care, encourages patients to improve their care by taking an active role in treatment decisions. The site provides a list of questions to ask and tips to prevent medical errors.
www.ahrq.gov

Older Adults with Poor Functioning Still Report Life Satisfaction
A study published in the March issue of Age and Ageing 2007 reported that in face-to-face interviews with a random sample of 999 people aged 65 + in Britain, 21 percent reported fairly to very severe levels of functional difficulty. Of these respondents, a majority (62 percent) rated their QoL (quality of life) as “good.” Some of the factors linked to life satisfaction among this sample included high levels of perceived control over life, better self-rated health, a lower burden of chronic disease, and higher social engagement.
www.ageing.oxfordjournals.org

Diabetes is Linked to Multiple Health Conditions
A new report, titled “State of Diabetes Complications in America,” shows that three out of five people (57 percent) with type 2 diabetes have at least one other serious health condition, such as chronic kidney disease (28 percent), foot problems (23 percent), eye damage (19 percent), and coronary heart disease (10 percent). Complications cost people with type 2 diabetes almost $10,000 each year. The report was released by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists last month.

Walkable Communities Lower Depression Risk in Men
Men who lived in walkable neighborhoods with sidewalks, streets with safe intersections, and stores and restaurants within a short distance were less likely than men not living in this type of neighborhood to show symptoms of depression, according to a study published in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society. While physical activity has long been linked with a lowered risk of depression, higher exercise alone did not explain the results in this study. It was hypothesized that this type of neighborhood allows residents to feel less socially isolated.
(Source: Reuters Health Information)

AARP Article Suggests Ways to Stay Healthy
Besides physical activity and healthy nutrition, additional actions help adults over age 50 to stay healthy. According to an AARP article, these secrets include:
1) Humor makes good medicine. Laughter releases hormones that boost immunity.
2) Pets help relieve stress. Petting an animal helps lower blood pressure.
3) Good sleep is essential for good health.
4) Education keeps the mind sharp. Reading books, following up on current events, and other ways to educate yourself will contribute to good health.
5) Meditation strengthens white blood cells that fight infections.

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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