When Scott Maclagan began his consulting career in the 1960s, he was given a serious task by one of his first clients.
The major employer wanted to know why many of its recent retirees were dying so soon after calling it a day at the plant.
“Work was their life,” said Maclagan.
When their work was done, they became less active, less social.
“Obviously, they needed something to keep them involved moving forward,” he said.
It was about more than physical activity.
“You’ve got to keep doing something to stimulate the brain and keep it functioning,” Maclagan said.
He feels Third Age Learning is one way to do that.
The Third Age Network calls itself “an association of lifelong learning groups in Ontario.” It has chapters in about 20 communities, and Orillia is the latest to be added to the list.
The local effort was initiated by Anne Hilliard, a retired elementary school principal, in partnership with Linda Rodenburg, co-ordinator of community engagement and lifelong learning at Lakehead University’s Orillia campus, where the events will take place.
“Our objective is to provide a series of interesting and thought-provoking lectures to residents of Orillia and surrounding area to stimulate our minds and discussion,” Maclagan explained. “Keeping active and learning is essential to our collective well-being.”
Each session, aimed at those 50 and older, will include a lecture from a guest speaker, followed by an audience discussion. A fundraiser in support of the series will take place Aug. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the university’s main lecture hall. Cost to attend is $20. All are welcome. Beth Visser, assistant professor of interdisciplinary studies and psychology, will present a one-hour lecture titled “Is Trump a Narcissistic Psychopath?"
The lecture will be followed by a “w(h)ine and jeez” reception to allow attendees to learn more about Third Age Learning and the series of lectures that will happen in the fall.
The title of the Aug. 28 lecture shouldn’t lead people to believe it’s a political discussion, Rodenburg noted.
“It’s not just being dismissive or angry,” she said, but rather an analytical look at the U.S. president.
“It’s educated and nuanced. A lot of the things we hear about Trump are steeped in political diatribes and ideology, when we should be having a more educated opinion about what’s going on.”
When the series begins in the fall, the theme will be “The 1960s: The Decade that Changed the World?”
“It will be a really interesting series that’s going to discuss how the issues of the ’60s relate to today,” Rodenburg explained.
She said the series is a “natural fit” for Lakehead.
“Our philosophy is inquiry-based learning — the ability to ask questions,” she said. “Increasingly, we’re all recognizing that learning throughout our lives is important.”
For more information about the series, or about the Aug. 28 event, contact Rodenburg at 705-330-4008, ext. 2632, or [email protected].
