Impact on Senior Learners’ Quality of Life through Lifelong Learning

Abstract

Learning in later life (citizens over 65 or retired) is becoming common; job related needs or labour market qualification requirements are replaced by more personal aims such as curiosity, understanding the environment, feeling more integrated, pleasure or keeping active. These personal aims can be seen from the quality of life (QoL) perspective, where education increases well-being and understanding of self and society, and helps senior learners to feel they are participating in and form part of society. The thesis presented in this paper is that education increases QoL. Taking into account that QoL has both objective and subjective facets, and education is a complex long-term process, this article shows the relation that exists between a lifelong learning activity in senior citizens and the impact on their QoL. This research has been conducted within the QEduSen project (supported by the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Commission) using quantitative and qualitative research methods.