Following a highly successful pilot, Road Scholar, a not-for-profit leader in educational programming for older adults, announced its Age Well lecture series, provided online for free. The series will become an ongoing offering among the organization’s online course curriculum. Road Scholar launched the Age Well initiative to provide expert-led guidance on how to navigate the challenges and opportunities of life’s later years, from health and wellness to social connection and emotional resilience.
“Preparing for the changes that come with older age, particularly the time of life we call the ‘Fourth Age,’ can be challenging,” says James Moses, president and CEO of Road Scholar. “We launched this lecture series to offer guidance and practical advice.”
Over the course of six pilot lectures in spring 2025, these free, one-hour lectures attracted thousands of attendees eager to explore health, wellness, and longevity through the lens of education and community.
“I recommend this to everyone because the advice and recommendations prepare you for the negatives and positives of aging and how to cope,” says participant Terri Lee Knutson of Orange Park, FL. “I wish I had known this information when I was preparing for retirement. I sign up for all the Aging Well programs as soon as they appear.”
Topics have included traveling with dementia, aging in place, relocating in retirement, technology that supports aging, and more. The program’s overwhelming popularity has inspired Road Scholar to make Age Well a permanent part of its curriculum. They will offer two free live online lectures each month, starting in January.
“The response has been profound,” says Moses. “We know these lectures provide vital information for everyone preparing for or helping others navigate this stage of life. We all seek to live vibrant, purposeful lives, and these Age Well lectures are helping people achieve that aim.”
The inspiration for Age Well was deeply personal for Moses, as he cared for his mother who lived to be 101. “Being a caregiver myself, I experienced firsthand the difficulty of navigating the later years of life— both for aging adults and their loved ones,” he says. “It made me acutely aware of the need to help people make this fourth stage of life both joyful and meaningful. Road Scholar’s mission is to inspire adults to keep learning, exploring, and connecting. Age Well brings that mission to a new stage of life, helping people prepare for and embrace life’s fourth age with wisdom and confidence.”
Exploring Life’s Fourth Age Through Education
The Age Well series invites participants to think of life as a journey, one that benefits from curiosity, preparation, and lifelong learning. Expert-led lectures cover topics including:
- Health and wellness strategies to maintain physical and mental vitality
- Building emotional resilience and finding purpose through life’s transitions
- Fostering connection and community to combat loneliness
- Leveraging technology and accessibility tools for independence and aging in place
Lectures are led by notable experts in the field of aging and gerontology, including Dr. Lakelyn Eichenberger, gerontologist and caregiving advocate, and Catherine Sanderson, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Amherst College and author of The Positive Shift: Mastering Mindset to Improve Happiness, Health, and Longevity.
Beyond the Lectures: A Growing Community
To extend the learning beyond the virtual classroom, Road Scholar has launched a companion online Age Well Discussion Group on Facebook as well as an Age Well Blog Series. A newsletter and bookshop will follow. These spaces allow participants to continue their conversations, share experiences, and connect with others who are also navigating the aging journey.
To learn more and enroll in the free Age Well online lecture series, visit www.roadscholar.org/agewell.
