Inclusion and Participation of Older Adults in Education and Lifelong Learning in Nigeria: Analysed From Counseling and Psychological Perspectives.

Abstract

This article demonstrates how inclusive education can contribute to the empowerment of older adults and their families to eflectively cope with, and adjust to the challenges of globalization, modernization and migration. Using literature search, this article attempts to (a) critically examine the view and conceptualization of inclusive education as being imperative only for younger students and other young people with disabilities, (b) demonstrate the importance of adult education and lifelong learning as means of responding to the needs of older adults with chronic illnesses and fimctional disabilities in Nigeria, (c) explore areas where inclusive education, adult education and lifelong learning can respond to the needs of uninsured and underserved older adults with undiagnosed and untreated health and social challenges particularly at the ‘local level in Nigeria, (d) examine how universities can initiate, promote and sustain lifelong learning for older adults including older workers in universities in Nigeria. The major findings of the literature search indicate that for inclusive education to be eflective in Nigeria in an era of globalization, modernization, and migration, its concerns cannot ignore (a) the imperatives of lifelong learning education for people of all ages and sexes, (b) the learning needs of increasing population of the cohort of older adults including the indigent and poor elders with chronic illnesses and functional disabilities, (c) the social and digital inclusion of older adults that are poor and without family support system, (d) the inclusion of educational, health and social services for older workers in Nigerian universities and elderly parents, and (e) the interdisciplinary collaborative approaches of inclusive educators, professional counsellors, social workers, gerontologists, and psychologists in providing counselling and therapeutic for chronically sick adults and their parents.