Have you ever considered that as we age, we have the chance to become more fully ourselves? More and not less, individual. Mary Sarton, in her journal, At Seventy, makes this point.
Did your younger self have particular ideas about how an older person should act, seem, or live? Were they prescriptive, limiting? Do you feel the same now?
Have you ever thought about how we are aged by ‘culture’ – the landscape we age within? In western societies, we tend to think firstly about ageing in relation to physical changes and health/medical needs. While we rely on our bodies, isn’t this limiting? Does it mean we miss out on opportunities that ageing brings with it and does it stop us from considering the other things about our ‘culture’? What about the policies that affect us as we age? Do they help or hinder us? Why are many older people living in poverty for example? Anne Karpf raises these questions in How to Age?
These are the sort of questions our Engage programme looks at through our courses and workshops promoting personal development, community collaboration and active citizenship. Take a look at what we offer here.
For Individuals
Changing Gears
Changing Gears is an in-person course that supports people in dealing with transitions or significant life-challenges in mid to later life. It focuses on how we can build resilience, take stock, make changes, and bounce forward in life. It runs over 5 weeks with 2.5 hour sessions on the same day each week.
Watch out for Changing Gears coming to a venue near you, we run it nationwide and attendance is free on HSE funded courses. Courses are coming up in Lucan, Dublin and Ennis, Co Clare this Autumn.
For Groups
Ageing with Confidence
Ageing is much more about attitude than a number. A positive attitude is a great help for confidence and morale as we age. This in-person course is holistic in its focus on different aspects of the self (body, mind, imagination, intuition, will). Using music, movement, visual art and story, as well as personal reflection and sharing, sessions are designed to be as interactive and enjoyable as possible. Topics include: Creative ageing; Body/Mind (the Physical & Psychological self); Confidence, Resilience and Self-belief; Managing Stress; the Social and Spiritual self. It runs over 5 weeks with 2.5 hour sessions on the same day each week.
Get Engaged
Are you in a group, or running a group, that would like to start a community project or initiative and acquire new skills at the same time?
Get Engaged is a course aimed at developing the skills and knowledge of people (aged 50+) who wish to play an active part in their communities and challenge ageism by highlighting the contributions older people make to society. It invites participants to work together on collective activities or creative initiatives, which address specific needs and strengthen participation in their local community. It suits those who have a community issue or project they would like to address and for groups that don’t, the course helps to identify one they may wish to start. Perhaps climate change and tackling that in your community is something you, or your group, are interested in?
For Groups and for Organisations/Employers
AgeWise
Are you a group or an organisation keen to promote positive ageing and increase awareness of attitudes to ageing? AgeWise is a facilitated workshop of 1.5/2 hours, designed to raise awareness of attitudes to ageing and older people in the workplace and wider society. It is suitable for older persons’ groups and community, parish or library groups who are interested in promoting and learning about positive ageing.
It would also suit organisations/employers:
- who are interested in promoting and learning about positive ageing
- whose work affects the lives of older people, in particular employers and people delivering services to older people, or coming into contact with older people on a regular basis.
For more information and costs regarding any of the above please contact Fiona Holohan, Engage Programme Coordinator on Fiona.holohan@ageandopportunity.ie or tel (01) 913 392.
