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from the issue of May 4, 2006
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Elderquest program examines reality of aging
BY SARA PIPHER, FOR THE SCARLET
The concepts and reality of aging are daunting and complex for people of all ages. An Osher Lifelong Learning series this semester, Elderquest, has not demystified the process, but it let participants dialogue about the frustrations, joys, agonies and surprises of the elder experience.
The Elderquest, and all OLLI programs, are a chance to study and see what the mind can do when it stays active, learning, processing, and thinking, said OLLI director Deanna Eversoll. Just as people exercise to keep their bodies in shape, we must do the same to keep our minds sharp.
And it appears some Elderquest participants have picked up a few epiphanies along the way.
"Overall, the series has made me question, is there an elderquest for me? Is there one that will take place," said Weston Crawford, a recently retired university employee. "It makes you look at your own life. What issues if any still need to be resolved in your life, finding a personal meaning in life... And also one valuable thing I learned is that, whatever that elderquest may be, whether it's intentional or unintentional, I now know there are guides for that journey."
UNL's OLLI was selected to be one of 19 sites for the national Elderquest project, made possible by a National Endowment for the Humanities grant through the University of Massachusetts, and with local support from the Nebraska Humanities Council.
Faculty at UMass selected films - among them "The Straight Story," "Wild Strawberries" and "The Trip to Bountiful" - and novels "Praisesong for the Widow" by Paule Marshall and "Carry Me Across the Water" by Ethan Canin. They devised a curriculum of readings and discussion questions, used in Elderquests around the country.
"My colleagues and I have been delighted by these materials we've been given to play with," said Stephen Buhler, coordinator of the series at UNL.
Participants gathered at NET Friday afternoons for a brief introduction to the day's film/novel and theme by a guest lecturer. The lecturers included Robert Knoll, James McShane and Kwakiutl Dreher. After watching the film, participants formed small groups and tackled the supplemental materials and discussion questions. Attendance hovered around 70-80 for the duration of the series.
The characters in the films and books studied by Elderquest participants are all on journeys. In "The Straight Story," a man travels from Iowa to Wisconsin on a tractor to visit his estranged brother and right old wrongs. A woman searches for her idyllic childhood home in "The Trip to Bountiful." And on an afternoon in late March, all eyes were on Warren Schmidt, the crotchety and occasionally sympathetic protagonist in Nebraska native Alexander Payne's "About Schmidt."
After the film, group members considered the quest that Schmidt had unintentionally embarked upon, and how that review had succeeded and failed.
For many in attendance, watching films in the context of the course led to new insights. Jean Krejci, who attended the series with her husband, had already seen "About Schmidt."
"This time, though, I watched his trip as an elderquest, and saw that he did a lot of movement, psychically," she said. "As much as this is a movie about an elderquest, it's also about grief."
Jim Cole, guest presenter for the film "The Straight Story," learned right along with participants.
"I've never been a person who wanted to see movies twice," he said. "I've changed as a result of this project. I've found that re-seeing movies is really valuable, and I have learned how to look for different things in a film...like, how sound is used, or lack of sound. Or how scenery tells a story. The changing seasons and backgrounds in 'The Straight Story' were perfectly matched to the developing plot."
Cole also brought his expertise as a behavioral scientist to his discussion. He believes that "The Straight Story" offers a window into our culture.
"This is a story of moral clarity during a time of such political murkiness," Cole noted. "To see a film set in the Midwest about a person who sees basic human values in very simple terms - in this case brotherly love ... - is really refreshing."
In addition to the occasional Jack-Nicholson-nudity debates, the post-film small group discussions often yielded rich analysis.
"Best of all have been the lively discussions, and the eagerness of our participants to see how the films and novels portray these elderquests, and also how these characters resonate with their own experiences," Buhler said.
Depending on the feedback of the National Endowment for the Humanities and UMass, Elderquest may be back for a second season at UNL. The NEH will take all notes and feedback gathered from the initial 19 sites, and assuming favorable review of the initiative, UMass may apply for funding for a sequel series.
Eversoll is also considering the idea of a new series on writing "life reviews" this fall, which would be led by one of the university's nationally known gerontologists.
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute is a program of the College of Education and Human Sciences and presents special educational events and study sessions throughout the year. It is one of a national network of institutes creating programs for lifelong learners at 73 universities and colleges across the country.
GO TO: ISSUE OF MAY 4
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