ENHANCING THE LIVES OF THE AGED IN A RETIREMENT CENTER THROUGH A PROGRAM OF READING

Abstract

Readarama was established for a community retirement center in Athens, Georgia. The sessions, held 1 hour weekly for 12 weeks, were attended by healthy and active elderly women whose ages ranged from 59 to 75. The participants were lifelong readers who enjoyed reading as a hobby and Readarama as a social outlet. The participants were representative of the entire adult population, not a subgroup to be labeled the elderly. Readarama points out the value of the reading group as an outlet for an already‐established hobby and as a means of forming social contacts for the retiree.