A report produced by The National Organisation for Adult Learning (NIACE) stated that senior citizens can keep active and alert long into their later life through learning. Evidence of intellectual stimulation can reverse decline in old age, especially those over the age of eighty, has been found in research sponsored by the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE).

Whatever form of learning the older generation participate in can keep members active and alert much longer in later life. This research even found that if people with mild dementia are using their brains, they can even recover the use of parts that they had thought had been lost.

This was part of the Learndirect initiative to encourage a wide audience to participate in many of the courses that they have on-line. These courses are available to those from the age of 16 upwards and especially to encourage the older generation or those classed as silver surfers. There are a few courses that are not available via the Internet, however introductory courses such as Computers Don't Bite and Webwise which is the introduction to the internet are available on CD-ROM which is a good idea as not everyone is comfortable with using the internet. There is a wide range of IT courses available on-line ranging from introductory to what they class as expert-level in the main software applications such as Microsoft Office and Lotus Smartsuite. There were also on-line Business modules and health and safety modules (available on video) for people to choose from.

Introductory days where access to these modules were for free as long as you enrolled at a Learndirect Centre, however, thereafter you would be expected to pay for the training. The prices varied from between £50 through to £300 depending on the module that you chose to complete. This we felt could be off putting for some people, having to spend so much money on certain areas, especially as there was no form of recognised qualification at the end of the course of training. You could print out a completion certificate at the end of the course.

For further information ring Learndirect on 0800 100 900 or visit their website at Learndirect