Cavan Older People’s Council Drop in Information Sessions

Description

Cavan Age Friendly Programme host Free Drop In Information Sessions which are open to all Older People to attend. During Covid these Information Sessions moved online but have now made a welcome return in person. Topics for the information sessions are chosen by consulting with the members of Cavan OIder People’s Council Executive Committee and with members of Cavan Age Friendly Alliance. Topics which range from fun events to more serious presentations. The sessions are advertised in advance by using traditional print media, posters, emails and social media. The OPC Executive Committee members also promote the sessions by word of mouth.

Refreshments are served and people attending have a chance to chat, meet new people and reconnect with their friends. The voice of our Older People is essential in planning the sessions. Topics are agreed in advance at OPC Executive Committee meetings.

For example recently there has been sessions on Gardening with the Cavan County Council Horticulturist, Healthy Living with Christine McGuinness from Back to Nature Health shop and Jonathan Smyth from Cavan Library Services spoke on the History of Cavan Town. We also had an online physio class with a Physiotherapist from Cavan General Hospital, online Poetry sessions and Creative Writing Workshops with a Local Writer. We held a special online event to mark St Brigid’s Day. An Garda Siochana’s Crime Prevention Officer gave Crime Prevention Tips. A talk on a Healthy Bladder and Bowel was delivered by a Public Health Nurse from the HSE. In 2023 the sessions have moved between different venues so that Older People from different areas might consider attending. Generally we use the Events Space in Johnston Central Library but in March 2023 we linked up with Positive Age and used their meeting room in Castlemanor which is beside Castlemanor Retirement Village/Nursing Home. In May 2023 two Creative sessions took place in Cootehill Library. These were facilitated by Bailieborough Creative Hub and participants painted and made handmade cards. The Creative sessions were a direct response to the feedback from those who took part in the Age Friendly Ireland/Creative Ireland North Region St Brigid project in 2022. Members of Cavan Age Friendly Alliance are a vital part of the initiative also. Talks on bladder and bowel health from the HSE, online physiotherapy sessions and crime prevention advice were all delivered by organisations represented on the Alliance. In 2023 members of the OPC Executive Committee wanted to have a session on how to use technology. It was decided that Cavan and Monaghan Education & Training Board would instead host a 6-week course on use of smartphones and tablets for Older People. This course was oversubscribed and the participants on it want to continue their classes in the Autumn. A new course will be organised in addition to the follow on course for those who took part in May. This is an example of how the information sessions can lead to longer term initiatives.

Aim of Initiative

The aim of the Cavan Older People’s Council Drop in Information sessions is twofold. They are a forum for Older People to meet and have a chat while giving them the opportunity to learn something new be it by taking part in a fun hands-on activity or listening to a presentation from an expert in a wide variety of fields. All sessions are interactive those attending can participate by asking questions or can contribute to the conversation by discussing their own experiences. During Covid the online sessions allowed Older People who were in the main confined to their homes to meet people albeit virtually and have the chance to talk to others. Assistance was provided by staff members of Cavan Age Friendly Programme to people who were unsure of how to use zoom. The OPC Executive Committee want to continue to host some sessions online to allow people to attend if they can’t be there in person. By having online sessions it also opens up the possibility of having speakers who are not local to the area and who do not want to travel. The possibility of having blended sessions is something that is currently being explored.

Who is it aimed at

The initiative is aimed at all Older People in the Community. They are advertised widely and everyone who attends is given the opportunity to join Cavan Older People’s Council if they are not already members. The sessions have been very useful in growing the numbers of members of Cavan Older People’s Council.

3 Steps critical to success

1. Having a variety of information sessions on relevant topics/availability of facilitators to deliver sessions.
2. Staff time in Cavan Age Friendly Programme to organise sessions, advertise, provide refreshments for those attending and a budget is necessary for advertising also. In general room hire and speakers are free although in some cases speakers charge a fee.
3. OPC involvement is vital as information sessions are tailored to their suggestions. The Alliance members are also key to the sessions with topics that are discussed at Alliance meetings often leading to presentations from Alliance member agencies at drop in sessions.

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. Availability of Facilitators and venues – Advance planning is essential when organising information sessions but sometimes things can happen that derail event the best laid plans. An example is when the lady who was booked to deliver a chair aerobics class got laryngitis and couldn’t speak so the class had to be cancelled the evening before. The events space in the Johnston Central Library is very well used so plans must be made in advance to ensure availability of that venue.
2. Staff time to organise sessions and attend same. The planning for sessions can take time but as the sessions usually take place at the same time on the same day each week the staff member’s diary is block booked so this helps with organising staff resources.
3. Budget for advertising and some speakers do require payment also. Newspaper adverts can be quite expensive and the Cavan Age Friendly budget is quite limited so this can be a challenge. In Cavan the local newspaper is widely read particularly among Older People so money spent on print advertising is worth it.
   However efforts are also made to use free resources for advertising as much as possible eg emails, posters, social media and word of mouth.

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. Older People have access to information which is specifically tailored to their needs as they are involved in selecting topics and all sessions are interactive.
2. Older People can meet have a chat and a cup of tea this allows them to socialise with others and meet people who they might not have the opportunity to meet otherwise.
3. The sessions are always attended by staff from Cavan Age Friendly Programme and this gives them the chance to get to know Older People in the community, inform them about the Age Friendly Programme and gives the Older People a chance to highlight anything that they might need help with.