AUTHOR INTERVIEW
Describe Lifelong Learning in the After-50 years for those who haven't had a chance to pick up the book.
Lifelong learning in the After-50 years, or the Third Age as it is sometimes called, is a way for older adults, usually those close to leaving or who have already left the full-time workforce, to keep their minds, bodies and spirits challenged, stimulated and active, as they age. They can do this in many different informal ways of course, but my book discusses three of the more formal ways - lifelong learning in the classroom, lifelong learning through educational travel programs and lifelong learning through community service work.
What do you mean by the "Third Age?"
The "Third Age" is a term that's been around for a long time. I like to think of it as the years after we leaves the full-time workforce the First Age being our growing up years and the Second Age our earning a living/raising a family years. Notice I didn't call the Third Age the Retirement Years. Retirement as we now know it will change dramatically over the coming years. People, because they're living so much longer, will be active much longer than in the past, either by working full or part-time - some maybe even starting their own businesses. Whatever they do, it's a sure bet people will continue to be active way past age 65.
What are some of the topics in your book?
Well, as mentioned previously Learning Later, Living Greater explores three structured ways older adults can engage in lifelong learning in the classroom, through educational travel and through community involvement. This is really the heart of the book. Of course we also talk about other aspects of lifelong learning too, including the latest brain research that shows the value of continuing to learn, no matter what your age, along with background on the lifelong learning movement, and what's happening abroad. It also contains interviews with experts in the field, first-person stories about how lifelong learning has changed lives, and lots of input from lifelong learners. I hope people will find the book to be an introduction to the world of lifelong learning one that will make them want to explore further.
What are some of the ways people can engage in Lifelong Learning?
There are a host of informal ways people can engage in lifelong learning. For instance, reading the newspaper everyday, doing crossword puzzles or learning online can help keep your brain alert. But challenging the brain is key if you want it to continue to grow and thrive as you age. That's why the more structured programs talked about in the book are important.
Joining an organized lifelong learning program, taking educational travel programs or doing community service work are structured ways in which people can engage in lifelong learning. I like to think of lifelong learning as a health club for the Mind, Body and Spirit a deliberate action designed to promote a well-balanced, enriched later life.
Tell us a little about lifelong learning in the classroom.
Lifelong learning in the classroom is just that - formal programs developed and run by and for older adults for the express purpose of stimulating their brains and engaging them in social activities. The two go hand-in-hand. Some programs are under the aegis of a local college or university. Others are stand-alone programs within the community, say at a local library or public space. Still others are held at active adult communities or in senior centers. Although each program is unique, all have two things in common - member ownership and responsibility, and a strong sense of community.
After a program has been developed, usually by a group of older adults within the community, the members take on all the tasks of running the program. They develop the curriculum college-level academic programs (non-credit) as well as some hands-on and/or enrichment programs. There are no tests, grades or homework, unless one has to prepare a brief report for a class presentation. Most classes are taught by peers although some programs use retired or active faculty if available. Members also staff all the committees and do whatever they have to do to ensure the smooth running of the program.
A lot of people might think they need to have a college degree to take part in classroom lifelong learning. Is this true?
Absolutely not. All you need to take part in lifelong learning is a keen desire to learn more about the world around you, the desire to keep your brain active and alert, and an interest in learning for the sheer joy of learning. That's it. Everyone is welcome.
Are lifelong learning courses expensive?
Most lifelong learning program courses are priced to reflect the fixed incomes of older adults. Program planners are very aware of that fact. Membership fees and program costs run from a low of about $25/year to about $500/year. Most of these costs are on the lower, rather than the higher end. Each program is set up somewhat differently with its own unique fee structure, so a quick phone call to a particular program will give you the information you need.
Considering that many older adults have budgetary constraints, is there a minimum number of courses you are required to take in a semester?
There are no minimums. That's the beauty of lifelong learning for older adults. You can become as involved as you want to be. You can structure lifelong learning around your life - other interests, family obligations, travel. You call the shots.
Name a few of the possible courses people can take.
Lifelong learning courses run the gamut from astronomy to zoology and everything in between. Some of the more popular courses include all types of history it's very enlightening to look back as an older adult, creative or memoir writing as older adults we have lots to say. All types of Humanities courses given their popularity. It seems as though people want to take art, literature, poetry, all the things they never had time for in the Second Age. And of course current events, politics and world affairs are always a big draw. Older adults are the largest voting block in this country and our interest is reflected in these courses.
Are scholarships, grants, financial aid assistance or tuition waivers available for those interested in taking lifelong learning courses?
