OATS Outlines Five-Step Theory of Change for Older Adult Learning
United States – October 22, 2026 -- OATS, the organization behind the Senior Planet programs, has published a five-part theory of change built on tens of thousands of classes taught to older adults who want to work, communicate, get around and care for themselves.
OATS builds its framework on classroom observation across America
The organization says the model comes from working in classrooms and community centers across the country, alongside older adults as they learn, share and create. It combines its mission and framework with the energy of its members to engineer new systems it says are shaping the future of aging.
Five assumptions link individual action to societal outcomes
First, change begins with the individual. OATS points to a developmental spark in each Senior Planet participant and a refusal to accept marginalization or premature dependency.