Timeline
- April 2018: UMass Lowell Center for Gerontology Research and Partnerships (CGRP) on the Age-Friendly University (AFU) trajectory
- 5th and 6th Annual Healthy Aging – Living Well Forum theme
- September 2019: The five-campus UMass system received the AFU designation.
- October-November 2019: In collaboration with the UMass President’s Office and UMass Boston’s Gerontology Institute, launched the AFU Climate Survey to faculty, staff and students on the UML campus and LIRA members. From the survey:
- “I would like to see more opportunities for seniors (age 60+) to mentor students in various professional programs (engineering, technology, education, nursing, etc.).”
- “... There is a rich set of retiree resources that are not being asked to participate in the students’ lives. Consider thinking more broadly.”
- January-February 2020: AFU Inventory assessments of 12 key campus leaders and offices
- February 2021: Shared the final report with the Provost on AFU Climate Survey and AFU Inventory
Progress
So far, the Age-Friendly Collaborative has:
- Offered courses for UML Learning in Retirement Association (LIRA): A Step Backward and Forward in an Age-Friendly University Initiative: Adapting a Campus Learning Partnership (Gautam & Melillo, 2021).
- GSA/AARP/AGHE Funding: Exploring the perceptions of emeritus professors (EPIC) - Enhancing AFU principles, 2021-2022 (Gautam & Melillo, 2021).