Speakers: Anna Grabowska
Making Adult Education Useful, Relevant and Engaging
Maintaining mental health is essential for the well‐being of each human being. In older agein tandem with other physiological changes, there is a tendency to experience losses of mental functions. Some of these changes are due to various diseases or irreversible ageing procedures. However, many of these changes can be prevented or slowed down by leading an active life, considering several factors which are crucial: continuous learning, physical fitness, healthy diet and social contacts. The presentation gives an overview of the findings and products developed within several Grundtvig projects in the period 2008-2013:
Mindwellness project was concentrated at developing innovative training material aimed at older people (working or retired) to help them retain mental flexibility. The outcomes of the Mindwellness project include:
- A national and comparative analysis on the current position of older citizens and learning in higher age.
- A collection of good examples and best practice related to brain training.
- Online training material with exercises on brain training.
- A handbook on brain training for older people, providing a theoretical basis for use by trainers and experts.
ForAge for later-life learning: Building on European experience project is a European multi-lateral network with the central aim of communicating and promoting experiences of learning for older people. The main goal of the ForAge is to help raise standards of practice throughout Europe and beyond.
MATURE – Making Adult Education Useful, Relevant and Engaging project main principles are the following:
- The long term independence and wellbeing of older people is dependent on their continued ability to learn and to act on learning.
- Effective learning for older people is best achieved through a collaborative process that goes beyond education and includes the individual/s at whom learning is targeted.
- However challenging, the learning needs of all adults should be the concern of all learning providers.
Resources:
http://www.foragenetwork.eu/en/.