Instructional Techniques and Environmental Considerations in Family Life Education Programming for Midlife and Older Adults^*

Abstract

We review the theory and practice of education with midlife and older adult populations and empirically address two theoretically guided research questions: (a) What are older adults' preferences for instructional strategies and techniques in programs? (b) What environmental considerations (e.g., lighting) do older adults perceive as important in influencing their attendance, participation, and satisfaction with programs? Data were collected from and compared among 264 adults representing four age groups: 50–64 (midlife), 65–74 (young old), 75–84 (old old), and 85 and over (oldest old). Recommendations for family life education practices with older adults are addressed.