UW-Green Bay’s Lifelong Learning Institute Partners with Senior Living Provider Rennes Group to Encourage Community to Never Stop Learning
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 6, 2024
Green Bay, Wis. — 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. The partnership between Rennes Group and UW-Green Bay’s Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) exemplifies how such occasions can be energized by aligned organizations.
LLI and Rennes Group have formed an innovative learning partnership to engage 60+ year-olds in Northeast Wisconsin. Together, they will serve this growing demographic with opportunities to be curious about new ideas and learning, creating friendships and unique experiences, while improving mental health and overall well-being.
“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, 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.
“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.
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, please visit their web site or call Heidi Jahnke, Program Specialist, at 920-465-2356.
About Rennes Group
In 1973, the Rennes’ began a family-owned company that shifted how seniors were cared for as their needs changed. Rennes Group believes we all have the desire to feel respected. We are your trusted partners in senior living with sincere commitment to the Rennes difference.
The Rennes Group family of companies – including Rennes Health & Rehab Center, Renaissance by Rennes Assisted Living and Residence by Rennes Assisted Living & Memory Care, is focused upon delivering highly-qualified compassionate care in all of its 13 Northeast and North Central Wisconsin locations.
From skilled nursing services to rehabilitative therapies, assisted living and memory care, Rennes Group is dedicated to serving the needs of the senior population with the utmost respect for their extraordinary lives. For more information, please visit www.rennesgroup.com.
About Lifelong Learning Institute
Lifelong Learning Institute (LLI) is a volunteer-led program sponsored by UW-Green Bay’s Division of Continuing Education and Workforce Training for adults who are interested in learning. LLI offers courses of various lengths on a wide variety of topics each semester. There are no tests, papers or credits, but there are classrooms and instructors, with lots of opportunities for questions, comments and discussion.
About UW-Green Bay
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is a school of resilient problem solvers who dare to reach higher with the power of education that ignites growth and answers the biggest challenges. Serving 10,300 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students as well as 67,500 continuing education learners annually, UW-Green Bay offers 200 academic degrees, programs, and certificates. With four campus locations in Northeast Wisconsin, the University’s access mission welcomes all students who want to learn, from every corner of the world. Championing bold thinking since opening its doors in 1965, it is a university on the rise – Wisconsin’s fastest-growing UW. For more information, visit www.uwgb.edu.
