A FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING OLDER ADULTS CIVIC BEHAVIOR

We present contemporary, historical, and literary evidence of civic learning and action in senior citizens' lives and suggest a framework for understanding seniors' various levels of involvement in civic activities. A seven-stage civic involvement continuum emerged from real interviews with living older adults and simulated interviews with fictional and historical older adults. The continuum began with the fulfillment of basic needs through volunteering and ended with becoming an advocate of a specific cause. Implications for adult education practice are suggested.