Wiregrass Wisdom

The increasing numbers and influence of older adults §is causing a re-evaluation of the concept of old §age. Medical advances and personal lifestyles have §resulted in older adults living longer and healthier §lives. As one ages, adjustments in work, family, and §health must be made. Self-directed learning (SDL) is §one way of negotiating these changes. There is a §need for more information about older adults §concerning lifelong learning. I interviewed 10 older §adults from a rural area and a variety of gender, §race, education, and employment. The age of the §participants ranged from 75 to 87. Three conclusions §were drawn from these interviews: older adults §adjust to various late life §adjustments through various means of personal §learning, self-directed learning is an §integral process in the lives of older adults §enabling them to live positive lives, and §the rural environment is a predominantly positive §context for learning. Wiregrass is the term for the §tall grass found growing among the Longleaf Yellow §Pine of south Georgia. This endurable and adaptable §plant fits the description of many of the §participants in this study.