School Inducted Into “Age Friendly University Global Network.” Seriously. That’s A Thing.
BY: STAFF REPORT | BocaNewsNow.com
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2022 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — Florida Atlantic University was just inducted into a network of school that are considered to be “age friendly,” a good thing considering Boca Raton and Delray Beach have often been called “God’s Waiting Room.”
FAU issued this advisory Wednesday afternoon:
Florida Atlantic University has been named a member of the Age-Friendly University (AFU) Global Network.
The AFU network consists of institutions of higher education around the globe who have endorsed the AFU principles and committed themselves to becoming more age-friendly in its programs and policies.
Members of the network have a shared challenge to promote an inclusive approach to healthy and active ageing through research, enhanced learning opportunities for people across generations, and innovations that address issues affecting older adults.
“We are delighted at our recent designation as an Age-Friendly University,” said Provost Bret Danilowicz. “A pillar of the University’s Strategic Plan for the Race to Excellence, healthy aging and initiatives that facilitate a continued focus on improving not only the overall well-being of the aging population, but its relationship with the wider community, remain a priority for Florida Atlantic and will for years to come.”
FAU has established lifelong learning centers at its Boca Raton, Jupiter and Davie campuses. The centers offer a myriad of non-degree seeking courses, with programs to support older adults who wish to learn new skills or strengthen current abilities for the purpose of starting a second career or re-entering the workforce.
Several of the FAU’s pillars are focused on intergenerational approaches to improving health and health care delivery to older adults. The I-Health pillar is redesigning the health care infrastructure to create novel intervention programs to provide patients and the community with health care for everyday needs as well as the most specialized services for complex diseases, illnesses and injuries.
The FAU Healthy Aging Certificate Program prepares students for a career in service of diverse aging populations. The certificate program provides a specialized knowledge and skill base in practice, practice-evaluation, research and policy areas to ensure the delivery of quality services to diverse aging groups.
“Programs for age-diverse learners can benefit our institution in a number of ways,” said Michele Hawkins, Ph.D., vice provost for academic affairs at FAU. “FAU meets the principles of the AFU initiative, and we look forward to collaborating with other AFU-designated universities to discover additional best practices.”
