Age-Friendly University Principles Research Articles

EMERITI PROFESSORS’ INTERGENERATIONAL TEAM TALK: REDUCING STUDENTS’ AGING ANXIETY ADDRESSES AFU PRINCIPLES

Abstract Intergenerational learning is one of the six pillars of the Age-Friendly University (AFU) institutional activity. This study was guided by the AFU principles 9 (involving university’s own retired community) and 4 (promote intergenerational learning between learners of all ages) and Positive Education about Aging and Contact Experience (PEACE) Model (Levy, 2018). A team of 4-5 students (12 teams total) in an undergraduate Introduction to Gerontology course in Fall 2022 conducted two, one-hour in-depth Zoom Intergenerational Team Talk (ITT) interviews with emeriti professors. The objective was to assess the change in students’ aging anxiety (measured using Bousfield and Hutchison’s, 2010, 4-item Aging Anxiety Scale), expectations about aging (measured using Sarkisian et al, 2005, 12-item Expectations Regarding Aging survey), and career and academic trajectories before and after the implementation of the ITT interview. The University IRB approved study sample included 57 students, where 31completed both pre and post surveys. A paired sample t-test showed a significant reduction in students’ aging anxiety [t(29) = 2.45, p = 0.020] and increased positive expectations regarding aging [t(26) = -2.94, p = 0.007], after the ITT interview activity. The results support the PEACE model that included emeriti professors as positive role models in an intergenerational contact. Emeriti were a valuable resource for lowering aging anxiety and increasing positive expectations regarding aging among university students. Engaging emeriti professors can create a more inclusive and age-friendly environment. Future studies should also explore the impact of intergenerational contacts on emeriti professors’ perception of younger adults.

Age-Friendly University principles: discussion with older learners

ABSTRACT The Age-Friendly University (AFU) principles outline a set of visions that higher education institutions should support to become inclusive to learners of all ages, especially older learners. A growing number of higher education institutions across the globe are currently engaged in various work of AFU development. One of the areas of study in AFUs that needs more research is older adults’ perceptions about how AFUs should be developed. This article shares a study of older adults’ thoughts about the visions reflected in the AFU principles. We conducted interviews with 17 members of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at San Francisco State University in 2020. The thematic analysis of qualitative data was conducted to identify the common perspectives and thoughts study participants shared about AFU principles. The discussions of AFU principles with study participants produced three main themes. The first theme described the diversity of older learners’ needs and interests. The second theme suggested that older adults possess mixed feelings of both excitement and anxiety about intergenerational learning. The third theme posed multifaceted accessibility issues including informational accessibility, program accessibility, and physical accessibility. We argue that these themes suggest that to develop AFUs, higher education institutions must cultivate ways to accommodate diverse older learners, create robust intergenerational programming, and engage in the work necessary to combat ageism on and off campus.

Mirabella at Arizona State University: A Case Example in Innovation at a University-Based Retirement Community

University-based retirement communities (UBRCs) are a relatively recent addition to housing options for older adults. The case example of a new UBRC, Mirabella at Arizona State University (ASU), is presented within the context of Age-Friendly University (AFU) principles and New American University design aspirations. We provide an overview of the planning process, describe initial collaborations between Mirabella and research faculty, and outline areas of overlap and distinction between Mirabella’s approach and other UBRCs, AFU principles, and the design aspirations of the New American University model. Empirical investigations are needed to identify key characteristics of UBRCs that facilitate university integration and how those characteristics impact individual, community, and university level outcomes.

CONNECTING GENERATIONS AND PRESERVING LIVED EXPERIENCES: AN ILLINOIS AGE-FRIENDLY INITIATIVE

Abstract The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign was recently designated an age-friendly university (AFU).Our AFU program coordinated by CHART (Collaborations in Health, Aging, Research, and Technology) collaborates with our campus University of Illinois Extension office. We are partnering with a student organization called Sage to engage undergraduate students in AFU principles (i.e., promote intergenerational learning and increase the understanding of students of longevity divide). Sage is a social venture run by the Illinois chapter of the global nonprofit organization called Enactus, a social entrepreneurship organization. Sage was established in the spring of 2019 by students who noticed discomfort and lack of understanding among their fellow students of the older generations. By fostering communication, Sage aims to combat ageist social processes, reduce social isolation, and increase mutual understanding and access to the often undervalued wisdom of older adults. Sage helps facilitate life review and develops intergenerational relationships by pairing older adults with college students who listen to and capture their stories through writing to boost the morale and self-confidence of participants. The stories and wisdom they share are then preserved through the production of a cherished legacy booklet or digital media. CHART and campus Extension services support the Sage efforts by assisting with materials development and recruiting older adults from the community to participate. We will share our lessons learned to encourage the development of similar programs at other universities.

