Personal Enrichment in Later Life Through the Creative Learning Experience

From the day we are born, our minds and bodies and spirits begin to absorb information from the world around us. We see, touch, taste, smell and hear new things every day, all of which serve to educate us and enrich our lives. We spend the majority of our first two decades of life in a formal school setting, but in no way should it follow that once we graduate or move on from the formal setting that our education must come to an end. Today, older people all over the world are seeking education in record numbers. Older adults have a myriad of reasons for seeking out education whether in formal or informal settings. This masters project focuses on defining many of those reasons and goes on to explore and develop positive lifelong learning opportunities for older adults. A gerontological perspective about creativity in the learning process is addressed as well as suggestions for developing similar programs.