Education for Older Adults: Lifelong Learning, Empowerment, and Social Change

There is now general agreement that both physical and mental activity are essential ingredients for quality of life as we grow older (Belsky, 1988, 1990; Dychtwald, 1990; Evans, Goldacre, Hodkinson, Lamb, & Savory, 1992; Groombridge, 1989; Shaw, 1991). It has, however, been part of the general stereotype about old age that intellectual decline is inevitable and conflicting voices are heard about the psychology of aging. These issues need some clarification.