MAKING CLASSROOMS MORE AGE-FRIENDLY: STRATEGIES FOR INTERGENERATIONAL EXCHANGE

Abstract Aging populations are reshaping how we think about teaching and learning in higher education. As a result, educational opportunities for intergenerational exchange are on the rise with the growth of the Age-Friendly University (AFU) initiative. Endorsed by GSA’s Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education, the AFU principles call for promoting intergenerational exchange to facilitate the reciprocal sharing of expertise between learners of all ages. Age diverse classrooms and learning spaces have distinctive needs and dynamics that instructors, and students, will need to learn how to navigate. This collaborative symposium, that brings together members of the Age-Friendly University (AFU) and Intergenerational Learning, Research, and Community Engagement (ILRCE) Interest Groups, will explore evidenced-based practices that contribute to successful experiences in and beyond the classroom. Montepare and Farah will provide an overview of the AFU initiative and intergenerational classroom issues. Jarrott and colleagues will address how technology and other strategies can prepare individuals for intergenerational learning experiences, including when circumstances limit in-person opportunities, such as during COVID. Dauenhauer and Heffernan will share insights from faculty about ways to develop and sustain a lifelong learning program that incorporates intergenerational interactions in the classroom experience. Leedahl will discuss strategies for developing age-friendly intergenerational internship experiences with community partners. Borrero, co-convener of the ILRCE Interest Group, will serve as the discussant.

INTEGRATING AGE INCLUSIVITY WITH DEI EFFORTS ON AGE-FRIENDLY UNIVERSITY (AFU) CAMPUSES

Abstract The pioneering Age-Friendly University (AFU) initiative, endorsed by GSA’s Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE), calls for institutions of higher education to respond to shifting demographics and the needs of age-diverse, older populations through more age-friendly programs, practices, and partnerships. Over 85 institutions in the United States, Canada, European countries, and beyond have joined the global network and endorsed the 10 AFU principles, with even more showing interest in becoming partners in the movement. One key foundational area identified by AFU research efforts and partners is integrating age inclusivity with ongoing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts on campuses. This symposium explores the need for this integration featuring AFU partners who will offer their observations and recommendations. Bowen and colleagues will open the session with data from their national study of age-friendliness in U.S. institutions to describe their insights regarding the state of age diversity on campuses and the experiences of students, faculty, and staff that call for greater age inclusivity. Morrow-Howell and colleagues will present data from interviews with DEI officers that identify institutional considerations for inclusion efforts. Andreoletti and colleagues will offer specific curricular and related strategies for connecting age-inclusivity efforts with DEI campus efforts. Gugliucci will discuss considerations regarding age-inclusive images and messages in health professions education including the inclusion of identifiable DEI objectives in syllabi. As discussant, GSA president Lichtenberg will comment on age-inclusivity efforts in higher education within GSA’s broader commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

THE AGE-FRIENDLY UNIVERSITY (AFU) INITIATIVE AND THE CALL FOR MORE AGE-FRIENDLY INTERGENERATIONAL CLASSROOMS

Abstract Changing age demographics are reshaping societies and challenging our living, learning, and work communities to consider how they can respond to more age-diverse, older populations. The pioneering Age-Friendly University (AFU) initiative, endorsed by GSA’s Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE), calls for institutions of higher education to respond to these shifting demographics through more age-friendly programs, practices, and partnerships. Moreover, the 10 AFU Principles recommend a set of specific educational options including the promotion of intergenerational learning to facilitate the reciprocal sharing of expertise between learners of all ages. This presentation provides an overview of the AFU initiative with a focus on strategies for intergenerational teaching and learning. It sets the stage for the other presentations by describing core questions and considerations educators should take into account when mounting intergenerational practices in and beyond the classroom.

