by Bonnie Jacobs

All older adults would like to stay active, join in community activities and leave their homes as they please. But for many, these desires are no longer an option. Elders who are isolated from their families and their community by personal loss, economic distress and physical infirmity are often beset by loneliness, boredom and depression. They hunger not only for friendship but to learn, grow, contribute and meet others outside their homes.

University Without Walls (UWW), created by DOROT in 1989, is an innovative conference-call program that offers more than 200 teleconference courses. UWW provides an opportunity for older adults to join with others to help alleviate the social isolation, boredom and fear that those with limited mobility may face. On UWW, they find support, acceptance, and mental and emotional stimulation.

Older people are thrilled to learn that they can still give to others through their compassion, intellect, life experience and sense of humor -- without having to leave their homes. More importantly, research shows that lifelong learning and social activity help to stimulate an older person’s mind, thereby reducing the collateral effects of isolation, such as depression, memory loss and worsening physical health.

Courses such as “Works by T. S. Eliot,” “Global Terrorism and Its Roots,” “An Introduction to Tai Chi” and “Living Well With Parkinson’s Disease” provide our students with nourishment for the mind and body every day. For those seeking lighter fare, University Without Walls offers bingo and other games, humor classes and discussion groups.

Francesca Rosenberg, assistant director of education at the Museum of Modern Art, has been involved with University Without Walls for close to 20 years. She understands how important it is for people who once were avid museum attendees to stay connected to the art world. “Without University Without Walls, we would have no way to reach these isolated seniors,” Rosenberg says. “The enthusiasm and intelligence they bring to the classes is inspiring and fulfilling of those of us who teach.”

Experience Beyond Learning

Kathy Leeds, a UWW participant since 1990, is one of hundreds of elders who have benefited from the teleconference courses. After teaching in New York City schools for 16 years, Leeds found her life dramatically changed when, as a consequence of multiple sclerosis, she became confined to a wheelchair. “University Without Walls is a way of life for me,” Leeds says. “I can see the American Museum of Natural History and Central Park from where I live, but I can’t get to them. Now I can take the Museum and Central Park Conservancy classes on UWW and feel as if I were actually there.”

For Leeds and the many hundreds of UWW students who take part in teleconference courses each day, the experience goes beyond learning, often allowing them to make new friends and discover new passions. “The students and teachers create an active and stimulating atmosphere that engages me and totally enriches my life,” says Leeds. Underlying the many courses she has taken is the biggest UWW lesson of all: “Four walls don’t need to enclose you.”

Bonnie Jacobs is director of educational programs at DOROT, a New York City-based nonprofit that provides a range of services to frail, homebound and mobility-impaired elders and their caregivers. Visit the DOROT website at www.dorotusa.org.

Copyright © 2009 American Society on Aging; all rights reserved. This article may not be duplicated or distributed in any form without written permission from the publisher: American Society on Aging, 71 Stevenson St., Suite 1450, San Francisco, CA 94105-2938; e-mail: permissions@asaging.org.