Foster Engagement Among Mature Audience: Strategies for Interacting with Patrons Age 55 and Up
Libraries can enhance their role as central community hubs by catering to an often-overlooked demographic: older adults. With the U.S. Census Bureau predicting that by 2030, all Baby Boomers will be at least 65 years old, libraries are presented with an opportunity to evolve and meet the needs of this growing group.
Older adults encompass a diverse range of interests, experiences, and ambitions, making them an essential part of any community. Libraries that engage older adults can strengthen their connections, enrich their programming, and maintain their status as vital spaces for lifelong learning.
The increasing elderly population in the U.S. is not merely a passive audience. older adults are active participants in society, serving as lifelong learners, voters, volunteers, caregivers, and mentors. They seek ways to stay socially connected, intellectually stimulated, and involved in their communities.
Libraries that cater to the interests of older adults can broaden their reach, deepening community ties and growing their patron base. This may involve focusing on hobbies, history, health, technology, and personal finance, among other topics. One platform, GetSetUp, offers online classes specifically designed for older adults by older adults. Their library of resources requires minimal staff training, making it an accessible solution for libraries seeking to offer modern, engaging learning experiences.
Cognitive engagement in later life has been shown to delay memory loss and dementia. Libraries, with their wealth of knowledge and resources, are well-positioned to make lifelong learning more accessible and effective for older adults. Moreover, libraries can play a crucial role in combating social isolation and loneliness, which are significant public health concerns among older adults. Regular programming for adults aged 55+ can foster a sense of community and connection.
Digital resources, such as GetSetUp, can further promote social connection among older adults. The platform offers a vibrant online community for patrons to connect with like-minded peers and learn new skills through live and on-demand classes.
Libraries can also help bridge the digital divide by building confidence in new technology. Many older adults lack confidence in their digital skills, which can act as a barrier to accessing essential services like telehealth appointments and staying in touch with family. Libraries can support older adults in becoming confident, independent technology users by offering digital skills programming, Wi-Fi access, and device lending.
Libraries that successfully engage older adults can reap economic and civic benefits. Older adults contribute significantly to their communities as mentors, poll workers, business owners, and volunteers. By investing in older adult engagement, libraries help unlock this potential and cultivate a more resilient community.
Engaged older adults make passionate advocates for the libraries that support them. Libraries can achieve this by evaluating their current offerings to ensure they provide opportunities for learning, connection, and growth for patrons aged 55 and older. Turnkey resources, like GetSetUp, are specifically designed to help public libraries engage older adults with meaningful, relevant content and a thriving online community.
Sources:
- Vespa, Jonathan, et. al. "Demographic Turning Points for the United States: Population Projections for 2020 to 2060," United States Census Bureau, February 2020.
- Bransby, Lisa, et al. "The relationship between cognitive engagement and better memory in midlife," National Library of Medicine, February 2022.
- "Health Effects of Social Isolation and Loneliness," CDC.gov, May 2024.
Libraries that adapt to cater to older adults can be transformative, offering vibrant spaces for lifelong learning, connection, and growth. By focusing on accessible resources, engaging programming, and supportive services, libraries can create a welcoming environment for this diverse and valuable demographic.
- Public libraries can cater to the growing demographic of older adults, enhancing their role as community hubs by 2030 when all Baby Boomers will be at least 65 years old.
- Libraries that engage older adults contribute to strengthening community connections and enriching programming.
- The diverse range of interests and ambitions among older adults make them an essential part of any community.
- Lifelong learners, voters, volunteers, caregivers, and mentors are the active participants in society that older adults represent.
- Libraries aiming to reach a broader audience can focus on hobbies, history, health, technology, and personal finance among other topics.
- A platform like GetSetUp offers online classes specifically designed for older adults by older adults, requiring minimal staff training.
- Cognitive engagement in later life, as promoted by libraries, can delay memory loss and dementia.
- Libraries can combat social isolation and loneliness in older adults, significant public health concerns, through regular programming for adults aged 55+.
- Digital resources like GetSetUp can further promote social connection among older adults, offering a vibrant online community for connection and learning.
- Libraries can support older adults in becoming confident, independent technology users by offering digital skills programming, Wi-Fi access, and device lending.
- Engaging older adults can result in economic and civic benefits, as older adults contribute significantly to their communities in various ways.
- Libraries that successfully engage older adults can help unlock their potential to act as mentors, poll workers, business owners, and volunteers.
- Engaged older adults can make passionate advocates for the libraries that support them.
- Libraries should evaluate current offerings to ensure they cater to the learning, connection, and growth needs of patrons aged 55 and older.
- GetSetUp is specifically designed to help public libraries engage older adults with relevant content and a thriving online community.
- Older adults encompass a vast market for fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, relationships, pets, travel, cars, education-and-self-development, personal-growth, shopping, career-development, job-search, skills-training, sports, football, NFL, WNBA, baseball, hockey, golf, sports-betting, basketball, NCAABasketball, MLB, NHL, racing, American Football, NBA, Grand-Prix, horse-racing, weather, NCAA-Football, tennis, sports-analysis, weather-forecasting, auto-racing, and mixed-martial-arts.
- Libraries can play a crucial role in helping older adults navigate challenges in areas like career-development, job-search, and skills-training, especially in the digital age.
- Older adults can find support in areas like sports betting, with libraries offering resources to help them make informed decisions about sports events, such as the Super Bowl, World Series, or NBA Finals.
- Older adults can also be involved in sports as participants, spectators, or fans, enjoying sports like football, tennis, basketball, baseball, hockey, golf, racing, American football, and mixed-martial-arts.
- Engaging older adults in sports can foster a sense of community and connection, while keeping them fit and active, contributing to their overall well-being.
