EDUCATIONAL NEEDS AND ACTIVITIES OF OLDER ADULTS: THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO SENIOR CENTER PROGRAMS

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Abstract
The major purposes of this study were to investigate the self‐perceived educational needs and activities of older adults within a community setting and to explore the relationship of these needs and activities to selected senior center programs. A secondary purpose of this study was to investigate self‐perceived educational needs and activities of older adults according to race, sex, educational level, and socioeconomic status. A sample of 110 older adults (age 65 and over) from a Midwestern community was interviewed using Tough's learning project procedure, Hiemstra's instrumental and expressive education instrument, and a general educational needs checklist developed by the investigator. To determine the educational offerings of senior centers, a questionnaire was administered to the directors of five selected senior centers located in the community. Findings indicated that the self‐perceived educational needs and activities of older adults varied by race, sex, educational level, and socioeconomic status. A descriptive analysis revealed an incongruence between the educational needs and activities of the respondents and the educational offerings of the senior center programs.