A willingness to explore the global stage can improve and embellish Extension program development, implementation, and evaluation methods. Understanding various models of aging from around the world builds capacity and invites the cultivation of innovative responses in local communities. China is instructive to those interested in expanding their perspectives of older adult programming due to its large population, aging society, culture, and political reforms. Insight into Chinese efforts and the possible applicability of that response to Extension programming is shared through observations from the Seminar in Aging conducted by the American Society on Aging in Beijing in May 2007

Sellers, Debra M

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Clemson University: TigerPrints

The Journal of Extension Volume 46 Number 1 Article 2 2-1-2008 Building Extension's Capacity Through Knowledge of Global Aging Issues Debra M. Sellers Kansas State University, dsellers@ksu.edu This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. Recommended Citation Sellers, D. M. (2008). Building Extension's Capacity Through Knowledge of Global Aging Issues. The Journal of Extension, 46(1), Article 2. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/joe/vol46/iss1/2 This Commentary is brought to you for free and open access by the Conferences at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Journal of Extension by an authorized editor of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact kokeefe@clemson.edu. 	 JOEHOME JOURNAL GUIDELINES ABOUT	JOE CONTACT NATIONAL	JOB	BANKCurrent	Issues Back	IssuesFebruary	2008	//	Volume	46	//	Number	1	//	Commentary	//	1COM10Building	Extension's	Capacity	Through	Knowledge	of	GlobalAging	IssuesAbstractA	willingness	to	explore	the	global	stage	can	improve	and	embellish	Extension	programdevelopment,	implementation,	and	evaluation	methods.	Understanding	various	models	of	agingfrom	around	the	world	builds	capacity	and	invites	the	cultivation	of	innovative	responses	in	localcommunities.	China	is	instructive	to	those	interested	in	expanding	their	perspectives	of	olderadult	programming	due	to	its	large	population,	aging	society,	culture,	and	political	reforms.Insight	into	Chinese	efforts	and	the	possible	applicability	of	that	response	to	Extensionprogramming	is	shared	through	observations	from	the	Seminar	in	Aging	conducted	by	theAmerican	Society	on	Aging	in	Beijing	in	May	2007.	Local	Needs,	Global	AnswersExtension	professionals	are	firmly	grounded	in	local	communities.	We	are	proud	of	our	ability	toimprove	the	lives	of	our	neighbors.	At	times,	we	extend	this	definition	of	neighbor	to	includeindividuals	living	in	our	state,	nearby	states,	or	region.	Sometimes	we	expand	the	definition	to	anational	level.	It	can	be	more	difficult	to	think	of	a	neighbor	as	an	individual	living	in	anothernation;	this	may	seem	too	far	from	the	Extension	tradition	and	may	be	thought	to	occur	at	theexpense	of	local	needs.	Incorporating	a	global	perspective	into	daily	Extension	work	is	not,however,	a	zero-sum	game.	The	advantages	of	thinking	globally	have	been	outlined	by	severalExtension	professionals	(Gallagher,	2002;	Lev,	2001;	Ludwig,	2002;	Sundermeier,	2006).A	willingness	to	explore	the	global	stage	can	improve	and	embellish	program	development,implementation,	and	evaluation	methods.	Knowledge	of	other	countries'	successes	and	failuresbuilds	Extension's	capacity	to	have	a	positive	impact	in	local	communities.	Insight	into	globalissues	thus	becomes	an	additional	resource	for	Extension	professionals.	One	common	globalconcern	is	the	aging	of	the	population.In	2002,	those	aged	65+	comprised	7%	of	the	world's	population.	