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Fostering Engagement and Independence

Older adults, persons aged 65 or older, are growing in number faster than any other age group both nationally and internationally. In 2011, there were 41.4 million older adults in the United States. This means that one in eight people was an older adult (Administration on Aging, 2012). Globally by 2015, it is expected there will be more people over age 65 than young people aged 15 and younger (United Nations Population Fund & HelpAge International, 2012). This transformative demographic shift presents numerous challenges that are well documented and many opportunities that are less well examined. 
 
Concurrently, research in the field of aging and health has witnessed an exponential growth over the past several decades. This research has resulted in increasing awareness about promoting healthy aging and how much we can influence health, functioning, and well-being of individuals through behavioral and biopsychosocial approaches. Furthermore, within the field of public health, in 2006 the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) adopted a “Promoting Healthy Aging Resolution” and among the specified actions was the development of a special issue in Health Education & Behavior. This supplement issue was developed to highlight the scope and potential of behavioral research and health education in contributing to the optimal health of older adults.