The document discusses the future of community-based services and education for seniors over the next 15 years. It predicts that the senior population will be the largest and most diverse in history. This cohort will be more active, educated, and digitally savvy than previous generations. Both public and private sectors will need to adapt to serve this population better. Congress may update legislation and community organizations should attract senior talent. Education programs must meet the needs of this demographic. Diversity in education promotes inclusion and benefits communities. Maintaining quality standards, especially for online learning, is important for the future.

1. F L O R E N T I N A P E T I L L O
A E T 5 0 8
D R . L I N D A J U S T U S
O C T O B E R 2 6 , 2 0 0 8
The Future of
Community-
Based Services
and Education

2. Where will we be 15 years from now?
 US senior population will be the largest
in history
 It will be one of the most diverse in the
world
 The members of this senior cohort:
 Will have a longer lifer expectancy than past
senior populations
 Will stay active longer and more engaged in
the community
 Will have one of the highest literacy level in
history
 Will be the first senior population in history
savvy in digital media
 Will continue to work and learn well
into retirement

3. Response of the Public and Private Sector
 Congress will have to amend, adapt, add or
change the legislation of the Older
American Act of 1965 to keep up with the
change of times.
 Community-based businesses, who want to
remain competitive on the market, will
have to take advantage of the professional
and life experience of the seniors. They will
have to be flexible and recruitment savvy if
they want to attract senior talent.
 Education institutions will have to offer
programs based on: the demographic make
up of the elderly cohort; the economic
reality of these seniors; employment
opportunities for the low-income ones;
other needs and desires of the still active or
retired seniors.

4. Funds Resources
Federal funding is guaranteed by
the OAA:
 Supportive Services and Senior Centers (Title III-B)
 Nutrition Services (Title III-C)
 National Family Caregiver Support Program (Title
III-E)
 Senior Community Service Employment Program
(Title V, SCSEP)
Examples of Federal Grants:
 The Foster Grandparent Program
 Retired and Senior Volunteer Program
 Capital Assistance Program for Elderly Persons and
Persons with Disabilities
 Mortgage Insurance-Rental Housing for the Elderly

5. Funds Resources (continuation)
Private funding is done
through foundations,
grants, fund raising
events.
Examples of private
grants:
 The AARP Foundation
 The Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation
 The MetLife Foundation
 The Henry and Jeannette
Weinberg Foundation, Inc.

6. Promoting and Valuing Diversity
1. Distance learning is
ideally suited to include all
segments of population:
“Distance learning not only
has the potential to promote
community building and cooperation
among students, it also allows for
considerable diversity. Disabilities or
family commitments, for example, that
might prohibit campus attendance can
be overcome in the online
environment.” (Schneider et all, 1997).

7. Promoting and Valuing Diversity
2. All inclusive policy
should be the norm for
adult education
institutions:
“The recommendation for
curriculum developers is to
incorporate the cultural
knowledge of adult learners so as
not to marginalize them from the
subject matter and thus to foster a
more inclusive,
democratic learning environment.
” (Kubow, 2009)

8. Promoting and Valuing Diversity
3. Diversity - promotes
community well being,
community economic
growth and financial
growth of learning
institutions, by an
increase in student
enrollment.

9. The quality of future education and the law
1. Community Higher
Education institutions
have to keep on
maintaining high
standards for the future
in order to maintain
their validity. This is
true especially for
distance education.

10. The quality of future education and the law
2. President Obama’s
FY2013 budget proposes
a new $1 billion
competitive fund to
increase the number of
high-quality career
academies across the
country (Federal Adult
Education, 2013)

11. The quality of future education and the law
3.“Online education
provides the best
prospect for the
future of HE as long
as the following
barriers are conceded
and addressed:
methods of faculty
assessment and
course design” (Nash,
2015)

12. References
 Schneider, E. L., Glass, S., Henke, M., & Overton, J. (1997). Distance learning in
gerontology: The future is here. Generations,21(3), 46-49. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/212215125?accountid=35812
 Kubow, P. K. (2009). GLOBALIZATION, DIVERSITY, AND THE SEARCH FOR
CULTURALLY RELEVANT MODELS FOR ADULT EDUCATION. International
Education, 39(1), 79-86. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/198674508?accountid=35812
 US Department of Education, (2013). Federal Adult Education. A legislative History
1964-2013. Retrieved from
https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/Adult_Ed_History_Report.pdf
 Nash, J. A. (2015). Future of Online Education in Crisis: A Call to Action. Turkish Online
Journal Of Educational Technology - TOJET, 14(2), 80-88. Retrieved from
http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1057370.pdf