Learning for senior citizens shouldn’t stop with the arrival of their first Social Security check.

Butler County educators say continuing education for seniors has many benefits, in addition to merely increasing their knowledge.

Betsy Kemeny, program director of the Recreational Therapy Department at Slippery Rock University, said, “It all goes back to the idea that we all need a well-rounded approach to the things that we find meaningful and intellectually challenging.”

She also is a gerontologist who studies older adults from a psychosocial point of view.

Andy Johnson, a board member and instructor of the Institute of Learning in Retirement at 165 Elm St. in Slippery Rock, said the institute’s slogan is “never stop learning.”

The institute partners with retired SRU administrators and professors — as well as dedicated hobbyists and self-taught experts — to present classes to seniors during two semesters. The fall semester runs from September to November, and the spring semester runs from March through May.

Johnson said the institute is descended from the Scandinavian idea of a “folk school,” where anyone with a skill or deep-seated interest could instruct a class.

“It started with people teaching folk art or singing and blossomed all across Scandinavia,” Johnson said.

Kemeny said classes benefit seniors in more ways than just learning a language or creative writing in their seventh decade.

“As you are learning things, it can help you retain your cognitive skills,” she said.

“It’s like that old adage: ‘Use it or lose it.’ It’s true for the physical as well as the cognitive side.”

She said would-be students need to defy society’s expectations of senior citizens.

“As you age, you can learn and grow,” Kemeny said. “Society thinks you can’t — you can only be reminiscing about old times. But the opportunity to try new things as you age is very important.”

She added, “Through research, it’s thought you can still create new neural pathways by learning new things.”

Kemeny said senior citizens are not only possibly physically improving their brains with classes but also improving their social lives.

“It’s not just cognitive, learning has a social aspect to it,” she said. “Because of the COVID pandemic, we learned how vulnerable seniors confined in their homes to avoid infection can be.”

In the aftermath of the pandemic, social isolation of senior citizens is a real problem.

“The whole social aspect of learning can be beneficial as well, learning with other people,” she said.

Johnson agreed, “The elderly want to stay in circulation. Connections, meeting face-to-face, are very valuable.”

Kemeny said, “Seniors need something to look forward to, a reason to get up in the morning, a purpose, doing things that matter to you.”

Senior citizens can audit classes taught at the university, Kemeny said.

Applicants must show proof of being at least 62 years old before the beginning of the semester for which they are applying.

Seniors must register for classes a week before the start of the semester and may register for classes on a space-available basis.

Courses taken on an audit basis will not be charged tuition or fees. Course texts and materials are the responsibility of the auditing students.

Seniors auditing courses that require an instructor who is to be compensated above their regular salary are responsible for paying all applicable fees.

Registration to audit classes for the fall semester has closed.

To register, a senior must fill out a senior citizen application form on the academic records and registration section of SRU’s website and provide proof of their age.

The form can be found at https://www.sru.edu/academics/academic-services/academic-records/forms.

Kemeny said the most popular audited classes are related to art, music and languages.

The Institute of Learning in Retirement’s Johnson said seniors can register for fall semester classes either in person by stopping at the Fowler Building, 165 Elm St. or by visiting info@ilretirement.org.

“We get many more sign-ups in the fall than the spring because of the snowbirds,” he said. “Fees vary according to what membership level you want, but one class costs about $15.

“Art classes are very popular. The book club has had a strong sign-up. The death and taxes class is popular. There are no grades, no tests and no pressure,” he said. Other popular classes include ceramics and creative writing.

Courses can be innovative. A class on games can fill a room with people all playing four or five board games. An opera class can include a trip to Pittsburgh’s Benedum Center, a 20-minute seminar conducted by a member of the opera company and then a performance of an opera.

Johnson said last semester the institute offered 79 classes (49 of them online) and 20 trips, including hiking at Moraine State Park. There were 130 people enrolled.

“There’s no age limit, although the institute was set up people in retirement. The oldest student I had was 99. She was brought by her daughter, who was in her 50s,” said Johnson, who teaches creative writing for the Institute.