Retirement Stats, Studies, and Stuff
Guest Writer:
Jill Watson
Instructional Designer
“You don’t stop learning when you grow old; you grow old when you stop learning”. The quotation is near and dear to my heart. I began my Master of Education thesis with this quote and it is how I live my life. In April of 2013, at the age of 51, I accepted a package from my employer and ended a 15-year career as a financial advisor. I had been very unhappy in my role for several years and looked at the package as an opportunity. In April of 2013, I also began my first course in the Master of Education (Adult Education) program with Yorkville University, an online university in New Brunswick, Canada. Throughout the masters program, our instructors encouraged us to begin considering topics for our thesis. I began to notice, as I progressed through the courses, that there appeared to be very little written about the older learner. Having spent 15 years advising older clients on how to prepare for retirement, I knew that I had found my topic: access to learning for Canadians in the ‘third age.’
What is the third age?
The third age was introduced in the 1950s as a new phase of life brought about by earlier retirement ages, improved health status, increased longevity, the introduction of retirement and pension schemes, and positive values and beliefs towards older persons (Findsen & Formosa, 2011). Simply, it is the period of time between retirement and death. Varying life situations will dictate when we enter the third age. The third age was described by one commentator as a period of time in which retirees could participate in educational programs to gain an appreciation of art, history, philosophy, and music – simply for the love of learning. And, of course, that learning could include more applied topics, like karate, gardening, financial literacy skills, and small engine repair.
No matter what our age, we participate in learning opportunities for a diversity of reasons. There are learners who participate in education for a defined purpose (such as learning how to use a smart phone or the Internet) and there are learners who participate because of the activity itself and for the social interaction realized by getting out of the house one evening a week. Many older adults seek out learning opportunities during a life transition. These transitions could be work related, such as upgrading skills, facilitating a change in career, or learning financial literacy skills. Transitions could also be family related, such as dealing with an illness, disability, or the death of a spouse.
Benefits of learning in the third age
As I began researching the topic, I discovered that the literature was filled with the benefits of learning in the third age. Some of these benefits include:
- Health and Education: We’ve known for years about the benefits of exercise and following a heart healthy diet: we are more likely to live better and longer. However, many studies on learning in the third age contained comments from older learners who claimed that they simply felt better by participating in a learning program.
- Social Networks: Maintaining a social network is very important especially in older adulthood. It has been well documented that socially isolated older adults experience poorer health and well-being; they are also more likely to enter a nursing home. Participating in learning opportunities for many older adults provides the social interaction required to prevent social isolation.
- Never too old to learn: You’ll be relieved to learn (as I was) that this has been proven to be true – older adults have the ability to continue learning. Research conducted by the Canadian Council on Learning (2006) confirms the benefits of learning for cognitive function. In their report, Never too old to learn: Seniors and learning in Canada, they state that “age-related brain function loss is not a necessary outcome of ageing: the effects of changes within the brain can be moderated by environmental factors, such as intellectual stimulation.” The research also found that older adults who participate in active learning are able to remain active in the community, develop new interests, and keep up with younger generations; they are healthier, happier, and independent.
So, with all these great benefits, where do we go to find learning opportunities specifically developed for Canadians in their third age?
Those most likely to access third age education
During my financial planning career, I counselled many clients as they prepared to retire and enter their third age. As such, I was in a position to witness various degrees of successful ageing. The clients who appeared to be ageing well were physically active, vital participants in their community, and cognitively sound. They volunteered, continued their careers beyond the normal retirement age, took courses, lectured at universities around the world, rediscovered hobbies, modified their careers to suit their retirement goals and played various sports. Decline was not a word I used to describe these clients. In fact, they did not fit my perception of old. They looked and sounded relatively young – perhaps young-old would describe them best. The prevailing attitude amongst them was very positive; they were happy in their version of retirement.
Retirees such as these, however, are a minority in Canada. In contrast to most Canadians, they are well educated, have higher than average retirement incomes, and live in urban areas where opportunities for learning in the third age abound. For a variety of reasons, not every Canadian has equal access to learning opportunities in retirement.
Retirees will participate in many forms of learning: formal (programming offered by universities and colleges), informal (including incidental and self-directed learning) and non-formal learning (music, agriculture, art appreciation classes, or photography lessons, etc.) In North America, there are essentially three different organizations that cater specifically to the learning needs of third age learners: Universities of the Third Age, Lifelong Learning Institutes, and Elderhostel.
Access to programming
Although you may think everyone has an equal shot at education in retirement, it’s not so simple. Universities of the Third Age are not readily available to all Canadians. Third-agers living in rural or remote areas do not have easy access if there is not a university or college within a reasonable driving distance. In addition, individuals who are unable or unwilling to travel, or are active caregivers to a family member or friend, may not have easy access to third-age learning opportunities.
While running a series of financial literacy skills workshops for Habitat for Humanity, I had the privilege to work with families from all walks of life. In this experience, I gained an insight into the financial struggles faced by low-income families. Many of the participants of the workshops were older adults who came to the program to learn how to survive on their lower retirement incomes. While we chose our locations carefully (libraries and church basements located on bus routes were preferred), feedback from participants always included a request to offer the program online, so that those challenged by transportation, illness, disabilities, and care-giving duties could acquire the financial literacy skills offered in the workshops.
Contemporary learners
In my opinion, the current state of third-age learning in Canada does not possess the relevance required to attract contemporary learners. Baby-boomers have grown up and spent their working lives with computers while the Internet, smart phones, and tablets have been ever-present for the past 10 to 15 years. This demographic group is, for the most part, tech savvy and digitally competent. Baby-boomers have also come to maturity in a society obsessed with consumerism and youthfulness. They are better educated than previous generations, enjoy relatively better health and longevity, and are motivated to age actively, successfully, and productively. Providers of programming for learners in the third age will need to provide an updated curriculum, a more democratic organization, and online learning options in order to attract baby-boomers.
Online learning opportunities reduce many of the barriers experienced by older Canadians while offering many of the benefits – including social interaction. My Yorkville University classmates and I developed an online learning community that supported each of us through the program, fostering friendships that continue today. While I had my doubts at the beginning of the masters program, I am now a huge advocate of online learning. I know that I will seek out learning opportunities when I retire – and I’m sure that many of them will be online.