Elizabeth M., at 74, says she didn’t know what to do after her grandchildren started growing up and she became bored with her backyard vegetable garden.
With the support of her daughter and a car-sharing company (Turo), she started an at-home business renting out her one, two, and now three cars to locals and tourists in Hamilton, Ontario.
“I now meet new people all the time. I’m not waiting for something to happen anymore,” says the septuagenarian entrepreneur, who has paid off all three cars and boosted her retirement income.
“I’m now engaged with purpose,” she adds. “I had to learn the technology and take some online tutorials.” Her 15-year-old granddaughter can’t wait for her grandmother to teach her business skills. “I’m now inspiring her,” laughs Elizabeth.
According to UNESCO (2022) and WHO (2020), “Lifelong learning plays a crucial role in reskilling older adults, bolstering autonomy, promoting healthy and active ageing, and enhancing quality of life.”
When others were retiring from her profession, Vancouver lawyer Anne B., now 84, chose to teach administrative law online at the Open Learning Division of Thompson Rivers University from age 62 until 82.
“I stayed on because I loved the interchange with the students,” she said. “They were all ages and such a range of learners.”
With an earlier background as a business lawyer with a public company, Anne, much later in her diverse profession, developed courses in business and administrative law, eventually focusing on teaching the latter.
The octogenarian mother of four and grandmother to eight has now shifted her passion for law and teaching to her lifelong love of music. A clarinet player since she was 30, Anne now plays second and third clarinet with three concert bands in the Lower Mainland.
“I am playing music as much as I can,” she says, hoping to continue as long as possible, despite early arthritis in her fingers.
McGill University’s School of Continuing Studies reports that continuous learning boosts well-being in later life and that intellectual engagement can transform senior well-being.
“Whether solving crosswords and word puzzles, reading books, travelling, joining online courses, or learning something new, every activity contributes towards challenging the mind, expanding knowledge, and pursuing lifelong or new interests.” (Ontario Life Institute)
Ninety-three-year-old Hannes v. S. says it’s important to develop lifelong interests and to continue exploring and learning new skills and ideas.
A former financial executive in Vancouver, the nonagenarian now creates one-of-a-kind maple and purpleheart cutting boards in the woodworking shop at Vancouver’s Brock House, a non-profit seniors’ society that sells the boards to raise funds for the organization.
“Life is short; enjoy yourself and stay active, physically, and with younger generations,” he adds, sharing that he regularly spends time with his seven grandchildren and recently celebrated 63 years of marriage.
UBC’s Brain Wellness Centre offers free online lifestyle and wellness programmes for healthy agers and those living with chronic brain conditions.
Research supports that lifelong learning offers a sense of purpose and achievement while aging. It can be pursued informally through social interest groups or in more structured settings, such as lectures and formal studies.
Older learners who maintain curiosity, imagination, and an openness to learning in their 70s, 80s, and 90s stay informed and engaged with each other and the generations following them. “It’s never too late to change, no matter how old you are,” concludes Anne B.
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