Many of the lifelong learning programs that I talk about in the book have some type of financial assistance available on a limited basis of course, given their tight budgets. Most of the time, all a person has to do is make that need known to the program coordinator. It's kept strictly confidential.
What do older adults gain from taking lifelong learning courses?
They gain a lot. At a time when one often feels the loss of self-esteem that came from doing a job well or raising a family, lifelong learning can step in and fill the void. Being engaged in lifelong learning enlarges the scope of our interests, provides opportunities to meet new people, keeps us current and active, expands our horizons, and provides opportunities to develop new ideas and handle change. The list goes on and on.
Who belongs to lifelong learning programs and where can the programs be found?
People who belong to these programs are dedicated to learning, no matter what their age. They are motivated self-starters, who value education as a tool to make their later years the very best they can be. They want to keep current with all that's going on in the world business, politics, technology, you name it. And they like to learn for the sheer fun of learning. It's very different being in a classroom when you don't have to worry about taking tests or getting good grades.
As for where lifelong learning programs are located, the best place to begin your search is with the Elderhostel Institute Network web site where we have over 350 programs listed. That URL is www.elderhostel.org/ein/intro.asp and the link FIND A LIFELONG LEARNING INSTIUTE is located right on the Home Page. You can't miss it. If you can't find a program near by, then call local colleges and ask what they have in the way of courses for older adults. There are also programs out there that are not listed on the EIN web site and my book can help find those.
You mention the Elderhostel Institute Network. Exactly what is it and how does it help the idea of Lifelong Learning?
The Elderhostel Institute Network, or EIN as it's known, is North America's largest and most respected educational network for older adults. It promotes lifelong learning through a presence on the Elderhostel web site, interviews with national media, and it also provides help to scholars studying lifelong learning for older adults.
Along with that, EIN serves as a national resource and communication network for more than 350 lifelong learning programs across the country. Newsletters, curriculum resources, new columns and articles are posted monthly on our web site for all the programs to use. We try to make the jobs of the program coordinators easier by providing these resources and in so doing make the programs themselves even stronger.
You discuss Educational Travel in your book tell us a little about it.
Educational travel is where the world, as Elderhostel says, really is your classroom. It's a fun way to travel and learn at the same time, and it's a wonderful vehicle for our continued exploration of ourselves and all we have to offer to society. It helps us understand and appreciate different cultures. It also changes us by broadening our perspectives and teaches us about new ways to measure our quality of life by what we see in other lands.
Is Educational Travel a safe way to travel for those who are single?
It certainly is. Everyone in the group watches out for each other. An educational travel program was the very first trip I took as a widow and after being bombarded by the "couples" advertising of regular travel, I can tell you I was a bit apprehensive about how I'd fit in. But I needn't have worried. The sense of camaraderie, of making one feel welcome, was fantastic. And, there were other single women on the program too, so I felt right at home, and never once did I feel threatened, unsafe or insecure.
Is Elderhostel the only educational travel organization for Lifelong Learners?
Elderhostel was the first and is still the largest educational travel organization for older adults. It sets the "gold standard" for all the other educational travel providers that have sprung up since Elderhostel was established in 1975. So, as of today, there are many other travel providers out there, some better than others. I always caution people to do their homework and make sure that a provider actually offers high quality educational content. Not all companies who call themselves educational travel providers, do.
Why do you think lifelong learning programs, and educational travel programs like Elderhostel's are so successful?
I think lifelong learning programs fill a real need in people's lives to stay connected, socially, mentally and emotionally. They want to be challenged, appreciated and needed - to still feel like they are part of mainstream society, even though they are getting older. And being involved in lifelong learning provides the perfect vehicle for giving back to society. We have much to contribute and for most of us, plenty of time left in our later years to make a real impact on society.
What other roles can an older adult embrace, beyond being a student in a classroom or taking educational travel programs?
They can become movers and shakers in their community by taking part in community service work. It's a wonderful way to keep learning. Given their wealth of experience, talents and skills, mature adults can be incredibly valuable to the younger generations. Wasn't it Maggie Kuhn, of Gray Panthers fame who said older adults could be "Mentors, mediators, monitors, motivators and mobilizers?" In assuming these roles, older adults will also be continuing to learn, to enrich their later years and leave a lasting legacy. And isn't that what it's all about?
