Educational Initiatives for the Elderly: Maximizing Independence and Successful Ageing

1. * Educational Initiatives for the Elderly Dr Rick Swindell Co-founder of U3A Online www.u3aonline.org.au

2. * • Virtual learning programs and ideas U3A Online World U3A Wikis What I’ll talk about • Successful Ageing • Some international and national educational initiatives for the elderly Constituency research

3. * The lifestyle choices we make Ageing population - greater responsibility placed on older people everywhere to maximise their chances for independence • Healthy Ageing • Successful Ageing • Ageing Well • Active Ageing • Productive Ageing

4. * “Successful Aging” (Rowe & Kahn 1998) Active mind and active body Follow sound health-related advice Essentials for Successful Ageing

5. * cardiovascular, strength, balance, stretching Help stimulate release of factors critical to brain growth Improve blood flow to the brain Active mind and active body The Foresight Project “Learning must continue throughout life. This can have a direct effect on mental health and well-being across all age groups, and has particular promise in older people.” Beddington et al. The mental wealth of nations. Nature, vol 455, Oct 2008, 1070-1060. Physiological benefits of exercise for elderly well documented

6. * Social networks “Successful Aging” (Rowe & Kahn 1998) “Successful Aging” (Rowe & Kahn 1998) Engage with life Active mind and active body Active mind and active body Follow sound health-related advice Essentials for Successful Ageing Death of loved one, caregiver, incapacity, retirement etc etc

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8. * Social networks Do interesting things “Successful Aging” (Rowe & Kahn 1998) “Successful Aging” (Rowe & Kahn 1998) Engage with life Active mind and active body Active mind and active body Follow sound health-related advice Essentials for Successful Ageing Many later life learning organisations are “Successful Ageing” organisations

9. * Some major later life learning initiatives • North America • France • UK • China • Hong Kong • Internet-based

10. USA and Canada * Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (OLLI) - 2002 1988 Elderhostel Information Network (EIN) 93 university-based programs in 39 states Lifelong Learning Institutes (LLI) • Started 1962;now 1000+ programs • University/College based • Volunteer teachers/administrators Must entice baby boomers Short courses 1-5 weeks; personal enrichment; weekends and evenings; • Nancy Merz-Nordstrom – Director: Elderhostel Institute Network (EIN) Elderhostel Educational travel since 1975

11. * 1973 Many European countries, Quebec, other countries Universités du Troisième Âge (UTA) “The French Model” (university based) 1975 AIUTA France

12. UK * AIUTA 1981 • “The British Model” (Self-help U3As) • Community-based (not university) • 700 groups; 200,000 members • Subject networks – members share courses Third Age Trust (TAT) UK "umbrella" organisation

13. * AIUTA • 28,000 organisations with > 2.3 million members • < 1% of 300 million older people China • Jean Thompson – 2004 AIUTA Congress Shanghai • 1980s - army, big companies, mines, universities, etc

14. * Curriculum • Courses short-term or 1-3 years. Seven categories: • health care • physical exercises • study courses, (eg literature, history, geography, languages) • skills (eg computer skills, finance, cookery, gardening) • arts (eg calligraphy, painting, music, dancing) • hobbies, (eg travel, photography and stamp collecting) • political topics • Social contact valued equally or more than new knowledge

15. * Teaching • Expert teachers - nominal salary; assisted by volunteers • Teaching - relaxed and flexible, to suit students' needs • Discussion groups – current events • Study tours • Exhibitions, competitions • New text books in cooperation with national publishers • Central Radio/TV University to set up special courses

16. * Hong Kong Elder Academies Dr. Leong Chi Hung, Peter Wong & EC Secretariat 2007 – Labour and Welfare Bureau & Elderly Commission • 78 EAs primary and secondary schools • 2008 – 7 tertiary institutions • Compulsory health courses + electives (academic, arts, sport) • Intergenerational harmony emphasis (young people volunteer)

17. * Summary: Major Educational Initiatives for the Elderly North America: 1962: LLI; Elderhostel UK: 1981 self-help U3As Japan 1960s: UAs China: 1980s UAs France: 1973 UTA; AIUTA 1975 2008: India Society of U3As; 2010 Symposium Republic of SA 2000: 14 self-help groups Australia/NZ 1984: 270 self-help groups

18. * Many older people become isolated (even in large cities) In later life, participation threatened by: • Divorce • Relocation • Poor transport • Death of a loved one • Illness/Incapacity • Being a carer U3A Online – a virtual U3A open to all older people

19. * U3AOL Project Goals Funded 1998 IYOP project A virtual U3A for isolated older people everywhere Cooperative ventures with similar online organisations

20. * www.u3aonline.org.au

21. * Cooperative ventures (eg TAT)

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29. * Comments from isolated participants I am partially blind with limited short sight. I am extremely grateful to U3AOnline as I now have an interest at home - am happy working on my own and life has again a meaning. I’ll go as far as to say that being totally absorbed in my most recent online course has saved my sanity this year. I care for my wife who has Alzheimers. Have done so for the past 8 years. I love "virtual meeting" people from other regions, walks of life, with different viewpoints I am the primary carer for my frail mother who at nearly 100 needs full time care now.  Being able to access a service like this is one way to feel less isolated from the world outside.

30. * World U3A http://worldu3a.org/

31. * • Intergenerational • Research possibilities

32. * a wiki is … • a web page that can be easily changed by all members Wikis - a free Internet tool for collaboration • very easy to set up and modify • ideal for U3A members to share ideas • free

33. * http://redlandsu3a.pbwiki.com/

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36. * http://u3amusicgroups.pbwiki.com/

37. * Send email to ricks1912@optusnet.com.au to get email copy of Signpost sent each month

38. * 2) Download and print 18 page document 1) Click Research/Reports from drop-down menu How to set up your own wiki

39. * Constituency Research Research by older people with older people Some U3A examples • 1990-1994: a virtual U3A by telephone • 2002-2006: A voice worth listening to • 2008/09: Australian and NZ research study

40. * Summary • 5 elements of Successful Ageing • Later life learning programs as models of Successful Ageing • Isolated seniors are everywhere in the community. Internet-based learning programs improve their quality of life • Cooperative projects through the Internet

41. * U3A Online World U3A Others … EA participants are invited to join the world-wide community of older learners, teachers, researchers and innovators Conclusion Hong Kong Elder Academies are successful ageing organisations.