Second Chance for Seniors is a program designed to address the literacy learning needs of older adults. Since May 1997, the Seniors’ Education Centre at University of Regina Extension has housed this unique project. It is funded by a special endowment made possible through a generous bequest of the late Eva Bassett (Pook) of Toronto matched by the National Literacy Secretariat.

Older adults ranging in age from 50 to 85 years participate as learners and as peer tutors. The tutor training provides information about special accommodations for older adult learners who may have sight, hearing or memory loss, as well as mobility challenges. Peer tutoring is just one component of the Second Chance for Seniors program. The program staff are exploring ways to address the gap between the large numbers of potential learners in this age group and the low participation rate of older adults in literacy programs.

In Canada more than 1.6 million people over the age of 65 perform at Literacy Levels 1 and 2 (low and very low literacy skills) according to the International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS), 1996. Many older adults do not identify literacy skill development as a high priority. This may appear to be resistance to learning or fear that they are too old. However, they may not realize that they are not functioning at a level needed for them to cope with everyday reading, writing and comprehension. Data from IALS indicates that older Canadians overestimate their literacy skills. In fact, 67% of seniors aged 65 and over who scored at Level 1 and 90.3 % who scored at Level 2, believe that they possess good to excellent reading skills. As a result, they may make serious mistakes by misunderstanding important health or financial information.

Through Second Chance for Seniors, community learning groups have been developed to reach older adults who are not accessing current peer tutoring or other literacy programs, or who shy away from the term “literacy”. The community learning groups focus on “keeping the mind active” and creating a friendly relaxed approach to learning. In one neighbourhood, at Al Ritchie Health Action Centre in the Regina Health District, seniors gather for monthly potlucks. Their focus, besides sharing good food and friendship, is the production and distribution of their community cookbook entitled Tried and True Recipes from Al Ritchie Seniors.

In cooperation with Regina Housing Authority, monthly community learning programs are offered at two seniors income-subsidized high-rises. These programs, called Something Old, Something New, involve reading together, discussing the content, and checking for comprehension on a variety of topics of interests. The “Something Old” portion involves the use of old objects and stories about the past to stimulate reminiscing. “Something New” looks at various aspects of the world today, through current events, learning about the new technologies, etc. The older adults are wonderful storytellers who often have a rich past of experience to draw upon. They are being encouraged to record their memoirs, independently or with assistance. Older adults are learning and keeping their minds active by practicing the basic skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking.

The motivation of older adults to improve literacy skills is different from young single mothers or unemployed workers who have many years of possibilities and challenges ahead of them. Older adults may feel that it is really too late for them to take on a rigorous schedule of training. Second Chance for Seniors supports older adults in the belief that they are never too old to learn. Their needs, interests, learning preferences and pace of learning are at the heart of the program.

* Diane Mullan is the literacy program coordinator for Second Chance for Seniors, Seniors’ Education Centre, University of Regina. She has worked in older adult education since 1991. Diane is the producer of several documentaries about the lives of older people, including “Never Too Old to Learn”, a video about older adults and literacy. For more information about the literacy program or the video please contact Diane Mullan at (306) 585-5847 or E-mail diane.mullan@uregina.ca Diane would especially like to share ideas and resources with others who are working in older adult literacy.

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