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New Models for Future Retirement: A Study of College/University Linked Retirement Communities Author: Tien-Chien Tsao Dissertation School: University of Michigan Pages: 217 Publication Date: January 2003 Availability: Access Number: 10836 Abstract: There is a significant movement across the country for the development of retirement communities linked to colleges and universities - college/university linked retirement communities (Pastalan and Schwarz, 1994; Pastalan and Tsao, 2001). The motivation of seniors returning to campus is qualitatively different from those who choose traditional retirement communities. It is obvious that there is a hunger for something more than warm weather, comfortable surroundings, excellent food, and good healthcare (Pastalan, 1999). It is fundamentally about personal growth, the development of more meaningful roles, and an enabling culture that fosters the creation of new models for retirement. Several underlying factors have enormous import toward this emerging phenomenon. First of all, from the social context, retirement today has low societal value, a life stage without roles and expectations for older adults. This suffering of a roleless, purposeless, and devalued later life by older adults is manifested by an unsatisfied hunger for new purposes and more balanced learning, work, and leisure roles. Second, older adults themselves today are qualitatively different from previous generations. In their "third age" of life, defined by Laslett (1996) as the age of self-actualization, challenge, and fulfillment, this growing group of healthy, active, and increasingly better-educated older adults with a diversity of experiences and life skills possessing great potential for social contributions, is still in search of more meaning and value (Cole, 1995). We cannot afford to ignore these enormous national resources and energies (Pastalan, 1999). It is clear that how we turn these challenges posed by the "mass longevity" into new opportunities is of great importance. Third, colleges and universities, having traditionally been agents of social change, have recently become interested in developing retirement communities on their campuses. Finding ways that they can serve in a leadership role by laying a foundation for attitudinal changes and the creation of new models for retirement become great challenges and responsibilities to institutions of higher learning. Finally, college/university linked retirement communities can provide an opportunity to develop new models of retirement. The environment that they create is distinguished from other traditional retirement communities not only by motivations of older adults returning to campuses but by great potential for providing an enabling culture wherein personal growth and self-actualization are enhanced, opportunities for the development of new and more valued roles in retirement are provided, and intergenerational interactions are encouraged. |
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