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Aging: Living Longer, Living Well (April 8, 2005, One)

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Program Summary

The state of Florida has the highest percentage of senior citizens than any other state in the country, and they’re living longer, too. Could it be Ponce de Leon’s fabled Fountain of Youth? Um, no, that’s just a fable. What is the secret to longevity? Is it genes? Diet? Exercise? Positive thinking? All of the above? Thanks to better nutrition and medical care, more people are living into their eighties, nineties, even into the hundreds, but do we really want such long lives if our bodies and minds aren’t able to keep up? And with the cost of living rising every year, will we have the financial resources for a good quality of life as senior citizens?

Guests

Jill B. Quadagno, Mildred and Claude Pepper Eminent Scholar and professor of sociology at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida

Sheila Salyer, manager of Senior Services, City of Tallahassee, director of the Tallahassee Senior Center and delegate to the National Institute of Senior Centers in Tallahassee, Florida

Neil Charness, professor of psychology and associate at the Pepper Institute of Aging and Public Policy at Florida State University

Ken Brummel-Smith, professor and chair of the Department of Geriatrics at Florida State University

Related Links and Resources

Aging and Accessible Technology : Technology Solutions
American Medical News, Nov. 4, 2002: Now hear this: Paying attention to hearing loss
Center for Aging Services Technologies (CAST)
Communities for a Lifetime - Nationally Accredited Senior Centers
CREATE: Center for Research and Eduation on Aging and Technology Enhancement
Florida Council on Aging
Florida State University Pepper Institute report: Snapshot of Florida's ...
State of Florida.com: Seniors Guide

For Discussion:

• What age do you consider “old”?
• What are physical and mental problems that we face as we age?
• How much of aging well do you think is genetic? How much is due to diet and exercise?
• What can we do to keep ourselves mentally alert as we age?
• Almost 9 percent of Florida’s 60+ population lives near or below poverty level? Why does this happen? What do you think can be done to help them?

Activities

Circle of life. Newspapers in Education takes you on life’s journey in Aging Well, a tour of two excellent Web sites. First stop, England’s Science Museum for a discussion of life at the cellular level from infancy to old age.These terrific pages speak directly to kids about aging in sections on the body, mind, society, and longevity. There are lots of fun games and other activities. TheNever Say Die Guide from PBS is a teacher’s activity and resource guide for the Scientific American Frontiers episode of the same name. Online video segments examine a number of interesting topics in aging, including diet, mental acitivity, genes, and organ transplant and repair. Negative terms get in your face on the LinkAge 2000 home page; enter this well-done, interactive Thinkquest site for an exploration of medical and social issues of getting old. Surveys, stories, interviews, games, and a teacher’s page make for a stand-out experience.

If the genes fit, wear ‘em. Genetics of Aging, from Riverdeep, studies the role of genes in long life and aging. PBS Springboard: The Age of Aging looks at the effects of genetics vs. lifestyle in how we age. Research into anti-aging genes and calorie-restricted diets is presented at PBS Online NewsHour: Science of Aging, and Alan Alda discovers what humans and nematodes have in common at Genes for Youth, part of Scientific American Frontiers “Gene Hunters.” You’ll find an accompanying activity in the teacher’s guide.

Old is just a state of mind. At Neuroscience Resources for Kids: The Nervous System in Old Age, the physical effects of aging on the brain and the systems it controls are examined. The Key to Keeping Your Brain Fit and More Good News for Aging Brains: Neurogenesis at the same site cover facts about smoking and alcohol and brain research respectively. Neuroscience for Kids: Memory and Learning contains myriad memory games. Don't Forget (PBS Scientific American Frontiers) explores memories, remembering, and keeping the brain young. Memory tests, puzzles, and quizzes in the teacher’s guide add to the fun. The Aging Brain (PBS “Secret Life of the Brain: Episode 5) presents the amazing fact that our brains continue to produce new neurons even as we age. You’ll meet a 95-year-old poet laureate, and learn more about Alzheimer’s effects.

Old as the hills. Did you know that there are 40,000 centenarians (people 100 years and older) in the U.S.? Wow! Learn more about what a entenarian is and meet some of them at the New England Centenarian Study. You and your family members can estimate your longevity odds with the Healthspan Calculator. Many plants and animals live far longer than humans (desert tortoises, Sequoia trees). Research and prepare presentations about them.

For more information and resources on aging, visit Science Friday Kids’ Connection Healthy Aging (March 7, 2003, Hour One)

Use the search box below to perform a Google search within any of the specifc sites or general domains mentioned in this Activities section.

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