
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, May 17, 1990                   TAG: 9005160402
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: AUDREY OSBORNE SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Medium

ELDERHOSTEL IS HOST TO 200 OLDER LEARNERS

From Shakespeare to computers, politics to poetry and dance to recreational sports, Elderhostel has been stimulating the minds of older adults who seek intellectual enrichment.

This summer Radford University is holding its fourth Elderhostel program on the campus through June 7. More than 200 people from 19 different states are participating, said Rhonda Spero, Radford University's Elderhostel coordinator.

Elderhostel, formed in the United States in 1975, is a program devoted to educational short-term classes for older adults. The program got its roots from youth hostels in Europe and folk schools of Scandinavia. The program is now in all 50 states.

People who are 60 or older, or who are spouses of persons that age, can participate. "We're for elder citizens on the move, not just in terms of travel, but in terms of intellectual activity as well. Retirement does not represent an end to significant activity for older adults but a new beginning filled with opportunities and challenges," says the national Elderhostel catalog.

Most Elderhostel programs are a week in length. They begin on a Sunday afternoon and end the following Saturday morning. Students may take three courses that meet for about 1 1/2 hours each day. There are no texts required, there is no homework and there are no examinations.

Students are being lodged in Norwood Hall on the Radford University campus; it's an air-conditioned dormitory with private baths.

They are taking their meals in a campus dining hall and they have access to Dedmon Center and other recreational facilities. The cost for the use of these facilities is typically $235.

Radford's Elderhostel is filled and has waiting lists. The Radford program is the second most-popular in the state, statistics show.

In 1991, the university's program will extend to seven weeks, with sessions in February, March, May and June. "This is because of the success of the program in past years," said Peter Balsamo, Radford's director of continuing education.

by CNB