Exercise and Wellness for Older Adults, Second Edition, features an age-neutral focus on maximizing functional ability for older adults with 120 land-based and 72 water-based programming options. It also helps readers shift from a focus on fitness to a whole-person wellness approach.
Kay Van Norman is currently president of Brilliant Aging, a consulting firm specializing in exercise and wellness program design for older adults, development, and staff training. She taught in the department of health and human development at Montana State University for 18 years. For nine of those years she was also program director for Young at Heart, a university-based nonprofit exercise program for older adults. She went on to serve as director of the Keiser Institute on Aging, an international effort to bridge the gap between research and practice in the fields of gerontology, senior housing, fitness, and wellness.
Van Norman received the Rosabel Koss Honor Award from the American Association for Active Lifestyles and Fitness in 1998 for her service to the profession of older adult fitness. In 2003 she was given the National Council on Aging (NCOA) Health Promotion Institute's Best Practices Award. She has served on numerous national boards and on the national committee for developing standards for training of senior fitness instructors. She is currently a board member of the International Council on Active Aging, NCOA's Health Promotion Institute, and the American Senior Fitness Association.
Van Norman earned her master's degree in physical education from Montana State University in 1981. She is a frequent presenter at national and international conferences on aging and health.
Chapter 1. Aging and Wellness
Aging World Populations
Profile of Older Americans
Attitudes Toward Aging
Challenging Barriers and Changing Needs
Adult Wellness: The Big Picture
Wellness Wrap-Up
Chapter 2. Exercise Science and Changes in Functional Ability
Exercise Physiology and Aging Systems
Physical Conditions Requiring Special Consideration
Wellness Wrap-Up
Chapter 3. Psychosocial Aspects of Programming
Understanding Psychosocial Concepts
Identifying Psychosocial Barriers
Applying Psychosocial Concepts
A New Model
Wellness Wrap-Up
Chapter 4. Programming Guidelines
Program Components
Safety
Providing a Well-Rounded Exercise Program
Components of a Fitness Class
Wellness Wrap-Up
Chapter 5. Land-Based Programming
Chair Exercise
Standing Exercise
Low-Impact Aerobic Exercise
Resistance Training Exercise
Wellness Wrap-Up
Chapter 6. Water-Based Programming
Special Considerations for Water-Exercise Classes
General Format
Arthritis Water Exercise
Wellness Wrap-Up
Chapter 7. Developing and Promoting Your Program
Working in Community-Based Environments
Promoting Your Exercise Program
Working in Senior-Living Environments
Meeting Senior-Living Challenges and Opportunities
Crafting a Culture of Wellness
Wellness Wrap-Up