Connecting Our Region to Support Older Adults
The Shady Rest Institute on Positive Aging serves as a regional hub to connect faculty, staff, and students from across academic disciplines at FGCU with community organizations in a unified purpose of supporting the older adult community in Southwest Florida through education, service, research, and advocacy.
Meet the Institute Faculty & Staff
Positive Aging
The concept of “positive aging,” also referred to as “healthy aging,” is achievable by every older person as we work to make better choices in the near-term to improve our lives in the long-term.
Positive aging is basically adopting a positive view of aging as a healthy, normal part of life.
Results of a Yale University study looked at the long-term health consequences of ageism on seniors. Researchers determined that age discrimination actually has the potential power to shorten seniors’ lives. Among the study group, seniors who held more positive views about the aging process actually lived 7.5 years longer than people who negatively perceived aging.
Additional studies indicated that positive thinking can result in an 11-15% longer lifespan and can increase the likelihood of living to age 85 or beyond.
The Shady Rest Institute on Positive Aging provides support to our community organizations and residents through the following areas of interprofessional focus.
Workforce Development
Supporting the educational and professional development of individuals with a focus on working alongside older adults and their families.
Community Engagement
Engaging in community-based education and service opportunities in collaboration with our local agency partners.
Translational Research
Investigating issues most important to our older adult population in order to provide data that supports the creation and refinement of solutions.
Policy & Advocacy
Using the best available data to advocate for meaningful policies and legislation targeting the needs of older adults.
