UW-Green Bay, Rennes Group partnership works to engage 60-plus-year-olds – The Press
GREEN BAY — According to a recent article in Scientific American, there is no longer a question of whether older adults should pursue learning to stay sharp and connected to others.
The question today centers around how society can optimize the environment to maximize opportunities.
A partnership between Rennes Group and UW-Green Bay’s Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) demonstrates how such occasions can be energized by aligned organizations.
LLI and Rennes Group have formed an innovative learning partnership to engage 60-plus-year-olds in Northeast Wisconsin.
“Rennes Group’s guiding promises center upon our residents, employees and the community. Our core resident promise is to promote their dignity and respect, as well as create meaningful experiences,” said Nikki Schingick, president of Rennes Group. “Our partnership with UW-Green Bay further advances our mission of community and resident engagement and provides our residents with more opportunities to learn, explore and engage.”
“The unique partnership between Rennes Group and UW-Green Bay will advance the mental and social health benefits for the region’s population who are 60 years old and older by providing necessary funding that allows the university to continue to offer its popular catalog of courses. At the same time this partnership will pilot new modernizations for accessibility, such as live-streaming and on-site programming for members of LLI and Rennes Group assisted living residents,” a program release stated.
“Our collaboration helps the aging population stay curious and mentally active through all seasons of life. Together, we are creating a vibrant, inclusive community where we are accessible to all who have the desire to learn, no matter their age,” said Jess Lambrecht, executive officer, Division of Continuing Education and Workforce Training at UW-Green Bay. “This is a very exciting and forward-thinking opportunity for older learners.”
“All courses are led by faculty or community experts. The diverse course content reflects each community’s unique attractions and encompasses intellectual, social and cultural enrichment that caters to the varied interests of members. Classes include history, arts, nature, music, cooking, local tours and more. Rennes Group and UW-Green Bay hope to instill and inspire vibrancy at any age, honoring a mutual commitment to healthy aging and personal attention,” the release added.
Twenty-one percent of the population in Northeast Wisconsin is aged 60 and above.
As this population grows, LLI and Rennes Group aim to build membership efforts and accessibility options to enhance the quality of life for seniors while mitigating the negative effects of social isolation.
UW-Green Bay’s Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) has gained momentum in the last year, serving 665 members — a new high since the pandemic — across all four UW-Green Bay campus locations, Green Bay, Manitowoc, Marinette and Sheboygan.
LLI offers approximately 200 courses each spring and fall on a wide variety of topics, in both in-person and virtual formats.
To learn more about Lifelong Learning Institute, visit www.uwgb.edu/lifelong-learning-institute or call Heidi Jahnke, program specialist, at 920-465-2356.
Source: UW-Green Bay, Rennes Group partnership works to engage 60-plus-year-olds – The Press
