Issue 34
October 2009
HERIOT-
3RD-
GROWING OLD BUT STAYING ACTIVE
Professor Alan Miller Deputy Principal opened the conference and welcomed the delegates.
The Learning revolution and the results of the recent membership survey were discussed in the plenary session.
A range of seminars and discussion groups was on offer including online learning courses with U3A,question and answer sessions for chairmen and secretaries and brain training.
Professor Tom Kirkwood (Director of the Institute of Ageing and Health at the University of Newcastle) looked at the changing expectations of life. The Institute has been spearheading attempts to ensure that as people live ever longer and longer these extra years of life are as high quality as possible. He discussed and refuted some traditional views of ageing and among other things told us that the biological body clock can be boosted by a good diet and exercise!
Positive ageing and the role of the individual and society was the subject of Professor
Felicia Huppert’s lecture which covered well-
How intelligence affects life and vice versa was the theme of the lecture by professor
Ian Deary. He is well known for his study of the Lothian Birth Cohort 1921.He re-
The final lecture by Professor John Field spoke on generations, the life course and lifelong learning. As part of the Learning Lives project he examines the meaning and significance of formal and informal learning in the lives of adults and aims to identify ways in which the learning of adults can be supported and enhanced.
All four presentations were delivered with humour and gave much food for thought.
The AGM followed the usual format of reports and elections. Ian Searle was elected as Chairman and Terry Hardy was returned unopposed as treasurer. Jean Goodeve the retiring chairman was thanked for all her hard work.
There were two resolutions. The first on whether the NEC should re-
The second resolution that the timing of the AGM, whether it be part of a combined
Conference/AGM programme or a stand-
Ruth Townrow