Because Rhode Island ranks among the states with the highest percentage of elderly persons in the U.S., URI’s gerontology program has a unique responsibility and opportunity for education, research, and outreach in the field of aging.
URI is also committed to collaborative research, scholarship and service related to aging, as demonstrated by the University’s recent faculty cluster hire, Aging of Society: Lifespan Health Focus.
Rhode Island Geriatric Education Center (RIGEC)
RIGEC’s interprofessional programs are offered to clinicians, professionals and trainees within the health care fields. A majority of our attendees stem from nursing, social work, medicine, pharmacy, and allied health; however, a variety of other professionals and direct service workers will attend programs including individuals from nutrition, dentistry, optometry, theology, recreation, public safety, and senior living/residential care.
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI)
OLLI at URI has grown to over 1,000 members since its beginning in 2009, and provides a wide range of courses in history, current affairs, expressive arts, film, health and wellness, language arts, literature, music, religion and science and other subjects of interest. The OLLI faculty, which includes retired high school teachers and college faculty, come with expertise and passion, to offer novel and exciting lectures and courses of 3, 6 or 8 weeks throughout the year.