THE LEARNING APPROACHES OF URBAN ELDERLY WOMEN IN CHINA FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF LIFELONG EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY OF YUELU DISTRICT, CHANGSHA

Abstract

China’s rapidly aging population presents emerging challenges for lifelong education, especially among elderly women—a group whose learning needs are often underrepresented in academic discourse. This study aims to: (1) identify and analyze the learning needs of urban elderly women in the areas of family, health, and leisure; (2) examine the barriers and facilitating factors influencing their engagement in learning; and (3) propose recommendations for their development from the perspective of lifelong education. A quantitative survey was conducted with 385 elderly women aged 60 and above in Yuelu District, Changsha City, using simple random sampling. Results indicate a strong demand for family-related learning, with moderate interest in health and leisure education. Key barriers include low learning confidence, learning anxiety, and poor communication skills, while community-based learning activities and specially designed courses serve as supportive elements. The findings emphasize the importance of developing inclusive, needs-based educational strategies to enhance elderly women’s participation in lifelong learning and support their personal growth and social inclusion.

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