May 29, 1998

Older bones don't mean older brains

Participants in the Program for Older Adults check out the costume department at the Timms Centre as part of their drama class.

Some young students might consider summer school a form of cruel punishment. But to the 270 people enrolled in the university's Program for Older Adults, several hours a day in the classroom is not enough.

"I wish it went on for three months rather than three weeks," Val Cload said about the spring session that started earlier this month. "As soon as the calendar comes I look through it, pick my classes and rush over with my money so I can get a spot." Cload, a retired real estate agent, is enrolled in such classes as classical literature, entomology, and magic and science. She first became interested when her husband was sick.

"It was an outlet," said Cload. "I had heard from friends how wonderful it was. It was so very tantalizing." This spring marks her fourth time in the program for the senior. "I'm 63, but 36 in the mind," she said. "The fact that the bones get a little older doesn't mean the brain gets older."

The Program for Older Adults was started in 1975 when the Faculty of Extension received a government grant to encourage older students to participate in the university environment. In 1990, the grant was pulled, but the faculty continued to fund the program, said Margaret Ozarko, program manager at the Faculty of Extension.

Many of the courses are traditional but some such as What's Happening to my Memory and Healing Sounds of Music cater to the older audience. For a comparatively low fee of $135.00, students can take as many courses as they can fit into their timetable. "Those who enroll are people who are very much alive and active in things," said Ozarko. "They lead a very active life and coming to the University of Alberta is just another facet for active living."

"When most people retire, they start to want to take courses they never had a chance to pursue before," said Ozarko. "Their goal was usually work."

Working took up a major part of David Chinnery's life before he retired from his job as an accountant. He and his wife, Marilyn have been in the program for several years.

"I like to learn new stuff," said Chinnery, 63. "This give me an opportunity to do that. I don't go to the program with any particular goal in mind, just a general interest."

Chinnery, who in his spare time reads, builds model ships and attends concerts, is studying entomology, From Magic to Science, History of Manners and a linguistics course called Alcohol, Barbarians and Catapults. He and Marilyn never seem to take the same courses. "It's not deliberate, it just happens that way," he laughed.

The program is not only a great outlet for the students but it is a good opportunity for the many graduate students, sessional instructors and professors who teach the courses, said Ozarko. "It gives a lot of the grad students a great opportunity, not only to give information but to get feedback. These students are very responsive," she said.

Some of the 22 courses offered in the fall program are Journal Writing, Opera in Appreciation, Writing our Lives and British Detective Fiction. Anyone interested in signing up can contact Margaret Ozarko at 492-5055.

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