Older people miss learning opportunities in Wales

Older people in Wales could be missing out on opportunities to learn new skills and improve their quality of life.

A new report by Estyn, an education and training body, said that too many of the learning opportunities available are aimed at improving job skills and employability, something of little use to the over 65s.

It criticised the learning gap, stressing that learning in later life can help improve independence and wellbeing, as well as keeping people active and warding off the onset of dementia.

According to the report: "The curriculum offered to these older learners, including those who can pay for courses, is inflexible, does not meet their needs adequately and does not promote lifelong learning."

It added that more needed to be done to ensure older people had access to "enrichment activities".

However, a spokesman for the Welsh government claimed that the commitment to lifelong learning had to be balanced with the need to tackle the growing issue of youth unemployment.

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