For senior adults, lifelong learning is the joy of connecting with their community in a new and fun way. A consistent lifelong learning program provides residents with frequent opportunities to establish a new sense of energy, purpose, and enthusiasm, and it may be easier to do than you think.
What is lifelong learning? Learning is a familiar experience. It has nothing to do with previous educational experiences such as memorizing facts, taking tests, or attending lectures.
- Lifelong learning is about figuring out how events in one’s life affected who we were and who we are today.
- Lifelong learning is voluntary; people seek to learn more about a specific topic, something happening nationally or globally, to further expand their knowledge and understanding.
- Lifelong learning helps us understand what it means to be human and our role in the world.
- Lifelong learning requires that participants be proactive. They are curious and want to know more.
What are some benefits of lifelong learning?
- A new sense of accomplishment. Participation in a lifelong learning program contributes to positive feelings of accomplishment. People are proud of what they have learned about a topic or the consistent engagement and interaction with their peers.
- Renewed self-motivation. 2020 was a particularly challenging year for residents in senior living communities. Isolation and lack of human engagement may have contributed to feelings of being unimportant. Reigniting learning is like turning on a lightbulb: all kinds of great things can happen.
- The development of learning new things contributes to a healthier brain. Research has shown that the best thing we can do for our brain is to “learn new things.” Wow, we can’t say it any better than that!
- Improved self-confidence. This results in more happiness and joy in life, less fear and anxiety over the unknown, and in some cases, a healthier lifestyle.
Visit ALLE Learning today to learn more about implementing a lifelong learning program in your senior living community.