How Universities and Organizations are Helping Older Adults in Philadelphia Stay Brain Healthy
According to Alzheimer’s Association, one way to keep the brain healthy “is to get as much formal education as you can, at any point in life. Formal education is classroom-based learning administered by professionally trained teachers. Engaging in this type of education will help keep your brain healthy and may protect your brain from developing dementia. This could involve taking a class at a local college or community center that teaches a new topic, skill or hobby (e.g., learning a language or how to play an instrument).” Or it could involve taking a class online. There are multiple opportunities both online and classroom-based provided by universities and organizations for older adults in Philadelphia to help you remain brain healthy for life.
Before you think how expensive taking a course or returning to school can be, here are some online educational sites that offer courses for free.
Free Online Courses for Older Adults
Coursera is an educational portal offering universal access to the world’s best educational institutions. One can take a course from top universities and organizations around the world. They offer courses in arts and humanities, personal development, language learning, for example. Visit their website here.
Edx is very similar to Coursera in that it also offers free online courses from the world’s best universities and institutions, such as Harvard, MIT, UC Berkeley, Microsoft, Tsinghua University, The Smithsonian, and more. They offer courses in philanthropy, language, food and nutrition, earth science and more. You can learn about more of their courses here.
Khan Academy offers classes for free for the student, teacher, principal or senior returning to the classroom. Check out their array of courses here.
Paid Online Courses for Older Adults
Udemy is also an online learning platform, which offers a variety of courses for professional adults and students. You can take classes in business such as real estate, finance such as in investing in stocks, personal development such as stress management, design such as interior design and more. To learn more about Udemy, visit their website.
Coursera’s courses can be audited for free, but there are some courses, which are paid. For example, if you want a course certificate, which you can post to your Linkedin account, this would cost you $49. They also offer financial aid.
Free Courses at Physical Locations
Through its Go-60 Program, Penn State offers older adults 60+ an opportunity to take college courses—up to six credits per semester for free at many of the university’s 24 locations.
Requirements:
- Pennsylvania resident, former Penn State student, past employee of Penn State
- Retired/Part-time
Below are a list of some of Penn State University campuses.
Penn State Abington
Penn State Abington – https://abington.psu.edu/
Contact Info: 215.881.7300
Abington GO-60 Program.
Penn State Altoona
Penn State Altoona – https://altoona.psu.edu/
Contact Info: 814.949.5000
Altoona GO-60 Program.
Penn State Behrend
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College –http://psbehrend.psu.edu/
Contact Info: 814.898.6000
Erie GO-60 Program.
Penn State Harrisburg
Penn State Harrisburg – https://harrisburg.psu.edu/
Contact Info: 717.948.6250
Harrisburg GO-60 Program.
Penn State Lehigh Valley
Penn State Lehigh Valley – https://lehighvalley.psu.edu/
Contact Info: 610.285.5000
Lehigh Valley GO-60 Program.
Penn State Mont Alto
Penn State Mont Alto – http://www.ma.psu.edu/
Contact Info: 717.749.6000
State Mont Alto GO-60 Program.
Penn State Schuylkill
Penn State Schuylkill – https://schuylkill.psu.edu/
Contact Info: 570.385.6000
Schuylkill GO-60 Program.
Penn State Shenango
Penn State Shenango – https://shenango.psu.edu/
Contact Info: 724.983.2856
Shenango GO-60 Program.
Free to paid classes for older adults 50+
The Bernard Osher Foundation, started in 1977 by Bernard Osher, a respected businessman and community leader, provides funding for more than 100 “Lifelong Learning” programs at educational institutes for adults 50+.
These programs cover an array of topics. For instance, a lifelong learning class at Marywood University in Discovering your Dreaming Mind costs $45 as a member.
Center for Lifelong Learning
Senior Community Services,
Delaware County
Delaware County
Center for Learning in Retirement
Delaware Valley University
Doylestown
https://www.delval.edu/continuing-and-professional-studies/center-for-learning-in-retirement
Lifelong Learning Institute]
Immaculata University
Immaculata
Institute for Lifelong Learning
Bucknell University
Lewisburg
http://www.bucknell.edu/lifelonglearning
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Temple University
Philadelphia
https://www.temple.edu/tucc/persenrichment/olli/
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh
Seniors College
Alvernia University
Reading
https://www.alvernia.edu/community/seniors-college
Lifelong Learning Institute
Marywood University
Scranton
http://www.marywood.edu/conted/lifelonglearning/
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park
Aging in Place Educational Program
VigR
Friends Life Care, a Philadelphia home-based company that supports seniors who want to thrive independently in their own home, offers various membership packages along with health and wellness educational classes and workshops through their program called VigR® Vitality, Independence, Growth, Resilience™. Generally, the wellness classes are free to their members who sign up for them.
Take Advantage of Tax breaks
Don’t forget to take advantage of educational tax breaks. Keep track of your educational expenses including textbooks and other supplies. For more information, consult the IRS website.
Research has shown that new brain cells—neurons—are connected to learning, and that the adult brain can grow new neurons. Growth, then, can be considered synonymous with aging. We begin to age visibly the minute we are born. Learning is essential for our survival and livelihood. So why should it not continue as long as we are breathing? Even in our retirement, we should make space to continue to learn. Our universities and different organizations have made the space for us. Let’s use these spaces and continue to change our corner of the world by staying brain healthy.
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