Abstract

As Canada’s population is aging, it is more important than ever to focus on services needed to promote healthy aging. Key parts of healthy aging include social participation and the opportunity to acquire new knowledge. With the massive arrival of Baby-boomers among the older population, an increase in demand for opportunities to continue to learn, thrive, and share knowledge is anticipated. In this article we describe the results of an environmental scan, which provided a portrait of opportunities for older adults to learn and share knowledge in two Canadian cities. We further explore alignment of identified initiatives with key factors related to good practice in teaching older people. Our analysis revealed that while several programs provide older adults with opportunities to learn, most programs position older adults as passive learners with limited opportunity to share their knowledge. These findings suggest a need to develop active learning opportunities for older people to promote their well-being and quality of life.