Age-Friendly Goals

The current focus of developing an AFU at URI centered on the following four goals:

1. Establish URI as a Leader Age-Friendly Institution

URI faculty have participated in a number of academic programs and conferences, including publishing a paper describing the development of URI as an AFU and joining special interest groups on AFU and intergenerational programs sponsored by the Gerontological Society of America.

2. Increase Awareness Across Campus of Age-Friendly University Initiative

URI faculty have participated in statewide activities sponsored by Age Friendly Rhode Island and on campus at special academic summits to promote age inclusivity and intergenerational programs on campus. We are also engaged in a campus-wide survey to gather information on indicators of age friendliness as part of a national effort to establish benchmarks that can be used in identifying and promoting the age-friendly principles.

3. Find Ways to Engage More Older Learners in URI Classes

We have worked to involve Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) members in a number of courses across the campus to integrate the perspectives of older adults into a wide range of subjects, including courses taught in Sociology, Human Development and Family Science, and the Honors Program. Members of the AFU workgroup have met with the URI administration to promote programs that would make it easier for older adults to register for URI courses.

4. Address Ageism and Increase Student Interest in Working with Older Adults

URI faculty have expanded the Engaging Generations Cyber-Seniors Program as a service-learning model to involve more students working with older adults around using technology, such as smartphones and tablets. In addition, students, faculty, and OLLI members have been trained in implementing a “Disrupt Aging” program developed in coordination with AARP.