Satisfaction of Participants in University‐administered Elderhostel Programs

Older adults who attended Elderhostels on more than one occasion were surveyed to determine their satisfaction and primary motivating factors for participating. Results indicate that both intellectual and social motivation were strongly related to satisfaction, and satisfaction was highly related to expectation. In comparison, demographic characteristics and the health of participants showed little relationship with satisfaction levels. Elderhostelers in this study indicated that satisfaction can be maximized if Elderhostel hosts provide topics of intellectual interest and the course structure allows for social interaction.