Retirement Classes
The fees are absolutely ridiculous, but I love this idea of building retirement communities on university campuses. You get access to highly walkable spaces, classes, activities, performances, and medical facilities (if the place has a medical school). It’s kind of the most perfect idea ever, and it’s what Josh and I have planned to do with our retirement, albeit in a much more informal way.
[Our plan is to either stay here and audit at the enormous university nearby, or move to a place that has numerous small liberal arts schools and audit classes there. In the summer, we wanted to do Oxford’s older student extension program each year.]
She also volunteers twice a month with the school’s friendship bench program, in which older adults offer a listening ear to anyone who approaches. Those days have been especially rewarding.
I wish the twins had access to older people at their schools like this. Pairing the wisdom of each generation into something that benefits both groups. I would have loved this when I was in college. And I really hope we can do something like this in the future.
4 comments
Hmm – maybe I should do that volunteering bench thing. Set up a table in a dining hall, call it Hot Goss, and the youngsters can come and tell me all the things they want to tell their friends but can’t. No advice really, but commiseration?
Maybe next year when I might be willing to commit to leaving the house more regularly.
I love this idea!!!! Would benefit both college kids and retirees.
When in grad school, my husband and I were befriended by a couple in their 80’s. They used to invite us over to their place: we would bring cakes and treats and then would all have tea and long conversations.
Absolutely amazing ideas! The world will need ideas like this as birth rates decline and we have an aging population who need community and care. I was thinking of a program in retirement communities where college students or immigrants have low income housing for doing check-ins, cooking and/or chores for older folks
It’s a great idea. I know the Dutch have programmes that give free accommodation to students in retirement homes and villages, so that the elderly have contact with young people. I love that too.