We’ve all heard the line, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”
When it comes to the perception that learning becomes more challenging as we age, Scott E. Wilks, PhD asserts that we’ve got it all wrong. “It’s an ageist belief,” he said. “It’s a silly notion and it insults the learning capabilities of everyone as we mature.”
Wilks has spent his career studying geriatric health and wellbeing, with a focus on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. As a fellow of the Gerontological Society of America and the Director of LSU’s Healthy Aging Research Center, he points out that studies by the National Institutes of Health reveal that aging can in fact bring positive changes to cognition. “Older adults tend to have larger vocabularies and greater understandings of the depth and nuance of words and their meanings,” he said. “At any age, a person can learn new physical and cognitive skills, and continue to form new, lasting memories.”
And in a society where quality opportunities for late-life learning can be hard to find, programs such as those offered by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at LSU can help build a path towards dramatically more fulfilling experiences later in life.
To better understand the impact of the lifelong learning opportunities offered by OLLI at LSU, we sat down with Wilks for a conversation about quality of life, the importance of social engagement, and ways to nurture cognitive health in older adults.
Scott E. Wilks, Director of LSU’s Healthy Aging Research Center
Our society seems to be built around a concept that we do all or most of our learning when you are young. Tell us how that perception is misguided, and how important learning opportunities catered towards older learners are?
Our society still clings to the ageist mindset that education or academic learning is a younger person’s endeavor. Research clearly shows that ageism continues to manifest in formal learning environments, in the forms of negative attitudes from educators and younger student peers; and lack of financial aid and student support services designed for older adults. These barriers can demoralize older adults to the point where they internalize a stigma of older age and learning, discouraging pursuit of furthering their education. Educators and academic institutions have a duty to challenge these negative stereotypes, and to offer solutions in curriculum development that are welcoming to, and specifically designed for, older learners. LSU at OLLI does just that.
How significant are factors like loneliness and boredom when it comes to the overall health and well-being of adults over fifty?
Humans are social creatures. Even among introverts, we know that interaction with others is vital to good health. This is remarkably important with older adults. Research is firm on this. Compared to their socially active counterparts, older adults, especially older women, with low social engagement are more likely to see their health decline at a faster rate. This applies to physical health, mental health, and overall wellbeing.
The National Institute on Aging emphasizes that social engagement reduces the rate of cognitive decline; it improves self-esteem and reduces stress in learning environments. These things support our learning processes, our ability to absorb and understand added information. For a large majority of older adults, learning is more efficient and more meaningful in a socially interactive environment like OLLI at LSU.
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It is important that people keep socializing their whole lives.
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Learning Mahjong
What impact does group exercise and sports have on the health of people in this age bracket?
Physical activity like exercise is a protective factor for an array of health issues, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, even some forms of cancer. Exercise is also linked with improved mental health, emotional wellbeing, and cognitive health, as well as better sleep and improved immune function. Simply put, exercise significantly lowers risk of most of the health issues folks worry about in later life. It doesn’t have to be anything strenuous at all. Gradual is fine. Low impact is fine. Whether it be pickleball or painting, just stay active.
As someone with expertise in gerontology, what would you say to people considering joining OLLI at LSU?
I’d say that older adult health strongly benefits from social interaction, intellectual stimulation, and physical activity. OLLI provides earnest opportunities to engage with any or all of these. OLLI is a valuable resource for older adults in our communities to improve mind, body, and social and emotional wellbeing.
Learn more about Wilks’s work at the Healthy Aging Center at lsu.edu/chse/harc, and learn more about OLLI at LSU courses at ce.lsu.edu/olli.
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