The Mahoning Valley Lifelong Learning Institute was founded by Ohio Living Park Vista, an organization that’s always been ahead of its time.

Never content with the status quo, Ohio Living Park Vista has long been outgrowing its identity as a “retirement community.” Always looking to do more, to offer more, and to be more, Ohio Living Park Vista is redefining aging services for the entire Mahoning Valley.

Moving Toward Active Aging

Ohio Living Park Vista knows that today’s adults age 50+ have different needs than those a generation ago. They often have been more invested in physical fitness and wellness than those before them; they connect health and wellness with quality of life. They want to be cared about, not cared for.

That concept led to a shift in Ohio Living Park Vista’s culture. It began looking at wellness for its residents differently than it had in the past and inspired the desire to reach more people in the Valley than just those who reside at Ohio Living Park Vista.

First, a dedicated Rehab Center was established to offer people the opportunity for a short stay to recover from surgery or illness in an environment made just for them.

Next, the therapy services created for the Rehab Center were opened up for outpatient therapy appointments, giving the people of Youngstown another option for their physical, occupational, and speech therapy needs, with services tailored for older adults.

Aquatic therapy was then added on campus, boasting the most state-of-the-art therapy pool available to the public in all of the Mahoning Valley.

Throughout all this, Ohio Living Park Vista also kept a keen focus on enhancing opportunities for intellectual wellness.

As a result, Ohio Living Park Vista moved away from the model of usual recreational activities and crafts found in many retirement communities and senior centers, to one that integrates lifelong learning into everyday life.

Lifelong learning at Ohio Living Park Vista began as a partnership with Road Scholars (Elderhostel), experts in mind-expanding adventures for adults. Our program — a partnership, if you will, with top-level speakers and educators — is the only one like it in the Mahoning Valley.

Interest from our residents and the community alike has been enthusiastic; respondents travel long distances to join us, from more than 24 different zip codes, with the majority of attendees coming from off campus.

But even with this success, Ohio Living Park Vista was just one of several organizations throughout the Valley offering educational programs for those 50 and up. And yet, Ohio Living Park Vista was the only one of these organizations that served this age group as its primary mission. That is why Ohio Living Park Vista decided to develop this Institute and make it a premier model for satisfying curiosity, vitality and purpose.