Nancy Mertz Nordstrom ends the introduction to her book, “Learning Later, Living Greater: Making The Most of Your After-50 Years,” with a quote from an old Chinese proverb, “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.”
Learning was the catalyst that changed Nancy’s life after the death of her first husband. Barely into her 50s and with four children, she returned to school and found the learning experience so rejuvenating and exhilarating that she switched majors and received a degree in education.
Through a friend in a walking club which she had started, Nancy learned about Elderhostel, the foremost educational travel organization for older adults and found the perfect job match for her passion for adult learning.
Nancy’s work as director of the Elderhostel Institute Network is to coordinate the resources that help 350 affiliated Lifelong Learning Institute members with about 100,000 people who participate in noncredit classroom programs.
At first, Nancy was based in Boston, but eventually she was able to perform these same services from her home in New Hampshire. In addition, she now lectures and travels extensively in connection with her book.
She wrote the book with her son Jon (an accomplished author of six novels) when she realized how many adults did not know about the possibilities lifelong learning can offer. It is learning not dictated by academic requirements but only for the sheer joy of learning itself, and it offers the opportunity to indulge in all of the interests one has previously not had the time for.
In what is called “the third age of life,” after leaving our traditional jobs, an ideal lifestyle choice might be § work, § play and § giving back to our communities.
The author feels that this is an important component to a full, satisfying life and is also the answer to how the burgeoning senior population can become a valued resource and guiding light.
Nancy Nordstrom’s book is well organized, easy to read and loaded with valuable information. Each chapter begins with a first-person account of lifelong learning in action.
One of these stories was written by Orange resident Trish O’Leary, former president of the Institute for Learning in Retirement at Albertus Magnus College (part of the Elderhostel network). ILR, as it is known, will be celebrating its 20th anniversary Wednesday with a luncheon at the Grassy Hill Country Club at which Nancy Nordstrom will be the guest speaker.
ILR is a nonprofit, community-based group whose classes are all taught by the members. The courses are varied and stimulating without requiring a longtime commitment (the average course is 4-6 weeks) and as both a former student and study group leader, I can testify that they are educational and a lot of fun.
Call (800) 220-0458 for information or a course catalog or go to www.ilralbertus.org.
Another important reason to partake in lifelong learning is discussed in Part 2 of “Learning Later, Living Greater,” in which Nancy discusses the research which shows that your brain will continue to adapt, grow and even improve with age provided you continue to challenge it.
In part 3, Nancy calls lifelong learning in the classroom, “health clubs for the brain.”
“Up, Up and Away” in Part 4 of the book covers lifelong learning with wings. Nancy relates her own story of her first solo travel and overseas trip with Elderhostel. Pushing herself well beyond her usual comfort zone to make the trip, her almost childlike delight in discovering the historical treasures in Austria and Italy make for especially pleasurable reading.
“Rebels with a Cause” in Part 5 of the book covers how lifelong learning affects and enhances society. The author feels passionately that meaningful volunteer activities by which we give back to our communities, is an essential moral obligation.
The final parts of the book take a look into what the future may have in store and also have a most helpful resource section.
One of the best explanations for the benefits of lifelong learning was written by Betty Bennett, a member of a chapter in Green Bay, Wisc. “To me, lifelong learning is a place for me to be with people of like minds (not in opinion, but in purpose). Together we want to explore, walk roads not yet traveled, examine old facts and find new conclusions. The myth of old age has vanished. It is possible to live longer and dream more.”
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