Educational Opportunities for Older Persons in Australia: A Rationale for Further Development

Abstract

The aged form the fastest growing subgroup of Australian society, a fact which is placing increasing strain on federal, state and individual resources. Education appears to have the potential for allowing older people to cope more successfully with their changed circumstances and, perhaps, the possibility of minimising or delaying some of the depredations frequently associated with old age. This paper presents a rationale for an increased emphasis, in Australia, on the development of educational opportunities for the aged, and discusses two programs of national importance, the University of the Third Age and the College for Seniors.