Page 47 - IJPS-9-3

International Journal of
Population Studies The right to lifelong learning

The potential for digitally supported learning and funerals and burials; safe use of banking services;
online learning can potentially grow in popularity as more protection against scams, and fraud.
people gain digital skills before aging. Older people are • Wise consumption: Cost and energy saving
one of the fastest-growing clients to use digital gadgets purchases–car, home insulation; informed
and the internet. Statistics Canada reported that between decision about when and where to downsize or to
2013 and 2016, internet use rose from 65% to 81%, while move to collective housing; online purchasing of
among those aged 75 and older, usage rose from 35% to age-related products; medically assisted death.
50% (Statistics Canada, 2017). Online learning could be • Legal: Purchase or sale of property; wills and
a solution for older people who are less mobile, who use estate planning, bequests, and donations.
wheelchairs, or who are in bed, but the long screen times (ii). Personal development: To lead a life of purpose by
can be difficult. Personal scheduling flexibility is offered directing personal growth, first by understanding
so that learners can log on at convenient times, from any the economic and social context of their living
location and different digital gadgets, and they can learn environment to age successfully, and second, to
at their own pace. However, the older learner may be develop one’s interests, talents, and natural abilities to
hampered by poor or unstable connectivity or expensive flourish in that context.
Wi-Fi connections. Furthermore, because of technical • Understand the life-world context. Information
advances, there would be a need for continuous upgrading on political, social, and environmental matters;
of digital skills. scientific advances related to health and aging;

3.6. Relevance evaluate the accuracy, reliability, and credibility
of information; media literacy.
According to the World Health Organization, healthy • Personal interests. Updating skills; improving
aging is the process of developing and maintaining the digital competence; passion projects such as
functional ability that enables well-being in older age memoir writing, genealogy, or painting; learning
(Fallon & Karlawish, 2019). Learning must address the a second language.
multiple roles people play in later life, not only for their own • Recreation and culture. Visits to art museums,
personal development but also for the benefit of society. libraries; choices that increase social activity such
People in later life volunteer a lot of time (equivalent to as choirs and book clubs; learning through travel.
402,565 full-time jobs (Hahmann, 2018), and learning
can help them to make important choices to make their (iii). Societal contributions: To learn to maximize knowledge
contributions worthwhile. and abilities to contribute to family, community, and
society commensurate with personal capacity.
Four relevant learning goals are proposed for people in • Caregiving. Caring for a spouse with special
this population segment. These learning goals are linked needs; seeking complementary professional and
with roles and examples of needs that are especially relevant social services care (e.g., respite care).
to this segment and may be less interesting to younger • Grandparenting. Care and nurturing for the
people. So long as, there are good outcomes, the learning mutual benefit of child and grandparent.
opportunities can be formal, non-formal, or informal. The • Work. Knowledge and skills that can be used
offers have to include culture-sensitive products in official for current occupation (full or part-time or
languages and, where necessary, other languages. Examples consulting) or for a second (encore) career.
for each goal are provided below (Brink, 2021). • Volunteering. Skills in demand in the community
(i). Life management: For a successful later life, learning to or online such as editing, teaching English/or
understand aging in relation to an individual’s specific other as a second language.
situation to adapt to changes in the living context. (iv). Legacy for the future: To transmit experience, ideas,
• Managing health and well-being: Understanding and infrastructure for future generations.
age-related health conditions; self-care, including • Next generation. Provide a family history,
diet and medication; exercise; fall avoidance; photographic record, inherited health conditions,
information on sensory loss and mitigation; family artifacts, and genealogy to younger
palliative care; and maintaining an active social generations.
network. • Carriers of culture and tradition. Transmit special
• Prudent financial management: Personal finance– knowledge, skills or trade, family traditions,
budgets, loans, taxes; pension management; traditional language, music, and cuisine to the
investment instruments; divestment; prepaid larger family.

Volume 9 Issue 3 (2023) 41 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.339