New Paradigms for Old: trends and developments in later life learning in North America

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New Paradigms for Oldtrends and developments in
later life learning in North America

• Ronald J. Manheimer, Ph.D.
• Executive Director, NC Center for Creative
  Retirement
• University of North Carolina at Asheville, USA

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One-way Glass
An anecdote
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Whats in a paradigm?

• A philosophical and theoretical framework of a
  scientific school or discipline within which
  theories, laws, and generalizations and the
  experiments performed in support of them are
  formulated broadly a philosophical or
  theoretical framework of any kind

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Thomas Kuhn and the Paradigm Revolution
Thomas Kuhn, 1922-1996
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Some Frameworks of Aging and Corresponding
Rationales for Lifelong learning

• Disengagement theory 1959, revived 1990
• Activity Theory 1960
• Productive Aging 1970s
• Successful Aging 1980s
• Spiritual Aging 1980s
• Positive Aging 1980s, revived 2005
• Age Irrelevance 1970s, revived 2000

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Disengagement Rationale for Lifelong Learning

• No rationale needed since education is no longer
  relevant to the individual.

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Activity Theory Rationale for Lifelong Learning

• Education helps people stay active and connected.
  Social engagement.
• Can help ameliorate premature institutionalizatio
  n. Mental alertness.
• Debate Should education for the elderly be age
  segregated or age integrated?

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Big Growth Period 1970-1990

• Institute for Retired Professional (NYC, 1962)
• University of the Third Age (U3A) 1973
• Tuition-free, space-available policies in US
  colleges
• Elderhostel travel-learning program, 1975
• Cluster of Institutes for Learning in Retirement
  1975 launched in US and Canada
• Community College programs (low cost, state
  support)
• Senior Center Humanities Programs (Natl Council
  on Aging) 1976 (expanded to public libraries,
  1988)
• OASIS 1983 (Department stores)
• SeniorNet and many others including NC Center
  for Creative Retirement 1988

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Productive Aging Rationale for Lifelong Learning

• Empowerment
• Emancipation
• Job retention/retraining
• New volunteer roles

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Spiritual Aging Rationale for Lifelong Learning

• Spiritual development
• Spiritual eldering
• Conscious aging

1988 North American Forum on Religion and
Aging 1992 First Omega Institute Conference on
Conscious Aging
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Positive Aging A Cluster of Ideas

• Brain Health taping cognitive reserve
• Retirement reinvention change yourself
• Positive well being (PWB) Pos. Psych.
• Maximizing optimal health
• Civic engagement
• Senior friendly communities
• Good work in the encore period
• Late life creativity

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Age Irrelevance The deconstruction of aging

• People dont want to be
• identified with an artificial
• category like aging.

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Big Changes in 50 Years
Spanning from this .. To this
Deserving Elderly 1960s
Mature Consumers 2009
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Revolution, Evolution or Neither?

• Different paradigms apply to different functional
  groups
• Function of cohort or generational effect?
• Varies by culture, society, ideology

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So what is our programs Paradigm?

• Has it changed over time?
• Will our members and program age in place?
• Is there new competition?
• Are we losing the thread of continuity?

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Wheres the Affinity?

• If retirement is not the common thread?
• If age and aging is no longer the glue?
• If life stage is not the common bond?
• Are we simply a continuing education program?
• What essence remains?

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New Life Models of the 3rd Age

• Based on the research of Miwako Kidahashi, Ph.D.,
  Visiting Scholar, Institute for Social and
  Economic Research and Policy, Columbia University
• Is the Third Age a blurred or distinct stage?

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The Traditional Golden Years Retirement
Lifestyle

• Triggered by mandatory retirement age
• Defined benefit pensions encourage stepping back
• Physically demanding work-related disabilities
  take their toll
• Expectations focused on leisure, family, travel
• Cultural attitudes youve earned it, make way
  for younger people, accept obsolescence
• Enjoy life now before the curtain falls

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Golden Years Life Model 1
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4 New Post-Career Life Models

• Neo-Golden
• Pursuing self-development and social adaptation
• Portfolio Life
• Pursuing balance of time for family, leisure,
  work, travel

• Second Career Orientation
• Looking for a dream job, possibly for social
  improvement
• Continuous Employment
• Extension of midlife career

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Neo-Goldens

• Pursuing meaning through lifelong learning,
  volunteerism, hobbies, social engagement, family,
  travel
• Self-development, family and friendships are high
  priority

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Portfolio Life

• Seeks to integrate and balance elements such as
  work, learning, volunteering, leisure activities,
  travel
• Balanced lifestyle a high priority

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Second Career

• Pursuing full or part time employment in a
  challenging, rewarding, meaningful job with
  implications of social benefit encore careers
• Productivity a high priority

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Continuous Employment

• People seeking to extend their midlife career as
  long as possible the never retire ethic among
  these
• Work for money and professional reputation are
  high priorities

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Post-career lifestyles and Lifelong Learning Needs

• Neo-Goldens enrichment, socialization, some new
  skills, self-qualifying certificate such as
  master gardener
• Portfolios meeting various interests and needs
  including career skills
• Second career learning new skills and training
  to start new businesses, pursue encore careers
• Work extenders learning skills to keep up
  professional abilities

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What it Takes Imagination and the Silver
Warriors of Wisdom
Betty Friedan Fountain of Age
Maggie Kuhn Grey Panthers
Marty Knowlton Elderhostel Founder
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Resources

• Elderhostel Institute Network (LLIs, US/Can)
  http//www.elderhostel.org/EIN/intro.asp
• Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (122 OLLIs)
• http//usm.maine.edu/olli/national/