Older Student Experiences: A Critical Examination of Aging on Campus

There is overwhelming evidence that the number of older learners on college campuses has been steadily increasing since the 1970s. The needs of older learners differ from traditional students, and many services and resources available at higher education institutions are geared towards students aged 18-25 (Silverstein, Choi, & Bulot, 2001). Age Friendly University (AFU) principles highlight the need to consider older learners at a university and provide structure to evaluate programs and practices and to enhance inclusion and diversity based upon age. This study examined how an AFU designated university is working to better understand their older students. Methods: A web-based pilot survey of older learners (N=248) asked all students ages 40 and older a series of questions regarding motivation to attend school, barriers and supports, campus environment, and connection with AFU principles. Analysis: A regression analysis found that older learners who felt more welcomed by faculty (p=.001), administration (p=.002),and student organizations (p=.026) were more likely to feel connected to campus, and younger-older students (p=.031) and those who did not feel their job was a barrier to attending school (p=.037) were more likely to feel satisfied with their level of engagement on campus. Additionally, older learners felt the AFU principles were demonstrated by their university. Discussion: The experiences of older learners are important as we continue to see higher numbers of students over the age of 40. Our results demonstrate the need to engage older learners as part of diversity and inclusion efforts to facilitate connection to the campus community.

The Intersection of Older Students and Disability: How Age-Friendly Universities Can Boost Visibility and Accessibility

The needs of older learners differ from traditional students, and many services and resources available at higher education institutions are geared towards students aged 18-25 (Silverstein, Choi, & Bulot, 2001). Age Friendly University (AFU) principles highlight the need to consider older learners at a university. Older learners face various barriers to education including balancing schoolwork with responsibilities and accessibility of campus resources (Silverstein et al., 2001). This study examined how an AFU designated university is working to better understand their older students. Methods: A web-based pilot survey of older learners (N=248) asked all students ages 40 and older a series of questions regarding motivation to attend school, barriers and supports, campus environment, and connection with AFU principles. Analysis: A t-test analysis explored differences in motivation, barriers and challenges, and connection to campus between students who identified as having a disability and those who did not. Findings: We found there were significant differences between the groups in how health impacted their education (p=.001), being able to physically access campus (p=.014), the availability of online classes (p=.047), and the hours of operation of student support services (p=.045). There were also differences between groups in how connected they felt to campus based on feeling welcomed by faculty (p = .033) and feeling satisfied with their level of engagement at the university (p = .002). Discussion: Our results demonstrate the need to fully engage older learners with a disability as part of diversity and inclusion efforts to facilitate connection to the campus community.

A Step Backward and Forward in an Age-Friendly University Initiative: Adapting a Campus Learning Partnership

The 5-campus UMass system received designation as an Age-Friendly University (AFU) in 2019. AFU Principle 1 highlights the importance of involving older adults in University activities. UMass Lowell’s Center for Gerontology Research and Partnerships collaborated with the Learning in Retirement Association (LIRA) in Spring 2020 to offer aging-related courses around healthy aging. However, due to COVID-19, these were canceled and are re-scheduled for Spring 2021 via Zoom. The paper will describe the process of selecting course offerings with LIRA and the subsequent cancellation/rescheduling process and adaptation needed. A course will focus on AFU initiative and the opportunities and challenges at UMass Lowell. Likewise, the other course will offer a session on technology and aging where age-based digital divide and strategies for reducing it will be discussed. This paper will reflect on how the collaboration with LIRA and course selection process relates to the AFU principles 1, 5 and 9.

Implementing Age-Friendly University Principles: Institutional Supports, Barriers, and Outcomes

The University of Utah Gerontology Interdisciplinary Program received an Age-Friendly University (AFU) seed grant through GSA’s Academy of Gerontology in Higher Education, funded by AARP, to develop a model for promoting lifelong learning in partnership with university and community stakeholders. We designed and instituted a targeting marketing campaign that supported our goals: 1) to implement AFU principles; 2) to promote awareness of HB60, a legislative bill allowing people 62+ to audit courses at public universities for a minimal cost; 3) to enhance HB 60 enrollment through increased communication of online course options and tuition waiver support; and 4) to improve university and community stakeholder engagement. This presentation describes project benefits, including increased awareness of AFU initiatives, promoting age diversity, safe participation through online coursework, and enhanced community partnerships. The initiative garnered strong departmental support for marketing, communications, and structure for the post-award process. Barriers occurred due to a lack of HB60 infrastructure at the university level, which inadvertently obstructs organizational engagement. This initiative targeted AFU principles while supporting the university’s strategic goal of engaging communities and preparing to pursue membership in the AFU Global Network. Future AFU goals include developing advocacy channels within the university to improve organizational support.

