Articles & Studies
Explore active aging, aging in Jewish life, cultural trends and organizational developments.
A library of important articles, reports and findings. (If that description fits something you’ve written or read, please send it to us to share!)
Featured Active Aging Articles & Studies
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The Precious Riches of Shared Intergenerational Housing
There are so many benefits of home sharing beyond the relatively small amount of rent that can come with it. Rabbi Laura Geller, Rabbi Emerita at Temple Emanuel of Beverly Hills, is the co-author of “Getting Good at Getting Older and is the Chair of Synagogue Village Network. Click here.
Why Gen Z, Millennials, Boomers, and Gen X Fight: Generational Conflict
Gen Z is soft, millennials are embarrassing, boomers are evil, and no one has thought about Gen X in years. But while generational framings are ubiquitous, just how real are these fault lines?
Click here to find out.
Semi-Retirees Know the Key to Work-Life Balance
The idea of a retirement purposely filled with work might seem dismal—proof that we’ve prioritized achievement over happiness for so long that we can’t even stop in our 60s. But there might be a less pessimistic way to look at those who actively choose semi-retirement. Read it here.
Aging America: Baby boomers push nation’s median age to almost 39 as fewer children are born
by MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press; May 25, 2023
The share of residents 65 or older grew by more than a third from 2010 to 2020 and at the fastest rate of any decade in 130 years, while the share of children declined, according to new figures from the most recent census… Combined, the trends mean the median age in the U.S. jumped from 37.2 to 38.8 over the decade.
Click here to read the full article.
Impact of exercising alone and exercising with others on the risk of cognitive impairment among older Japanese adults
Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Vol. 107, April 2023
…participants who exercised ≥ 2 times/week with others…showed a lower risk of developing cognitive impairment than those who did not exercise with others.
…if all participants exercised alone or with others ≥ 2 times/week, the risk of cognitive impairment decreased by 15.1% and 29.2%, respectively.
Both forms of exercise reduced the development of cognitive impairment, with exercising with others potentially being highly effective in preventing cognitive impairment.
Click here to read the article.
The Radical Act of Eating With Strangers
What could be more optimistic than dining with eight people you’ve never met in hopes of making a new friend?
…everyone had come for the same reason: to connect with strangers in real life and potentially make a new friend… A 2010 report in The Journal of Health and Social Behavior showed that low social connection is linked to poor health outcomes, including heart attacks and cancer, as well as other conditions. Lacking connection has also been found to be worse for your health than smoking, obesity or high blood pressure. As a predictor for a happy life, strong relationships are more reliable than such factors as wealth and I.Q.
The New York Times, March 11, 2023, by Setareh Baig
Read it here.
Are you a rapid ager? Biological age is a better health indicator than the number of years you’ve lived, but it’s tricky to measure.
… no two people age the same. Although age is the principal risk factor for several chronic diseases, it is an unreliable indicator of how quickly your body will decline or how susceptible you are to age-related disease. This is because there is a difference between your chronological age, or the number of years you’ve been alive, and your biological age – your physical and functional ability.
Published March 15, 2023 in The Conversation
Read it here.
Families Rediscovering Multigenerational Living
by Kerri Fivecoat-Campbell, March 22, 2023
The arrangement, once the norm for many American families, is making a comeback. Article includes tips for a successful multi-generational household.
From “Next Avenue”, read it here
The big idea: why the generation gap isn’t as wide as you think
By Bobby Duffy
Pitting boomers against millennials is a distraction from the inequality that affects us all. An interesting take on inter-generational differences and tensions, an issue that often arises when deciding on investing in older adult programs. Read it here.
2021 Profile of Older Americans, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
This report presents a wide range of data regarding the U.S. older population and be helpful in capturing trends that convey the need to invest in this population.
The Future of Aging Is Intergenerational
by Chris Farrell
Ignore the palaver about generational conflict: we are not facing a zero-sum economic future. The far more powerful story is one of generational interdependence and the advantages that come from nurturing common bonds and mutual opportunities. Another excellent update on generational issues from NextAvenue. (July 2022)
Boomer Blaming, Finger Pointing and the Generational Divide
by Grace Birnstengel
Where do we go after ‘OK, Boomer’? An update on intergenerational issues from NextAvenue.