53,000 Virtual Program Hours Transformed How Older Adults Age Well in 2025

Mather Expands Access, Promotes Lifelong Learning for Adults Everywhere

EVANSTON, Ill., April 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 46,000 older adults turned to Mather in 2025 for free virtual programs that inspired creativity and connection.

From painting with pets and screenwriting to yoga and herbs for health, Mather, an 84-year-old not-for-profit, provided 53,524 hours of virtual programs that encouraged older adults to learn, create and move as part of its mission to create ways to age well. Older adults from across the U.S. – and even Canada and the United Kingdom – turned to these programs to form meaningful connections and discover new passions and skills.

"We know from research that older adults who embrace lifelong learning feel more optimistic, which can improve physical and mental well-being," Cate O'Brien, PhD, Mather's chief transformation officer said. "Our virtual programming meets people where they are with accessible resources and experiences that leave them feeling accomplished as they try something new and form new friendships."

Mather's focus on wellness, arts, healthy eating, gardening and more are informed by its research arm, Mather Institute. The ongoing insights the institute provides inspire new program ideas, including, most recently, the history and benefits of tea, Chinese calligraphy and map making. Every complementary program is thoughtfully designed to promote wellness, spark creativity and prompt meaningful, accessible connections for older adults.

In 2025, 130,697 total hours were delivered to older adults through 189 unique programs. Beyond virtual opportunities, Mather regularly offers in-person programs and events throughout Chicagoland, with a focus on the city's South and West sides.

Mather recently released its 2025 community impact report, highlighting how it helps older adults improve their overall well-being and sense of autonomy, achievement and connection. Additional highlights from Mather's 2025 community outreach include:

• 25 locations across Chicagoland created experiences for older adults to connect through fitness and nutrition courses, walking clubs, museum talks, yoga and more.
• 21,923 Grow-It-Together Hydroponic Garden and Do-It-Together Art kits were delivered to homes, enabling older adults to learn new skills and share gardening tips with each other.
• More than 16,000 households were provided fresh produce and protein through Mather Market Baskets and Cook & Connect programs, which also included healthy recipes to cook at home.
• More than 1,550 PAW packs were delivered, providing monthly shipments of pet food and treats to promote the benefits of animal companionship.

Mather collaborates with more than 70 Chicagoland organizations on its in-person programming and resources, including National Museum of Mexican Art, The DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center and Chicago Public Libraries, to pilot forward-thinking programs for older adults looking to build connection and learn new skills. Organizations interested in partnering with Mather to build new programs can reach out to [email protected].

To learn more about free virtual programming, including current offerings, and to download this year's full impact report, visit Mather.com/Programs.

About Mather

Based in Evanston, Illinois, Mather is a unique, non-denominational not-for-profit organization founded in 1941 by humanitarian Alonzo Mather. Dedicated to a vision of changing the way society views aging, Mather creates Ways to Age Well^SM through programs, places and residences for today's older adults. These include developing and operating communities that support older adults in pursuing wellness and fulfillment, sparking creativity and connections for older adults in Chicagoland and beyond; and conducting research on living and aging well through its innovation incubator, Mather Institute. Mather's award-winning senior living residences include Mather Place (Wilmette, Illinois), Splendido (Tucson, Arizona), The Mather (Evanston, Illinois) and The Mather (Tysons, Virginia). To learn more, find your way to mather.com.

SOURCE Mather