Leveraging the Intersection between Age-friendly Universities and Age-Friendly Communities

Age-friendly Universities represent a growing contribution to the worldwide age-friendly movement. For universities, the international effort aims to highlight the role higher education plays in responding to the opportunities associated with an aging population. The initiative outlines ten principles to engage older adults via collegiate mission pertaining to research, education and service. Shared practices suggest diverse and unique application of the guiding tenets across participating colleges and universities. However Age-friendly Universities are also part of a broader ecosystem, situated in geographic locales reflecting actual or prospective age-friendly community status. The global Age-friendly Community movement is a decade-old effort to improve the environments in which we age via a cyclical process. This paper identifies the intersection between Age-friendly University principles and Age-Friendly Community processes and discusses reciprocal considerations for mutual advancement of the broader movement.

Now What? Maintaining Momentum after Achieving Designation as an Age-Friendly University

The Age-Friendly University (AFU) designation in higher education recognizes the institution’s commitment to a culture of age-inclusivity across programs and policies. While AFU institutions are embracing the demographic shifts in higher education and society at-large, effectively responding to the needs and desires of an increasingly older population requires ongoing acceptance and support from campus leaders to maintain momentum and stay relevant within a dynamic field. This session will describe the intentional and systematic approach utilized by an AFU steering committee to build interest in and develop meaningful collaborations in multiple domains across campus, including at the level of the president. Our initiatives focus on five themes that align with the 10 age-friendly university principles: support for workforce development, broadening community engagement, expanding engagement in aging research and dissemination, addressing barriers related to aging and our physical environment, and facilitating age-friendly efforts across our state. We will present our experiences in expanding awareness of and support for the AFU movement on our campus and share a model for institutions seeking ideas for sustainability of their own initiatives.

Using an age-friendly university lens to explore community member engagement during the pandemic

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 global pandemic forced institutions of higher education to adapt quickly to virtual connection platforms to maintain ties with their learners. After transitioning to virtual programming, the number of participants in our lifelong learning program more than quadrupled. As a member of the Age-Friendly University (AFU) global network, we saw this as an opportunity to continue expanding our age-inclusivity efforts and capitalized on this engagement by inviting attendees to participate in a brief online survey related to several of the AFU principles. Respondents requested, although not exclusively, continued virtual access to programming. Results emphasized the need for flexible and diverse access points, supported by age-inclusive campus infrastructure, for continuity in respondents engaging with the university post-pandemic. Our path forward is discussed, highlighting successful strategies by other AFU global partners.

Laying the groundwork for an Age-Friendly University: A multi-method case study

ABSTRACT As evidenced by the growing Age-Friendly University (AFU) global network, institutions of higher education are increasingly seeking to enhance the experiences of older adults accessing them for reasons such as lifelong learning, career development, and intergenerational engagement. This multi-method case study explored barriers, facilitators, and opportunities for an Oregon public university to engage its older community members and become more age-friendly as a new member of the AFU network. To gain an understanding of older community members’ experiences with the university, researchers collected surveys from 46 members of the local senior center adjacent to campus and subsequently recruited and interviewed nine of the survey respondents. The researchers also used snowball and convenience sampling to recruit seven older adult research participants for participatory action research using photovoice, pairing the research participants with 12 students to capture their unique perspectives as they walked around the university campus. Findings revealed opportunities for the university to implement the AFU principles and increase age-friendliness, such as strengthening the senior center partnership, developing a lifelong learning center, and removing accessibility barriers. These findings will ultimately help shape the university’s AFU vision moving forward and may provide insight for other universities working to become more age-friendly.

Campus-Wide Buy-In for an Age-Friendly University: One Goal and Many Paths

Recognizing a growing aging population around the world as well as the many benefits of engaging learners at any age in higher education institutions (Kressley & Huebschmann, 2002; Morrow-Howell, et al., 2019; Silverstein, Choi, & Bulot, 2001), the Age-Friendly University (AFU) international initiative offers a medium to support diversity and inclusion efforts based upon age. Dublin City University (DCU), along with Arizona State University (ASU) and Strathclyde University, developed 10 Age-Friendly University (AFU) principles which offer a guide for institutional commitment to age-diversity that can be realized through institutional goals, aims, and initiatives (DCU, n.d., Talmage, Mark, Slowely, & Knopf, 2016). Because of the non-prescriptive nature of these principles, universities endorsing them have opportunities to forge varied paths in the unified goal of age-friendliness. Presenters will share lessons learned from development of the AgeAlive collaborative hub to advance age-friendly research and community-based projects at Michigan State University, the value of cross-campus partnerships at the University of Hartford, the critical support provided by the Adult Learner Programs and Services office at Northern Kentucky University, and the intentional alignment of AFU efforts with administrative priorities at Eastern Michigan University, and journey from focusing on programs to embedding age-friendly practices throughout the institution at Arizona’s State University. Through the diverse paths these presenters used to obtain support for the AFU principles at their respective universities, participants who are just beginning their AFU journeys will learn actionable strategies for increasing age-friendliness at their own institutions.

