“Capable of learning up to high age“ – Bernard Schmidt about senior's education

Grandma Jane discovers the Internet in an adult education centre, grandpa George finally learns how to cook and uncle August is student now – at the age of 65. Have today’s seniors not learned enough during their lives? REHACARE.de talked to Bernard Schmidt from the Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich, Germany. He led a study which found out how and why seniors want to educate themselves further in older age.

01.07.2009

Doktor Bernhard Schmidt © LMU

REHACARE.de: Mister Schmidt, why do seniors voluntarily go to school again?
Bernhard Schmidt: The motivations for a further education are quite different. Some people just want to use their free time after their working life to do things they have always been interested in but never had the time to do so. Others just want to have a new aim and challenge. Then there are people who attend courses to make their everyday life easier – like with the Internet or health courses.

REHACARE.de: Which classes do older people like best?
Schmidt: We found out that it is impossible to answer this generally. Which classes they prefer mainly depends on their education and milieu.

REHACARE.de: One result of your study is: educated ones educate themselves more than uneducated ones. Why is that?
Schmidt: If people have never attended any further educations during their private or professional life they mostly will not do not later on, as well. They fear being overchallenged and just do not know how to learn any more.

REHACARE.de: Are there further reasons why the elderly do not educate themselves?
Schmidt: Some think: “A further education is not worth it in our age.” It might be that they have a negative perception of age and just do not dare anymore due to their age. However, it is scientifically proven that people are capable of learning up to high age.

REHACARE.de: How could they be convinced of that fact?
Schmidt: One should involve them much earlier than in retirement age – like in the middle age. This works when the events are not explicitly called education courses.

REHACARE.de: The whole society profits from older people who educate themselves.
Schmidt: In England there are long-term studies about the benefits of lifelong learning. Education supports your wellbeing, a healthy lifestyle and thus enables you to live an independent life for a longer time. People go into care homes more lately and this saves money. However, for all things people have a right for education the entire life.

REHACARE.de: And how many older people do that actually?
Schmidt: About twelve percent of the 65- to 80-year-olds participate in courses.

REHACARE.de: Are there enough offers?
Schmidt: Meanwhile there are many offers for the elderly. This has changed since the nineties.

REHACARE.de: The study offers advices how to organise education facilities for seniors. Can you give us some of them?
Schmidt: First: The institutions should not make offers for “the elderly” in general but address certain groups directly because there are many differences. Second: It is important for educated people to involve them and let them decide things on their own. They are used to take charge of something. In contrast, some seniors need more support from the docent. An at least: The speed should be adapted to the particular group.

The interview was conducted by Natascha Mörs.
REHACARE.de