Little is known about the motivational forces leading retired individuals to engage in post-retirement activities and how they could be related to satisfaction with retirement. Using the self-determination framework, the purpose of the present exploratory study was to examine the nature of active retirees' motivation and its impact on satisfaction…

Discusses the economic crisis and subsequent employment problems that have had substantial consequences for older workers in France. Offers alternatives including a flexible career cycle in which working periods would alternate with long periods of training and leisure time throughout a career. (JOW)

Reports on an international program involving a bilingual summer school program for the elderly. Curriculum topics included aspects of British and French cultural and social life, the role of grandparents, self-help, and health maintenance. Topics were taught via lecture/discussion, tourist visits, and physical/recreative activities. (CT)

In his assessment of the growth of universities of the third age, the author examines the movement's underlying challenge to the inequalities of traditional education. He discusses the idea and movement in France, the worldwide movement, and the different forms the movement has taken in different countries. (CT)

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…

Discusses measures that have been adopted by France, Great Britain, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United States, and Japan to prolong the work life of older workers. Measures include job transfer and exemption, dismissal protection, retirement policies, and reintegration of unemployed older workers. (JOW)

This brief suggests that Universities of the Third Age (U3As) provide learning opportunities for older adults. Worldwide, they typically take one of two forms. Based on the first U3A founded in 1973, the French model is university based and offers mostly formal courses. Arising in Cambridge in 1981, the British model emphasizes informal,…

Old-age policy in France has evolved historically in three critical dimensions that also correspond generally to post-World War II developments in France: the right to retirement (pensions); improved living conditions (e.g., autonomy, housing); and continued participation in the labor force. The last focus is currently a controversial one, given…