Capitalizing on Shared Interests: Achieving Age-Friendly University Endorsement Through Partnership and Advocacy

Response to the lifelong educational needs and interests of the older adult population calls for new opportunities and innovative practices in teaching, research, and community engagement that universities need to be prepared to offer their students and community. This presentation provides information from an Age-Friendly University (AFU) that currently has no gerontology degree or certificate program, highlighting various campus wide programs and initiatives aligned with the AFU principles. In particular, collaborative strategies involving faculty and the Adult Learner Programs and Services to help promote campus buy-in and AFU endorsement will be emphasized. Practical strategies will be discussed to assist junior and senior level faculty and other university personnel wanting to achieve AFU endorsement at their institution of higher education in order to shape age-friendly programs and practices.

Living and Learning Partnerships on Age-Friendly University Campuses

Campuses and communities have a long and varied history of partnerships around educational efforts. In response to current shifts in age demographics and the number of adults aged 65+ increasing dramatically, new partnerships around living and learning are emerging. In particular, university-based retirement communities (UBRCs) associated with institutions of higher education are growing as housing options for older adults in the United States. The establishment of the Age-friendly University (AFU) initiative offers a guiding framework for how UBRC partnerships may be effectively mounted. This presentation will use the case example of the Lasell University – Lasell Village partnership to demonstrate how AFU principles can be implemented through age-friendly curricular programming and intergenerational exchange. Logistical considerations such as individualized learning plans for UBRC residents, an on-campus location, shared resources, and governance policies will be also be discussed as components of successful partnerships.

Age-Friendly Universities: Confronting Ageism and Fostering Age Inclusivity

The pioneering Age-Friendly University (AFU) initiative, endorsed in 2016 by GSA’s Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education (AGHE), calls for institutions of higher education to respond to shifting demographics and the needs of aging populations through more age-friendly programs, practices, and partnerships. Over 65 institutions in the United States, Canada, European countries, and beyond have joined the network and adopted the 10 AFU principles. Despite the importance and appeal of the AFU initiative, individuals leading age-friendly efforts on their campuses have found that ageism in higher education is a persistent, yet overlooked, factor holding us back from embracing age diversity. This symposium will feature AFU partners who will discuss how ageism presents itself in higher education, along with offering recommendations for breaking it down and promoting greater age inclusivity. Montepare will open the session with an overview of systematic and implicit instances of ageism in higher education. Bowen and colleagues will then discuss results from an AFU Campus Climate Survey that examined the age attitudes of faculty, students, and staff along with their views about that nature of campus age-friendliness. Manoogian will discuss the value of approaching the teaching of age diversity from an intersectionality perspective. Reynolds and Kruger will provide theoretical framing and dissemination models for the GSA online course Ageism First Aid within various AFU and programmatic structures. Andreoletti and June will discuss how creating an age-inclusive AFU Learning Community can raise awareness about ageism across campus as well as in the community where a campus resides. Age-Friendly University (AFU) Interest Group Sponsored Symposium.

Age-Friendly Teaching and Learning: New Roles for Older Adults Across the Curriculum

The pioneering Age-Friendly University (AFU) framework, with its set of ten guiding principles, advocates for enabling older adults to participate fully in educational activities that promote positive and healthy aging. In addition, the AFU principles call attention to bringing younger and older learners together around educational goals, and engaging learners in collaborative classroom experiences that facilitate the reciprocal sharing of expertise between learners of all ages. Implied, but not articulated, in these principles is the idea that older adults’ expertise, skills, and talents can also be tapped to support classroom learning goals and extend teaching strategies. This presentation will show how older adults can serve as valuable educational allies in classrooms across the curriculum with examples of crime scenario developers in a forensics class, conversation partners in an international oral communication class, and professional interviewers in an internship skills class. Evidence will argue that these roles enhance student learning.