By	2050,	that	number	isexpected	to	rise	to	nearly	17%	(U.S.	Census	Bureau,	2004).	This	trend	points	to	serious	social,political,	and	economic	consequences	around	the	world	and	is	a	signal	that	for	many	countries,current	programs	are	inadequate	and	must	be	reformulated.China's	Importance	on	the	Global	Aging	StageFor	those	interested	in	the	impact	of	global	solutions	related	to	aging	communities,	an	explorationof	China's	alternate	viewpoints	and	models	is	instructive.	China	has	several	features	that	demandimmediate	attention.More	than	1.3	billion	people	live	in	China,	positioning	it	as	the	world's	most	populous	country(U.S.	Department	of	State,	2007)144	million	of	the	total	population,	or	11%,	are	currently	more	than	60	years	of	age(Information	Office	for	the	State	Council	of	the	People's	Republic	of	China	[IOSCPRC],	2006)Debra	M.	SellersAssistant	Professor	&	Extension	Specialist	in	Adult	Development	&	AgingKansas	State	University	Research	and	ExtensionManhattan,	Kansasdsellers@ksu.eduThe	country	is	home	to	approximately	20%	of	the	world's	60+	population	(China	NationalCommittee	on	Ageing,	1999)400	million	people	age	60+	will	live	in	China	by	2050	(China	National	Committee	on	Ageing,1999),	and,	to	put	this	into	perspective,	the	total	population	of	the	United	States	in	2000	wasless	than	300	million	(McDevitt	&	Rowe,	2002)Program	Development	and	Implementation	in	ChinaInsight	into	aging	in	China	is	outlined	here	through	a	presentation	of	selected	observations	fromthe	Seminar	in	Beijing	conducted	by	the	American	Society	on	Aging	in	May	2007.	This	event	wasexperiential	in	nature,	and	the	24	of	us	who	participated	were	provided	with	entrée	not	normallygranted	to	foreigners.	An	investigation	of	Chinese	perspective	through	visits	to	aging	centers	inBeijing;	interaction	with	medical	professionals,	academics,	and	government	officials;	and	anexploration	of	the	culture	were	integral	components	of	the	seminar.China's	rapid	social	and	economic	reforms,	coupled	with	future	population	projections,	provideopenings	to	develop	innovative	aging	programs	on	a	scale	never	before	attempted	in	worldhistory.	In	particular,	efforts	in	personal	development,	health	care,	and	family	caregiving	havepossible	implications	for	programming	in	the	United	States.Personal	DevelopmentPersonal	development	for	older	adults	is	positioned	within	China	as	a	crucial	central	tenet	in	termsof	quality	of	life.	Women	retire	at	55;	men	at	60.	Thus,	there	is	a	critical	need	to	develop	non-employment	interests	for	a	stage	of	life	that	could	last	upward	of	30	years.Recreation,	leisure,	and	sport	are	viewed	as	an	important	aspect	of	personal	development.	Thisvalue	is	evident	in	the	approximately	47,000	recreation	and	activity	centers	for	older	adults.For	those	interested	in	education,	individuals	can	attend	one	of	more	than	26,500	senioruniversities.	Varying	across	communities,	senior	universities	consist	of	facilities	and	programming.A	senior	university	in	Beijing	provides	classes	in	a	variety	of	areas,	such	as	dance	and	computerinstruction.	The	cost	to	attend	is	minimal	(about	$8.00	per	term).Health	CareTraditional	Chinese	Medicine	(TCM)	is	a	comprehensive	and	holistic	view	of	health	and	is	composedof	five	foundational	concepts:	nutrition,	lifestyle,	emotion,	exercise,	and	mental	fitness.	Preventionand	wellness	are	viewed	as	critical	aspects	of	the	overall	framework.Physical	activity	is	highly	encouraged	in	China	and	is	a	habit	for	many	people,	young	and	old.Exercise	can	occur	for	its	own	sake,	but	the	incorporation	of	physical	activity	into	daily	lives	is	acultural	norm.Education	about	prevention	is	a	primary	focus	in	China	for	its	potential	impact	upon	quality	of	careand	quality	of	life.	