Bildung und aktives Altern

This article puts education in old age into context with gerontological and geragogic concepts and research results. Conditions for lifelong learning in old age are discussed including ideas of active ageing and of the formation of the subject and the orientation of old people in daily life. In addition, the article presents the effects of education, the actual participation of older people in education and socio-political frameworks for strengthening education in old age. The gist is that education in old age is developing into a separate field of research and practice against a backdrop of socio-demographic change. The task of a future-oriented educational policy for senior citizens is to make lifelong learning a topic and to develop structures which provide older people with equal and unimpeded access to high-quality and diverse learning.