And, on a practical note, a 2004 estimate by the Independent Sector says that the dollar value for volunteer work is $17.55 an hour. Given that number, can you imagine what an incredible resource the 78 million Baby Boomers will be to our society, if only a modest number of them engage in community service? If that's the case, then what this generation of older adults will give back to society far outweighs what they will take out, thereby negating the doomsday economic predictions of what the retirement of the Baby Boomers might mean to our society.
Why is it so important to keep learning as we enter our After-50 years?
It's as simple as "use it or lose it." If we want to do everything possible to keep our whole being alert, vibrant and connected as we age, we have to continue to challenge ourselves, not sit back and let life pass us by just because we're older. That's why I like to call lifelong learning a "health club for the mind, body and spirit." Lifelong learners are a true testament to this fact.
What's especially nice is that medical research is beginning to back this up. During the 1990s, the congressionally-mandated decade of brain research, new findings suggested that the brain will continue to grow and adapt, even in old age, as long as we continue to challenge it. And the best way to challenge it is by being involved in lifelong learning.
Research also concluded that social connections are vitally important as we age and lifelong learning promotes that as well. Lifelong learning plays a major role in the coordination of our mind, our body and our spirit because it leads to balance, and balance leads to feeling better, and feeling better leads to more activity. It's a wonderful circle of enhanced wellness that helps create an enriched later life.
How many people are lifelong learners, currently, in the United States (as an estimate)?
Well, I know that there are about 400,000 people involved in more than 1,000 formal lifelong learning programs now in the United States. Probably more but I don't have any hard and fast numbers. What I'm hoping is that number will continue to grow as the Baby Boomers leave the full-time workforce. After all, they've had to continue learning throughout their working years in order to stay competitive, so it makes sense that they will continue to learn in their later years.
How do you think Lifelong Learning will evolve over the next 25 years as the new generation of older adults approach retirement, especially as technology evolves?
There is no doubt that the coming wave of older adults - the Baby Boomers - are technologically savvy. That being the case they will be looking for "Smart" classrooms where they can continue to be on top of all the new technology as it comes along. Just because they're out of the active workforce doesn't mean they are going to let technology pass them by.
They will also have a wide variety of other interests besides lifelong learning. Consequently, the courses offered at lifelong learning programs will reflect that by being of shorter duration, maybe two or three session courses instead of six, eight or ten week sessions. Lifelong Learning programs will also offer more hands-on courses, active outdoor programs and self-enrichment courses. Indicators say this is what Baby Boomers will want from lifelong learning programs.
Along with that, as they become more active in their communities, society is bound to reap the benefits of that involvement. Can you imagine where that could lead if even a small fraction of the 78 million Boomers take on societal issues and find solutions?
What has been your involvement with lifelong learning for older adults?
I have been the Director of the Elderhostel Institute Network (EIN) since 1999. Along with that, I have a personal interest in lifelong learning as an older adult. I was 51 when I went back to school for a Masters Degree and being back in school changed my life. It made me feel alive and vigorous, more so than at anytime in the preceding 20 years.
As the Director of EIN, every time I visit one of the lifelong learning programs, I notice the vitality of the members. And the stories I hear about people's lives and lifelong learning - I am convinced that lifelong learning is the key to staying active and engaged in life as one ages.
What was your goal in writing this book?
I wanted to bring the world of lifelong learning for older adults out of the closet, so to speak. Despite the approximately 400,000 older adults who already know about its value, there are many, many more out there who do not. And I wanted to give the coming wave of older adults - the Baby Boomers - something to think about - something to plan for, and something to work into their later years. They are a real force to be reckoned with. They changed society before and I'm sure they can do it again and all for the better.
What is your message to those who are reaching their later years, but who may not be entirely convinced that Lifelong Learning is for them?
Dip your toe in the water of lifelong learning. That's all. Once you do, most of you will dive right in. After that there's no stopping you.
What's the next step for anyone who has heard or read this interview and is interested in Lifelong Learning?
I'd say the next step is to visit our web site www.learninglater.com. There you can learn more about lifelong learning in the classroom, through educational travel and by involving yourself in community service work. You'll find links to resources to help you take the next step, get the latest news and read first-person stories about real life people who have taken lifelong learning to heart.
What is the one thing you hope people will take away from this book?
Quite simply, that it "ain't" over till it's over! There's a lot of living to be crammed into the years after we leave work. And before we leave, there's a lot that we can do to make our society better. Being involved in lifelong learning as a way to keep our Minds, Bodies and Spirit balanced, keeps us involved and contributing right up till the very end.
There's an old Chinese proverb that say ...Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. Everywhere they go, those who embrace lifelong learning leave their mark as well as a lasting legacy to society.
