Empowering the older person to reconnect with their community

Description

At Riada House Day Care Centre, we have renewed our commitment post Covid to re-engage and empower older people in our community through a community roots revival. With a vision focused on combatting loneliness and isolation, we have developed a comprehensive programme of initiatives that bring community to our service users and encourage our service users to actively engage with their community in return.

KEY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES:

Health and home empowerment:

Through talks led by Offaly County Council’s healthy age friendly homes representative, service users have been informed of home improvement grants, helping them remain independent and safe in their own homes. Many are now actively pursuing these upgrades.
Offaly Fire And Rescue Services from Offaly County Council delivered sessions on fire safety and prevention in the home.

Safety and Advocacy:

We welcomed our regional sage advocacy representative for presentations on elder rights, coinciding with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, promoting elder empowerment.

Person Centered / Holistic:

Our local social prescriber delivered talks on non pharmaceutical ways to promote healthy living and mental health wellbeing.

Civic Engagement:

We actively encourage participation in the local older person council.
Our service users took part in consultations with The ICPOP living well group’s initiative to create a folder “My Health Matters” enabling older persons to feel empowered when attending medical appointments.

Arts and Culture Integration:

Our service users have enjoyed performances by “Chorus Connect” a local community choir with two of our service users as members.
We hosted “Court Yard Sessions” with locally based classically trained musicians.
We attended “Spring Sing” in Tullamore library as part of the Bealtaine Festival to hear a performance by the local County Council Choir.
Participation in Anam Arts in Care resulting in our recent project ” Did I Ever Tell You ?

Aim of Initiative

Dementia

Who is it aimed at

Life and Times” in Tullamore in September.

Information And Inclusion:

Weekly distribution of the weekly Age Friendly Newsletter and upcoming launch of our own in house newsletter.
Creation of a Information Hub and availability of service users feedback forms and a complaints and compliments book.

Spiritual and Emotional Wellbeing:

We host monthly Mass and seasonal religious services for service users to attend.

We host seasonal events and celebrations for service users eg. Christmas dinner with all the trimmings and live music. Halloween fun and games complete with fancy dress costumes, Summer garden parties with live music and fresh strawberries and cream in the sunshine.

3 Steps critical to success

1. EMPOWERING OLDER PERSONS TO LIVE WELL AND RE-ENGAGE IN THEIR COMMUNITY POST-COVID:
   Our initiatives are designed to strengthen the bond between older people and the wider community like creating meaningful opportunity’s for participation, expression and connection. We aim to ensure that older adults remain visible, valued and actively involved in life in their local area.
   By hosting cultural events such as performances from Chorus Connect, local musicians and visiting school groups, we bring the community directly in to our centre. These shared experiences promote intergenerational connecting, joy and a sense of inclusion.
   Participation in public initiatives like the “Spring Sing
2. Hope Shoebox Appeal
3. Denim Day” for dementia and ” Daffodil Day” allows older adults to give back and engage in causes that unite communitiess. These opportunities create a sense of purpose and belonging beyond the walls of our centre.
   Educational sessions delivered by local experts in health care ,Fire Safety and advocacy empower our service users to confidentially navigate community services, helping them to remain active and informed citizens.
   We support civic involvement through encouragement to join the ” Older persons Council” and by including our service users in local consultations like ” My Health Matters”-ensuring that their voices shape policies and services that affect them directly.
   through spiritual services, arts projects like ” Did I Ever Tell You?

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. ACTIVE PARTICIPATON AND FEEDBACK;
   Involving service users in planning, consultations and ongoing feedback processes ensures the initiatives are relevant, person centered and responsive to their needs.
2. CONSISTANT COMMUNICATION AND INCLUSION:
   Providing assessable information through newsletters, events, and one on one support keeps service users informed and connected, promoting ongoing engagement and a sense of belonging.
3. REDUCED SOCIAL ISOLATION:
   Regular events, performances and group activities have fostered social interaction, helping older adults build friendships and feel more connected to their community.

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. newsletter
2. , “These initiatives are aimed at older adults in our community, particularly those experiencing isolation, limited mobility or reduced access to services. They support individuals seeking connection, empowerment and improved well-being, helping them stay engaged informed and actively involved in shaping and enjoying their community.
3. COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS:
   Building strong relationships with local organisations, professionals and volunteers ensures a wide range of expertise and services are brought directly to older people.