As	approximately	60%	of	all	older	Chinese	live	in	rural	areas	(IOSCPRC),education	about	health-related	topics	is	primarily	disseminated	through	use	of	various	media,including	television	and	radio.Family	CaregivingIn	1996,	a	law	concerning	the	rights	of	elderly	people	was	adopted,	with	one	article	statingexplicitly	that	the	main	provision	of	support	to	old	people	is	the	family	(Legislative	AffairsCommission	of	the	Standing	Committee	of	the	National	People's	Congress	of	the	People's	Republicof	China,	1996).	The	Chinese	presenters	commented	frankly	concerning	the	breakdown	inthousands-year-old	traditions	of	familial	values	related	to	reverence	for	older	people.	Through	theuse	of	words	such	as	"abandonment,"	it	became	evident	that	social	attitudes	are	quickly	changing.As	part	of	a	response	to	changing	attitudes,	the	government	is	encouraging	family	supportcontracts:	a	legal	document	that	outlines	what	children	will	provide	for	their	parents.	By	2005,approximately	13	million	such	contracts	had	been	enacted	(IOSCPRC,	2006).What	Extension	Can	Learn	from	China's	ResponseI	pose	the	questions	below	as	examples	of	initial	thoughts	concerning	another	country's	responsesto	aging	and	the	applicability	of	that	response	to	Extension	programming.Personal	DevelopmentWould	framing	non-employed	years	as	an	opportunity	to	pursue	personal	development	asopposed	to	living	a	life	of	leisure	change	negative	attitudes	about	growing	older?	How	couldExtension	promote	this?What	is	the	future	role	of	senior	centers?	Would	an	emphasis	on	competitive	sports	promotestronger	participation	levels	in	group	sports	or	recreation	activity?	Could	Extension	initiateand	help	sustain	such	changes?How	is	the	senior	university	concept	similar	to	and	different	from	elder	hostels?	Is	a	truesenior	university	concept	viable?	Could	Extension	support	this	idea	in	local	communities?Health	CareHow	does	TCM	compare	to	Western	notions	of	health	and	wellness,	particularly	when	it	comesto	exercise?What	might	be	missing	from	current	Extension	health-oriented	programs?What	can	Extension	learn	from	the	emphasis	on	education	through	media	delivery	instead	offace-to-face	programming?Family	CaregivingIs	it	possible	to	formalize	family	caregiving	responsibilities?Would	a	program	similar	to	parent/teen	contracts	about	drinking	and	driving	work	within	thearena	of	family	caregiving?How	could	Extension	play	a	part?Consideration	of	China's	responses	and	the	possible	applicability	to	the	United	States	is	worthy	ofreflection	as	we	are	also	facing	broad	and	comprehensive	changes	to	our	population.	Thinkingglobally	about	this	issue	presents	an	opportunity	to	expand	possible	Extension	programmingpossibilities	for	older	adults	through	assessment	of	the	relevance	of	global	answers	to	localcommunities.	By	thinking	of	the	Chinese	as	neighbors,	Extension	professionals	can	learn	aboutdiverse	and	unique	solutions	and	incorporate	the	'best	of'	into	their	own	programs	and	services.How	Extension	Professionals	Can	Go	Global	Without	LeavingTheir	OfficeAlthough	Extension	professionals	may	acknowledge	the	benefit	of	thinking	globally,	it	can	be	easyto	allow	the	active	development	of	a	global	perspective	to	slide	to	the	bottom	of	the	pile.	Here	aresome	activities	that	can	be	helpful,	and	all	of	these	can	be	completed	without	leaving	the	office!Visit	the	CSREES	Web	site,	and	click	on	International	in	the	navigation	pane(http://www.csrees.usda.gov/).Read	what	other	Extension	professionals	have	said	about	this	topic	in	previous	issues	of	JOE.Go	to:	http://www.joe.org/search.html	and	enter	"globalization"	as	the	search	term.Experiment	with	"internationalization"	or	the	name	of	the	country	that	interests	you.Learn	about	the	country	of	your	choice	on	the	U.S.	