The university for the third age (U3A) began in 1973 when a professor organized a summer program for retired persons at the Universite des Sciences Socialies, Toulouse, France. The Toulouse model included a weekly public lecture on a major topic of concern for older persons, discussion groups, seminars, and recreational facilities, taking…

In industrialized societies, life expectancy is increasing while the elderly are increasingly marginalized. Aging, especially with respect to social demography, should be an essential educational topic for teachers and those who care for the elderly. Education for the elderly should help them assume the role of transmitting their knowledge and…