A profound shift in the U.S. population is bringing unprecedented changes in American life and what it means to be an older adult. Over the past decade, the number of older adults in the U.S. grew by a third to more than 54 million, including a 52% increase in Arizona’s older adult population. U.S. Census data show that by 2034, the number of Americans age 65 and older will for the first time outnumber those under 18.
To better prepare for and understand the unique health challenges this aging population is facing, the University of Arizona Health Sciences launched the Innovations in Healthy Aging initiative. The university-wide, collaborative effort to navigate this massive population shift involves researchers, professors and leaders in diverse professions such as public health, nursing, pharmacy, medicine, geriatrics, engineering, law and architecture collaborating to build networks and develop solutions for people to live their best lives as they age.
The initiative’s goals are to enhance the health of an aging population by creating inclusive, safe and supportive environments that encourage physical activity, healthy nutrition, social interaction and engagement; and to promote independence, self-management and a continuing sense of purpose by leveraging technology and providing physical, emotional and cognitive support.
“More people are living for a longer period of time, which is a great thing,” said Kathleen Insel, PhD, RN, a professor at the UArizona College of Nursing and leader of Innovations in Healthy Aging. “As people live longer lives, the challenge for us as a society is to develop ways to benefit from the wisdom and experiences of older adults, while at the same time growing the workforce to support an aging population, creating educational opportunities and improving quality of life for older adults.”
One of the collaborations is the Creative Encounters in Awe Walking series. Awe walking is a wellness practice that involves going on walks of 15 minutes or longer and shifting one’s attention toward things that inspire “awe”.
The project was developed by Jennie Gubner, PhD, assistant professor of music in the UArizona College of Fine Arts and chair of the Applied Intercultural Arts Research Graduate Interdisciplinary Program, and Sydney Streightiff, a research assistant in Innovations in Healthy Aging and doctoral student in the AIAR program. Innovations in Healthy Aging helped expand the project by integrating it into its Aging and the Arts program.
Creative Encounters in Awe Walking was inspired by recent neuroscience research that has associated positive health benefits for older adults through experiencing awe. It promotes walking as an accessible and affordable wellness practice across the lifespan by providing students and community members with tools to encounter and share moments of awe. The walks explore how creativity can be used as a tool to enhance and encourage awe-walking practices in daily life.
Each of the workshops have a theme, such as sound, light or color, and feature an artistic modality such as photography, drawing or sound recording. The workshops are presented in collaboration with community partners from the Tucson area, including the Tucson Botanical Gardens, The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures, the University of Arizona Center for Creative Photography and the Audubon Society.
“How do we help people be at their peak, regardless of the challenges they face?” asked Esther Sternberg, MD, associate director of research for Innovations in Healthy Aging and a professor at the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson. “No matter their age, their circumstances, their socioeconomic status, their educational level – how do we help them to be their best self?
“We have expertise across the university – a growing and critical mass of amazing researchers, clinicians and educators – who are positioned to make an impact through research. The Innovations in Healthy Aging research component is already supporting efforts through Healthy Aging Seed Grants and workshops that will bring researchers together across the university to solve the complex problems of aging.”
