Education is Golden
Senior living communities go to great lengths to ensure their residents never cease the pursuit of knowledge
By Chase Johnson
Biologists have often said that the one aspect of human life that most defines us as a species is our constant penchant for knowledge. We are continuously learning, even outside the classroom—we read the paper, watch the news and go to museums. Even Google searches on the most random of topics count toward our ever-growing wealth of knowledge.
Yet, many of us consider our educations completed when we earn our diplomas. But who’s to say they cannot continue into our golden years?
Residents at some of the top East Coast retirement communities are finding no reason to stop expanding their educational horizons after the age of 65.
Residents at the Village at Brookwood in Burlington, N.C., take advantage of the proximity of Elon University, a highly ranked private university three miles from the community. Ruth Ann Stubblefield, the life enrichment coordinator at the Village at Brookwood, says residents often take Brookwood’s free buses to campus to take in lecture series and theater productions.
“We base all our events on the residents,” she says. “We put a lot [of events] out there, and what they’re interested in is what we do.”
But participation between the Elon and Brookwood communities is a two-way street. Stubblefield says the retirement community often hosts Elon professors for lectures on topics that range from the Civil War to global politics.
Meanwhile, in Sterling, residents at Sommerset Retirement Community enjoy seminars and programs aimed at educating residents. Some are about practical topics like tax law and keeping up to date with medical myths. Others engage residents with music or art. In fact, Sommerset offers painting lessons that have transformed at least one resident from a true beginner into an accomplished and prolific oil painter.
These communities provide ample opportunities for their residents to enrich their lives with educational programs, seminars and lectures, proving that education doesn’t end once we leave the classroom. But it doesn’t mean seniors can’t return to the classroom once they’ve left, and the Commonwealth of Virginia is facilitating the extension of classroom learning.
In 1974, the General Assembly passed legislation allowing seniors to enroll in classes at state universities and community colleges free of charge. However, there are certain requirements.
For example, those 60 years and older must have lived in the state for at least one year, and only those with a taxable income of $15,000 or less can take advantage of free tuition (course fees for materials or laboratory use will still apply on a course-by-course basis). If a person’s income is above $15,000, auditing a class is an option. And those students paying tuition will have first choice for choosing classes. (See page 103 for more information on the Senior Citizens Higher Education Act.)
For seniors who take advantage of the law, it’s a chance to get a new take on topics they may have learned about in college, or learn about subjects that didn’t exist when they were students.
The classes also encourage seniors to interact with people they would otherwise never meet. Whether it’s with younger students at universities or with other residents at community programs, social interaction is the best way to stay fulfilled.
“When they’re involved in going to hear a speaker—regardless if it’s Margaret Thatcher or the little minister down the street—they’re socially engaging with one another. The social engagement is of the utmost importance,” Stubblefield says.
“[Our residents] like staying active in the world and stimulating conversation,” Stubblefield adds. “It’s very important to them that they can connect to their children and grandchildren. The continual learning helps them to bridge all that.”
Of course, education is important in all facets of life, so even at HCR Manorcare rehabilitation facilities nationwide, including the Richmond location, education is included in their care. The staff goes to great lengths to educate patients (the vast majority of which are seniors) on their conditions and how to manage them. They also teach patients how to understand the sometimes difficult and bureaucratic Medicare language they must navigate to make sure they are getting the best coverage possible.
“We’re finding a lot of our population is interested in our presentations on understanding Medicare and understanding managed care with all the changes that are going on,” HCR manager of market development Jennifer Gerlach says.
HCR Manorcare also goes to great lengths to make sure their patients know how to find the best facility to meet their needs and also to understand, once they’re ready to leave, the treatment they’ve received and what it means for their future wellbeing. To do that, the company utilizes a unique program that keeps track of patients’ progress.
“The outcomes analysis is where we analyze the patient’s information and diagnosis when they come in and we analyze it when they go out so we’re able to track for the individual patient what has been their improvement,” Gerlach says. “Not only can we share that with the patient and then with the physician, but we collect that per center and then per region, and it helps us to see what we do well; and not a lot of companies really do that, but we want to ensure we’re providing our patients with the best care.”
Get a Free Education
State Code Allows for Free Senior Classes
Since 1974, the Commonwealth of Virginia has allowed senior citizens to take courses at state universities and community colleges free of charge. Certain requirements must be met, however, so here’s a guide to the Senior Citizens Higher Education Act of 1974.
First, seniors are defined as those who are at least 60 years of age and have lived in Virginia for at least one year. The legislation allows for those who meet the requirements to take any course offered in a state institution of higher education.
Seniors may enroll in courses for credit as full-time or part-time students, provided that the individual’s taxable income in the year prior to enrollment does not exceed $15,000.
They may also audit courses that are offered for academic credit, as well as those that are not offered for academic credit. Auditing courses carries no restrictions with regard to taxable income.
While no tuition will be charged to those meeting the requirements, course fees for materials or laboratory use will still apply on a course-by-course basis.
The State Council of Higher Education may place restrictions on enrollment, including allowing tuition-paying students to enroll before seniors participating in the program. If, however, an individual has completed 75 percent of degree requirements, they will be exempt from preemption.
Individuals not enrolled for academic credit are not limited to the number of terms they may take courses, but they cannot take more than three courses in any single term.
College Bound
Continuing Ed. Options
George Mason University
4400 University Drive, Fairfax; 703-993-1000; www.gmu.edu
Marymount University
2807 N. Glebe Road, Arlington; 703-522-5600; www.marymount.edu
Mary Washington University
1301 College Ave., Fredericksburg; 540-654-1000; www.umw.edu
Northern Virginia Community College
703-323-3000; www.nvcc.edu
Alexandria – 3001 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria
Annandale – 8333 Little River Turnpike, Annandale
Loudoun – 1000 Harry Flood Byrd Highway, Sterling
Manassas – 6901 Sudley Road, Manassas
Woodbridge – 15200 Neabsco Mills Road, Woodbridge
(May 2010)