A Long-term Analysis of Social Networks of Students from a University Program for Seniors

Most important conceptualizations of quality of life have in their definitions three basic pillars: psychical dimension, psychological dimension and social dimension (OMS, 1948, Schalock and Verdugo, 2003; Walker, 2010). In this communication we focus our attention on the last dimension, in detail how the long life learning could improve seniors’ quality of life.The purpose of this study is to analyze social networks of the seniors’ students in the UniversitatOberta per a Majors (UOM), -an educational program intended to adults over 50 years- from 2006-2007 to 2011-2012 academic years. Method: Application of social support questionnaire. A total of 261 questionnaires were used for the analysis by SPSS program. Dimensions evaluated were: lost relationships (and sources) versus new relationships (and sources), feeling of loneliness, perception of changes on their social network from to 5 years before and for next 5 years and influence of the educative program in these changes. Findings and results: Most of the sample affirm that lost relationships of working environment, but in general they have increased their social network; rarely they have loneliness feelings and they think that their social network will be stable during next 5 years. They considered that UOM program have a strongly positive effect in their social networks.Conclusions and recommendation: positive effects of long life learning are demonstrate in this study, specifically improving social networks’ senior students