This book, which incorporates information gathered through research in the United Kingdom and the United States, explores the nature and importance of learning throughout the human life cycle. The following are among the topics examined: (1) learning and third age education (the emergence of education for adults, third age education); (2) learning and the learning society (learning processes, the social situation, the learning society); (3) learning, being, and aging (aging and maturing, aging and biography); (4) learning from experience and experienced learners (learning from experience, more experienced learners, older learners being taught); (5) learning to retire (the stages of life, retirement, preretirement education); (6) learning after retirement (learning to be free, learning a new identity, continuing learning); (7) learning new work roles (continuing to work, elders as mentors, volunteering, older people as researchers); (8) learning meaning and wisdom; (9) learning spirituality (religion and Christianity, spirituality); (10) learning and mental fitness (physical and mental fitness; social involvement and mental fitness, empowering older adults); (11) learning in the fourth age (learning for the physically disabled; learning in confusion and dementia); and (12) learning to work with elders (learning about learning, creating a learning environment, learning therapists). (Contains 237 references.) (MN)