Department	of	State	Web	site:http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1765.html.	The	Consular	Information	Sheetspresent	a	short	general	overview	of	many	different	countries.Subscribe	to	an	RSS	feed,	listserv,	or	news	service	that	carries	features	from	around	the	world(My	favorite	is	Current	Awareness	in	Aging	Research	E-Clippings,	from	the	University	ofWisconsin-Madison.	Subscribe	at:	http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/cdha/pubs/caar/subscribe.html).What	Does	Global	Aging	Mean	to	My	Neighbors	and	Me?The	pressing	problems	that	have	and	will	come	to	the	United	States	as	the	result	of	our	agingpopulation	sweep	across	areas	as	diverse	as	agriculture,	family	relationships,	finances,	health,	andnutrition.	Taking	an	expanded	view	of	the	needs	of	an	aging	clientele	and	possible	solutions	is	oneway	to	serve	in	our	local	communities.	Extension	professionals	clearly	will	have	an	important	rolein	shaping	the	vision	for	this	future	old	age	society.We	can	build	capacity	in	the	role	of	educator	through	understanding	global	efforts	and	increasingour	knowledge	of	other	countries'	failures	and	successes	as	they	attempt	to	address	agingpopulations.	Engagement	in	active	reflection	and	assessment	of	diverse	answers	results	in	thedevelopment	of	new	perspectives.	Thinking	beyond	the	state,	region,	and	nation	powerfullyinfluences	the	creation	of	solutions	and	development	of	programs	for	our	neighbors.ReferencesChina	National	Committee	on	Ageing.	(1999,	January	9).	Ageing	and	development.	Beijing:	Author.Gallagher,	T.	J.	(2002).	Going	international	in	Extension:	A	done	deal?	Journal	of	Extension	[On-line],	40(3).	Available	at:	http://www.joe.org/joe/2002june/comm1.htmlInformation	Office	for	the	State	Council	of	the	People's	Republic	of	China.	(2006,	December).	Thedevelopment	of	China's	undertakings	for	the	aged	(1st	ed.).	Beijing:	Foreign	Languages	Press.Legislative	Affairs	Commission	of	the	Standing	Committee	of	the	National	People's	Congress	of	thePeople's	Republic	of	China.	(1996).	Law	of	the	People's	Republic	of	China	on	Protection	of	theRights	and	Interests	of	the	Elderly	(1st	ed.).	China	National	Committee	on	Ageing:	HuaLingPublishing	House.Lev,	L.	(2001).	Leave	home!	International	sabbaticals	as	unfreezing	experiences.	Journal	ofExtension	[On-line],	39(4).	Available	at:	http://www.joe.org/joe/2001august/comm1.htmlLudwig,	B.	G.	(2002).	Global	in	our	backyard.	Journal	of	Extension	[On-line],	40(2).	Available	at:http://www.joe.org/joe/2002april/comm1.htmlMcDevitt,	T.	&	Rowe,	P.	M.	(2002,	February).	The	United	States	in	international	context:	2000.Census	2000	Brief	(Report	No.	C2KBR/01-11).	Washington,	DC:	U.S.	Census	Bureau.Sundermeier,	A.	(2006).	Become	an	international	ambassador	with	People	to	People.	Journal	ofExtension	[On-line],	44(5)	Article	5TOT6.	Available	at:	http://www.joe.org/joe/2006october/tt6.shtmlU.S.	Census	Bureau.	(2004,	March).	Global	population	at	a	glance:	2002	and	beyond.	InternationalBrief	(Report	No.	WP/02-1).	Washington,	DC:	Author.U.S.	Department	of	State.	(2007,	March	19).	Consular	information	sheet:	China.	Retrieved	June	14,2007	from	http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1089.html	Discussion

Building Extension\u27s Capacity Through Knowledge of Global Aging Issues

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Building Extension\u27s Capacity Through Knowledge of Global Aging Issues

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