Cultivating Age-Friendly Institutions for Older Adults: Insights from Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Network in the United States

This paper was prepared for PASCAL Special Interest Group 3 (SIG3 [1]) by colleagues at Hobart & William Smith Colleges [2], the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Arizona State University [3] and the National Resource Centre for Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes, Northwestern University Chicago [4] to whom we offer our thanks.

Abstract

Across the world, social institutions, such as colleges and universities, are being challenged to adapt to meet the diverse needs of older adults. In the U.S., the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) network of 124 institutions housed within U.S. colleges and universities are seeking ways to become even more age-friendly as they deliver lifelong learning programs for older adults.  In so doing, some OLLIs are even challenging their home institutions to more broadly become age-friendly to address growing older adult needs throughout the entirety of their institutions.

This paper highlights insights gleaned from research on the aspirations and operations of OLLIs. Much of this research comes from work conducted by the National Resource Center for Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (Osher NRC), which offers a variety of support services to OLLIs and their leaders. Through the Osher NRC, many evidence-based revelations span important themes such as demographic trends, learner preferences (e.g., course topics), barriers to learning, technology utilization, and perceptions of the value of lifelong learning. In this brief, both practical and research implications are shared based on the findings of multiple studies and publications generated by the Osher NRC.

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