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A new initiative is underway in the valley and across the country, and the Maricopa Community Colleges are very much a part of it. The Life Options Initiative encourages us all to think about aging in new ways, creating places and programs that join productivity and public engagement. The Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust has funded seven planning grants in Maricopa County that partner libraries, local agencies, and our community colleges in collaborative efforts to serve the needs and interests of baby boomers and other mature adults as they move through the life span.
Those of us who have worked closely with lifelong learning programs over the years recognize most, if not all, aspects of Life Options: a holistic approach that couples lifelong learning with life planning, civic responsibility, spaces and programs that promote social connections and foster community involvement, and information and assistance with resource navigation. While our colleges typically address these various elements, the Life Options approach is more focused and more comprehensive than we have ever afforded.
The Senior Adult Network is pleased to welcome Glendale Community College to active participation in programming for mature adults. Their new Academy for Lifelong Learning is off to a great start following a recruitment reception earlier in the semester at which they filled most of their new courses and established waiting lists for some. The new program is the result of interdepartmental collaboration and great enthusiasm for lifelong learning.
Glendale Community College
Academy for Lifelong Learning
Sheryl Benavides
(623) 845-3229
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Life Options challenges us to augment, concentrate, package, and promote our programs to attract potential new and returning students. It challenges us to capture the attention of and serve our aging population. In many ways, the challenge is in the numbers. One in four Arizonans is a baby boomer; nationwide there are 77 million. Someone turns 50 every 7.5 minutes. By 2030, every boomer will be 65 or older. By 2025, 43% of Americans will be 45 years or older and the number of Americans age 65 and older will have doubled.
More compelling perhaps than the numbers is the increased diversity promised by our changing demographics. By 2030, for example, the number of minority elders will have increased by 200%. The older population is a varied mix comprised of the retired, the employed, and those looking for work. Elders are young and old, healthy and frail, rich and poor. Many are active while others are isolated and alone, some educated and some not. Whether living independently or in institutions, all stand to benefit from opportunities for lifelong learning.
As community colleges, we have a duty to this demographic that will require all of the creativity and expertise we can summon. Life Options offers much if it expands our life options, enabling us to serve better our assorted selves. Like our colleges, Life Options values the heterogeneity of our communities. It reaches into neighborhoods and links organizations to benefit individuals as well as the greater good. Like our colleges, Life Options embraces and engages and is very much alive.
To learn more about Life Options in your community, visit the Virginia G. Piper Trust website (search for grants, keyword: Life Options), CivicVentures Arizona Life Option Initiatives, or contact Maricopa CARES at (602) 285-7587. For information about lifelong learning programs at your local college or in your community, contact:
Chandler-Gilbert Community College
Sun Lakes Education Center
Mary Kaye Allen
(480) 857-5505
Estrella Mountain Community College
Community Education Program
Gina Sandoval
(623) 935-8499
Glendale Community College
Community Education
Suzanne Higgins
(623) 845-3808
Mesa Community College
Senior Programs
Marie Allen
(480) 461-6251
Paradise Valley Community College
Senior College
Judi Anderson
(602) 787-6802
Phoenix College
Adult Education Program
Colleen Massey
(602) 285-7192
Rio Salado College
Sun Cities Lifelong Learning Center
Charlcey Brabec
(480) 517-8776
Scottsdale Community College
Senior Adult Educational Program
Vincent Huffman
(480) 423-6535
South Mountain Community College
Guadalupe Center
Raul Monreal
(602) 243-8040
 Rose Pfefferbaum, Ph.D., mcli
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