News & Highlights
IOA Director Launches Report On Proposed Services For Canadian Veterans
On November 6, IOA Director Victor Marshall released a report proposing a major overhaul of services provided to Canadian Veterans. Marshall chairs the Gerontological Advisory Council for Veterans Affairs Canada, which advises the Canadian Department of Veterans Affairs concerning its older veterans. (The average age of WWII veterans is 82, and of Korean veterans is 72; there are only three living Canadian veterans of the First World War). The report was endorsed by all veterans organizations in Canada, and will be used by the Department of Veterans Affairs as a resource in its modernization program to reform veterans services. The report makes explicit reference the work of the Healthy Aging Network, a CDC-funded network in which the IOA participates, and its commitment to an ecological approach and to health promotion for seniors. It also takes a life course perspective, which characterizes much of the work done at the IOA. Access the press release and the full report.
New Function Added To Agelib Digital Library
It is now easier than ever to search for subject terms in our Agelib Digital Library. All subject terms have been turned into links that automatically search the database for that term. If you visit the Browse Subjects page, you can see a list of all active subject terms. Clicking on any term will launch a search for that term. In addition, when you are viewing a database record, the search terms listed in that record are links as well, so that you can find more records on the same topic. We hope this new function is helpful and welcome suggestions for other improvements to Agelib.
Good News For NC Colleagues
The North Carolina State University team of Roger Mitchell, Sarah Ash and Jackie McClelland have been selected as the 2006 winners of the Lawrence W. Green Paper of the Year Award and $1,000 prize for their article, "Nutrition education among low-income older adults: A randomized intervention trial in congregate nutrition sites," in the journal Health Education and Behavior. Their paper documents the impact of one educational module in the Partners in Wellness program.
Flu– It’s Not Too Late To Vaccinate!
Flu season has begun! The average influenza season in North Carolina runs from October through April and often peaks in February or March. The flu is much worse than the common cold. It can result in hospitalization and even death. Adults 65 and older, and those with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease or kidney disease are particularly at risk for developing serious complications from the flu. The best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated every year. The flu shot cannot give you the flu. It CAN protect you from a serious illness. For more information, or an appointment to get a flu vaccination, contact your doctor today. You can also visit www.immunizenc.com for more information or www.mrnc.org/fcf/ for a listing of flu clinics in your area.
Featured Web Site
Try this: best practices in care for older adults
http://www.hartfordign.org/
Try This, a publication of the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing, is a series of assessment tools where each issue focuses on a topic specific to the older adult population. The content is directed to orient and encourage all nurses to understand the special needs of older adults and utilize the highest standards of practice in caring for the elderly. Each 'Try This' issue is a 2-page document with a description of why the topic is important when caring for older patients on the first page, and an assessment tool that can be administered in 20 minutes or less on the second page. The series is accessible online and in hardcopy.
New Library Resources
These are selected new additions to the AgeLib Digital Library. The links below will open a new window displaying the AgeLib record.
Aging, migration, and local communities: the views of 60+ residents and community leaders
view the record
Employment initiatives for an ageing workforce in the EU15
view the record
Handbook of social work in health and aging
view the record
How do age discrimination laws affect older workers?
view the record
Knowledge and skills needed for dementia care: a guide for direct care workers
view the record
The MetLife market survey of nursing home and home care costs
view the record
New & Notable
Mitchell, R.; Ash, S. L.; McClelland, J. W. (2006). Nutrition education among low-income older adults: A randomized intervention trial in congregate nutrition sites. Health Education & Behavior 33(3): 374-92.
Sachs-Ericsson, Natalie; Schatschneider, Chris; Blazer, Dan G. (2006). Perception of unmet basic needs as a predictor of physical functioning among community-dwelling older adults. Journal of Aging and Health 18(6): 852-867.
For a list of items recently published by North Carolina faculty, see New & Notable Publications.
Aging & Health Promotion News
Partners in Wellness funded by USDA to improve nutrition for NC seniors.
Partners in Wellness (PIW) is an educational program designed to lower congregate nutrition site participants' risk for malnutrition. PIW is coordinated and delivered in each county under the leadership of a County Extension Family and Consumer Educator (FCE). PIW includes ten modules comprised of a series of 48 15-30 minute sessions addressing the top ten identified risk factors for malnutrition within this population. Participants attend nutrition education sessions targeting their needs, develop a personalized plan to improve their nutritional status based on what they have learned, and receive the support of peers, CNS managers, FCEs and Wellness Assistants in improving their eating habits. The PIW web site includes information on the partners and participating agencies, a malnutrition risk factor quiz, and recipes.
Upcoming Events in NC
December 5, 2006 IOA Seminar Series
Methodological Insights: Why and How to Combine Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods in a Life Course Approach
Helga Krueger, University of Bremen
UNC Institute on Aging, 720 MLK Blvd, 2nd Floor conference room, 10-11:30am
Community Bulletin Board
Don't forget to check the Community Bulletin Board for other aging-related announcements for seniors, educators, students and professionals.
Current listings include research studies in need of subjects.
View our complete events calendar at www.aging.unc.edu/events/.
Publication of this newsletter is announced via email listserv. To join one of our lists, please visit www.aging.unc.edu/news/lists.html for more information. If you have information that you would like to see included in this newsletter, please send it to aginginfo@unc.edu.