When I was young I watched members of the Bridge project, an innovative intergenerational living and learning program from Fairhaven college, riding in our summer parade. They weren't riding on a car, no, these 70 and 80-year old members were hanging on the side of a fire engine laughing, hooting and waving their text books. That small group of inspiring students motivated me to become a lifelong learner and showed the parade crowd that learning never stops! Today, lifelong learning is an educational premise that's enlightening mainstream America.
As libraries and universities are ramping up programs geared toward lifelong learners America is adjusting to the changing realities caused by lifelong learning. Dementia grabs many of today's headlines yet, quietly, throughout the workplace and in houses and garages, the wisdom and experience of age is increasingly being applied to invention, innovation, and problem solving. Intellectually active older generations are anchoring and guiding civic organizations and sharing their unique intelligence--tempered by time and enhanced by wisdom---with start-ups and non profits.
Just as the parade crowd of my youth witnessed the first advocates for lifelong learning America watches now as we remain active and intellectually inspired longer and longer in life. If 60 is the new 30 in physical age what new benefit and impact will we realize from promoting continual learning and intellectual vitality over our lifetimes?
We're already seeing benefits. Today more than half the Atlantic's list of the 21 bravest thinkers of 2011 are over 55, four are over 65 and 19 of 21 are 49 years old or older. A 2009 study of invention found that a third of all inventors at universities and very small businesses are over 55 years of age and AARP reports that 1/10th of the inventions that changed the 20th century were created by people aged 50+ working alone. As society continues to support and encourage lifelong learning the contributions of older generations will increase and gain greater recognition. When I was young I imagined a day when everyone would learn till they were 90. Today I imagine the end of 21st century when we'll finally see the great contributions of mature minds and, looking back, will count the benefits we reap from our commitment to lifelong learning.
Update March 2015: Universities and Colleges are bringing senior living on campus. See, for instance, the completed project, The Forest at Duke.
Update March 2015: Are you over 65 and still learning? Consider participating in the Silver Learning study.
Update March 2015: This New York Times profile of college grads over 50 years old focuses on education as a springboard to second or third careers.
