With such a wide variety of opportunities available today, it’s no wonder that lifelong learning is on the rise. And that doesn’t even take into account the seniors who choose to enroll in non-accredited or community courses. The story stated that students over the age of 35 accounted for 17 percent of all college and graduate students in 2009, and that the number was expected to increase to 19 percent by 2020. In 2014, NBC News ran a story about the increase in the number of older students in classrooms. Taking all of these benefits into account, it doesn’t come as a surprise that it’s now easier than ever for older adults to engage in lifelong learning opportunities. “Framing New Terrain: Older Adults & Higher Education” found that “many older adults also are driven to study a subject area that they previously never had the opportunity to learn, including those adults with no previous higher education experience.” It can be appealing to learn a new skill or better your skill at a lifelong hobby when you finally have the time in retirement. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, “higher levels of education appear to be somewhat protective against Alzheimer’s, possibly because brain cells and their connections are stronger.” Research has shown that learning new things throughout your lifetime can help keep Alzheimer’s disease at bay. By choosing to go back to school, seniors who live alone can combat loneliness through social engagement, especially since they will be surrounded by like-minded peers in class. Loneliness is a big risk factor that comes along with aging, especially for those who choose to remain in their own homes. Lifelong learning opportunities provide seniors with so much more than what the classroom curriculum provides: There are many reasons why seniors would pursue new opportunities in retirement, including second careers, but continuing education has a host of emotional and mental benefits. The report found that the group as a whole plans to remain “engaged in some form of work, community service, or learning activity” through retirement. The American Council on Education partnered with the MetLife Foundation to publish a comprehensive report titled, “ Framing New Terrain: Older Adults & Higher Education,” as a result of a two-year research project about the needs of older Americans. In fact, more so than prior generations, seniors are choosing to continue their educations later in life, proving that it’s never too late to learn something new.
And while you might think that only applies to kids, there are actually a significant amount of older folks who choose to go back to school post-retirement. It’s that time of year again: back to school.