May 2008

Previous Newsletters

From the Active for Life Program Office
Tips, Tactics and Tools
In the News
Upcoming Events
Funding Opportunities

The Active for Life® E-Newsletter Update is produced monthly by the Active for Life® National Program Office at The Texas A&M Health Science Center School of Rural Public Health. To include information, contact Brigid McHugh Sanner at brigid@sannerco.com or call 214-244-4186. This program is funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation®. Not a subscriber? To sign up for this free monthly electronic newsletter, send an e-mail to llgroce@srph.tamhsc.edu with this message in the body of the e-mail: subscribe AFL E-Newsletter Update your first name your last name. If you would prefer to NOT receive the AFL E-Newsletter Update, send an e-mail to llgroce@srph.tamhsc.edu with this message in the body of the e-mail: unsubscribe AFL E-Newsletter Update with your first and last name.

From the Active for Life® National Program Office

National President's Challenge
The PCPFS is launching the National President's Challenge, a six-week physical activity challenge, to get America moving. Each of us plays an important role in getting the word out and encouraging Americans of all ages to get up and move more. To help spread the message, the President's Council invites you to visit http://www.presidentschallenge.org to view and download campaign materials and resources.

Key Indicators Report
Average life expectancy continues to increase, and older Americans enjoy better health and financial security than any previous generation. However, rates of gain are inconsistent between genders and across age brackets, income levels, and racial and ethnic groups. Some critical disparities also exist between older Americans and older people in other industrialized countries. These and other trends are reported in Older Americans 2008: Key Indicators of Well-Being (http://www.agingstats.gov), a comprehensive look at aging in the U.S. from the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics.

Men’s Health Campaign
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Advertising Council have launched a national public service campaign designed to raise awareness among middle-aged men about the importance of preventive medical testing. The campaign encourages men over 40 to learn which preventive screening tests they need to get and when they need to get them. This campaign complements AHRQ’s efforts toward improving the safety and quality of health care and promoting patient involvement in their own health care. More information is available at http://www.ahrq.gov.

Climate Change and Older Adults
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has developed a web page on Climate Change and Older Adults that provides an overview of world climate change and how it may affect portions of the population. The extent and nature of climate change impacts on human health vary by region, by relative vulnerability of population groups, by the extent and duration of exposure to climate change itself and by society's ability to adapt to or cope with the change. The document can be accessed at http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/climatechange/index.htm.

In the News

Brain Boost
Aerobic exercise could give older adults a boost in brainpower, according to a recent review of studies. Not surprisingly, eight of the 11 included studies found that participation in aerobic exercise programs increased participants’ VO2 max, an indicator of respiratory endurance. Improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness coincided with improvements in cognitive function, especially motor function, cognitive speed and auditory and visual attention, when participants were compared to a group of non-exercising adults or adults in a yoga- or strength-based program. The study appeared in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2008, Issue 2 (http://www.cochrane.org).

More Benefits of Physical Activity
New research suggests that, in aging men, physical activity can reduce the risk of developing benign prostatic hyperplasia, lower urinary tract symptoms, and decrease erectile dysfunction. The study appears in Urology Today (http://www.urotoday.com).

Promotion of Activity Guidelines
In March, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) led a Capitol Hill news conference with Members of Congress to announce the introduction of the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Act, a Congressional bill to make the regular development and promotion of U.S. physical activity guidelines a reality. ACSM is working with Congress to make sure these national physical activity guidelines will be regularly updated – at least every five years – and promoted to the public, the scientific and medical communities, health and fitness professionals, the media, and others.

Upcoming Events

Local Funding Partnership
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is seeking applicants for its Local Funding Partnerships program. The initiative is designed to forge relationships between RWJF and local grantmakers to fund promising, original projects that can significantly improve the health of vulnerable people in their communities. The deadline for application is July 8.

Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program
The Health and Aging Policy Fellows Program, supported by The Atlantic Philanthropies and administered by Columbia University, will provide professionals in health and aging with the experience and skills necessary to make a positive contribution to the development and implementation of health policies that affect older Americans. The program offers two tracks for individual placement: (1) a residential track that includes a nine- to12-month placement in Washington, DC, or at a state agency (such as a legislative assistant in Congress, a professional staff member in an executive agency, or in a policy organization), and (2) a non-residential track that includes a health policy project and brief placement(s) throughout the year at relevant sites. The deadline for applications is May 27. (http://www.healthandagingpolicy.org)

Healthy Communities Grant Program
EPA Region 1 (the States of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and/or Vermont) is accepting proposals for the Healthy Communities Grant Program. Projects must benefit communities at risk (environmental justice areas of potential concern, places with high risk from toxic air pollution, urban areas) and sensitive populations (e.g. children, older adults, others at increased risk). One page proposals are due May 12. (http://www.epa.gov/aging/grants/grant-list/2008_0710_grant_1.htm)

Livable Community Award
AARP and the National Association of Home Builders offer the second annual Livable Communities Award to builders, remodelers and developers for projects that incorporate design elements that accommodate the needs of all residents with all levels of physical ability from children through grandparents; improved energy efficiency and enhanced site design; and better communication with key stakeholders. The deadline for application is June 6. (http://www.aarp.org/research/press-center/presscurrentnews/livable_communities_awards.html)

Active Aging/Healthy Communities
The EPA seeks applications for Excellence in Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging. This award recognizes communities for their outstanding comprehensive approaches to implementing principles of smart growth, as well as strategies that support active aging. This award will be presented to communities with the best and most inclusive overall approach to implementing smart growth and active aging on a variety of fronts, at the neighborhood, tribe, city, county, and/or regional level. The deadline for application is Sept. 12. (http://www.epa.gov/aging/bhc/awards/)