Across the United States, approximately 55 million children under the age of 18 are beginning or returning to school. Roughly 18 million are starting or will return to college. Indeed, “back to school” season is in full swing, bringing excitement, maybe a little trepidation, and endless new learning opportunities.
Not Just for the Young
But education is not the sole domain of the young. In fact, according to a 2022 AARP study, 55% of adults over the age of 45 are engaged in lifelong learning (roughly 10 million individuals), with many more reporting that they intend to participate in learning as they age.
What’s more, of those aged 65+ in the U.S., approximately 11 million have a bachelor’s degree, 4 million have a master’s and 3.5 million have achieved doctorate status.
What is Lifelong Learning?
Lifelong learning is the antithesis of the “school’s out forever!” mentality. Rather, it is the voluntary, ongoing desire to explore new interests, subjects, hobbies or rekindle old passions, typically without formal schooling and hard-earned degrees.
Blessed with time and freedom they didn’t have in their younger years, many older adults are embracing a delightful era of discovery that allows them to go where curiosity leads. Lifelong learning has no deadlines, no expiration dates and infinite possibilities that sharpen the mind, strengthen social connections and foster a renewed sense of purpose and personal growth.
A Learning Brain is a Healthy Brain
Lifelong learning acts as a protective mechanism for the brain, keeping it adaptable, resilient and better equipped to handle the challenges of aging.
Neuroplasticity. Lifelong learning has a profound impact on the aging brain by promoting neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to reorganize and form new neural connections throughout life.- Cognitive reserves. Engaging in intellectually stimulating activities throughout life helps strengthen cognitive reserves, which are the brain's backup systems that compensate for age-related decline. These reserves allow older adults to maintain higher levels of cognitive functioning, even in the presence of neurodegenerative changes.
- Improved memory. Engaging in lifelong learning challenges the brain to recall and apply new information, strengthening cognitive reserves. Learning new things involves processes such as attention, encoding, storage and recall, giving the brain a “workout” similar to physical exercise for the body. In fact, a study in Psychological Science found that older adults who learned new skills showed significant memory improvement compared to those in more passive activities.
- Delayed dementia. Research has shown that maintaining an active learning lifestyle can delay the onset and progression of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, by supporting neural health and reducing brain atrophy.
Learning Is Social
Many learning experiences take place in group settings – classrooms, workshops, training sessions, travel groups, community outings or online forums. Engaging in these environments with like-minded individuals fosters meaningful social connections, which are especially valuable as we age and face increased risks of loneliness and isolation. Learning new things not only keeps our minds active but also deepens our curiosity, expands our worldview and makes us more interested (and interesting!), giving us fresh ideas and insights to share with others.
Personal Fulfillment
“An idle mind is the devil’s workshop,” goes a saying that, while a bit foreboding, makes a good point: an inactive mind can lead to boredom, aimlessness, negative thinking and other harmful outcomes. On the other hand, a mind that is continuously learning fosters:
- Sense of purpose. A mind that’s learning, expanding and blooming with new information is a healthy one that begets purpose and meaning in life. Learning gives us reason to get up, go out or log on.
- Self-confidence. Regularly acquiring new knowledge or skills builds confidence and self-esteem, empowering lifelong learners to take on challenges, tackle problems or pursue a new set of goals.
- Resiliency and adaptation. The world is evolving at breakneck speed. Advancements in artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, climate science and space exploration, to name just a few, can feel overwhelming at times. Yet, lifelong learners are better prepared to navigate these rapid changes. By keeping their minds active, curious, and flexible, they cultivate the resilience and adaptability needed to face new technologies and shifting realities with confidence rather than fear.
Lifelong Learning at Collington
Learning opportunities at Collington abound.
For over three decades, residents of Collington have benefited from a special partnership with nearby Prince George’s Community College called Seasoned Adults Growing Educationally, or, appropriately, SAGE. Developed with the myriad benefits of lifelong learning in mind, this collaborative program features courses of interest and relevance to older adults, such as current events, healthy living, world history and autobiographical writing.
In addition to SAGE, Collington residents themselves are leading their peers in a broad variety of educational pursuits. Resident-led classes run the gamut from foreign affairs to book discussions, fitness, poetry, pottery, photography and more.
Yet another noteworthy venture is Collington’s Artists-in-Residence program, a unique partnership whereby students from the University of Maryland’s School of Music live alongside our active, engaged residents. Together, they collaborate on musical endeavors and learn from one another through vital intergenerational bonds.
