The Benefits of Lifelong Learning & Higher Ed Programs for Older Oregonians

During the first part of this webinar, Bobby Heagerty - Board Member of the American Brain Coalition and former Community Affairs and Education Director at OHSU's Brain Institute - will talk about the importance of meaningful activity for brain health and healthy aging. Her presentation will explore the benefits of lifelong learning in a socially and cognitively stimulating context and include Bobby's reflections on her personal experience with continuing education in a university setting. 

Bobby Heagerty grew up as a "college brat" and has been hooked on education ever since. After teaching 7th grade for 5 years, she moved into neuroscience education and program development, immersing herself in brain-related research, medicine, outreach, advocacy, and policy. As a converging result of nature and nurture, she finds the access to great professors, minds, colleagues, and discussions that college-based senior auditing programs provide to be a real joy, a way to meet new friends, and a great cognitive exercise.

The second part of the event will be devoted to outlining Oregon's higher education law for older adults (House Bill 2011) and introducing the Senior Adult Learning Center (SALC) at Portland State University (PSU) as an example for a program assisting older adults to register as auditors for college-level courses across various disciplines. As a second example, participants will learn about auditing opportunities for older adults at Western Oregon University (WOU). Both PSU and WOU are members or the Age-Friendly Universities Global Network. The session will conclude with reflections and experiences shared by current Senior Auditors.

Intended audience: This webinar is appropriate for a general audience including professionals and students in the field of aging and older community members interested in lifelong learning.

This event is co-hosted by OGA and PSU's Institute on Aging where the SALC program is housed.

Registration Fee

• OGA members, older adults (65+), and students: Free!
• Non-members: $10
• Registrants with limited financial means: $5

Why do we ask for a fee?

OGA is a non-profit organization run by volunteers. Events and donations are our main sources of income to fund our educational and networking programs.

Reduced or complementary event registration is one of the great benefits for OGA members! If you like our educational program - we strive to offer at least one event per month - becoming a member will pay off quickly! To learn more about OGA membership, please visit our Membership page.

However, we understand that many of us are struggling to make ends meet these days. No one will be turned away! If you cannot afford $5 at this moment, please contact us at [email protected] - thanks to the generous donations of OGA members and friends throughout the year, we can cover a small number of registrations for each event.

Please note that we offer CEUs only for our annual conference in October, not for our regular events. However, we are happy to issue a Certificate of Attendance upon request for those who attend this webinar for its entire length. To request one, please send us an email after the event.

PLEASE REGISTER HERE to receive the Zoom link. Should you encounter any difficulties registering online, please don't hesitate to reach out! Please note that payment via check is currently not possible through the online form! If you cannot or do not wish to pay electronically, please do not complete the form. Instead, contact us at [email protected], and we will guide you through the offline payment process.