Educating the isolated ageing: Improving the quality of life of the housebound elderly ...

Swindell, R., and Mayhew, C. (1996). International Journal of Lifelong Education, 15(2), 85-93.

This study describes the first investigation of a virtual U3A for older people with sound minds who cannot easily leave their place of residence. Volunteer tutors from an Australian U3A were trained in teleconferencing techniques to teach a variety of courses to 18 ill and disabled people who were isolated and confined to their homes. Participants were randomly chosen from a list of 42 names provided by a caring agency and they ranged in age from 58-92 years old. A trained nurse visited participants before, during and after the 8-week course program to monitor health and well-being changes. Positive outcomes were recorded indicating that some older people with sound minds who cannot leave their homes are prepared to learn to use new technologies in order to engage in meaningful social and cognitively stimulating activities.