Seniors College of P.E.I. gaining national attention

as published in The Guardian - April 26, 2008

Seniors College of P.E.I. has been asked to speak to the Special Senate Committee on Aging in Ottawa as part of a major investigation into the needs of older Canadians.

Ian Scott, the president of Seniors College of P.E.I. will be speaking to the committee in Ottawa on aspects of Active Aging and Ageism which is part of the committee’s second interim report on April 28.

Seniors College of P.E.I. now operates in Montague, Alberton, Summerside and Charlottetown with 527 members participating. Affiliated with UPEI and designed for those age 50 or older, the concept of active learning, and active living in retirement, is a worldwide phenomenon which continues to change the public view of seniors.

Based on peer-learning in which members share their knowledge with others, the P.E.I. operation is co-ordinated by Bruce Garrity, who is assisted with each of the operations outside Charlottetown.

Recently both Garrity and Scott spoke to a packed audience at Mount Allison, where a steering committee was formed to launch a similar operation.

Earlier this year, a seniors college was launched in Halifax due to efforts of a past president Ivan Dowling, who encouraged colleagues who were retired faculty of the various universities there to work together, and spoke of the success of P.E.I. efforts.

A seniors college also launched in Cape Breton with the encouragement of Clive Keen, while he was director of Life Long Learning at UPEI.

A regional conference on learning in retirement hosted at UPEI by Senior College of P.E.I. in 2007 brought together representatives from seven provinces, and has helped spread the word even further.

“Learning in retirement is important to both individuals and their personal enjoyment but also the fact that governments are now recognizing the value that active learning plays in maintaining a healthy population, is significant,’’ said Scott. “Research continues to show the beneficial effects that new learning has on the brain, and the positive benefits of being active in a social environment to reduce isolation. It also happens to be great fun.’’

More information on the Special Senate Committee on Aging is located on their website www.senate-senat.ca/age.asp and information of Seniors College of P.E.I. is available at www.upei.ca/seniorscollege or through contacting Garrity at 894-2867 or seniorscollege@upei.ca

Plans under way for Sackville seniors' college

Ian Scott, president of the P.E.I. seniors’ college, speaks to local residents who were on hand for an information meeting last week at Convocation Hall. A steering group was formed to develop the idea for Sackville.
as published by the Sackville Tribune-Post - March 12, 2008

BY KATIE TOWER, Staff Reporter

Seniors in the community could soon have access to more fun and engaging learning opportunities.

A local steering committee was formed last week to get plans under way on the founding of a seniors college in the Sackville area, an initiative which would offer stimulating and affordable courses to the 55-and-over crowd.

Heather Patterson, director of the continuous learning centre at Mount Allison University, organized the founding meeting at Convocation Hall last Thursday, which drew over 75 residents, and said she’s excited about the potential of a seniors college where local seniors can learn from their peers.

“We have so many wonderful seniors in the community with so much experience in many different areas. . . some very engaging, exciting, active and happening people.”

The local project would be modeled on the successful P.E.I. seniors college, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2007. Ian Scott, president of the seniors college on the Island, said the organization has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade.

“We started out small. . . we had 45 students in the first year and we offered three courses. Now we have 527 students in four locations on the Island and we have over 100 programs,” said Scott, who was on hand last week to share ideas on how to get the project off the ground.

The premise of the seniors college is based on peer learning, he explained.

“We are strong believers that we all have something to share and we’re never too old to learn.”

One of the keys to its success has been the ability to access retired professors and educators in the area, said Scott, who want to teach about engaging, entertaining topics they are passionate about.

“Our teachers have a love affair with their courses and it shows.”

The membership – at $125 – provides seniors the opportunity to take as many, or as few, courses as they would like during the semester – classes that range from alternative medicine to computer skills, genealogy to painting, life writing to astronomy, and much more.

The college co-ordinator Bruce Garrity said seniors can share skills, knowledge and experience with each other through their eight-week courses.

“This enhances the quality of life for seniors by providing them with professional-level courses and it also gives them the opportunity to experience the joy of learning.”

The P.E.I. seniors’ college is affiliated with UPEI – and uses several facilities at the university - but is operated by a separate board.

The local steering committee – made up of Heather Patterson, Pat Dixon, Barb Jardine, Art Miller, Donna Capper, Janet Hammock and Erik Hulsman – will develop the basic concept of how a seniors’ college would work in the area and will present their findings to the public