Young at heart group is an over 65s group, meet once a month for a cup of tea and a chat and events

Description

The young at heart group started just post covid when many older people were still afraid to leave their homes and socialize. There was a lot of loneliness and fear in the older community in the parish the women saw the need for something to get older people back out and meeting people again. What started out as a group of just 7 people no has over 40 members in all. These 2 women ensure that the monthly gatherings of the over 65s of our parish happen, they manage venue prep every month, they manage the money for the kitty and the refreshments available every month. They also coordinated a fundraising cake sale stall at parish Christmas fair and coordinate speakers in to the group that inform the group of funding and services available to them. There is no other retirement group in the parish so they are enabling the coming together of older people who have no other outlet to meet up outside of mass. They also organize chair yoga classes for the group which they all find very beneficial. Speakers they have had in include Alzheimer’s and dementia experts, musicians, personal alarm experts and an ecologist to talk to them about gardening for nature. They also coordinated 2 day trips managing the finances and logistics. They have just recently got involved in a biodiversity plan for the village and are taking on the project of introducing plants and gardening in the local play ground and nearby lake to enhance biodiversity. They are doing this through engaging with the local tidy towns group who are delighted to have them come on board and volunteer with them.
Thanks to these 2 women and their commitment to always show up for their fellow over 65s many new and valuable friendships have been formed and it is amazing how now they often meet up casually outside of the once a month meet up. Some older people in the group were new to the parish and knew no one until they got invited to this group. It has been life changing for them as they say themselves. The group is stronger than ever with 2 more day trips planned this year and another event under planning for this christmas. The group has now reached out and engaged with the tidy towns, the play ground committee and the local angling club and many in the wider community through their stall at the christmas fair.

Aim of Initiative

To reconnect older people with their fellow parishioners and play an active role in their community.
To maintain their physical and mental health as they continue to age, to learn new skills and use those new skills for the benefit of their community eg gardening for biodiversity, yoga, mindfulness
to reach out to everyone over 65 who might be interested in joining the group.

Who is it aimed at

All over 65s in the parish and in wider community.

3 Steps critical to success

1. Getting a comfortable reliable venue
2. Reaching out through the parish news letter and mass announcements and word of mouth and advertising in the local newspaper and putting up posters inviting over 65s to join the group
3. Continuity of the group always meeting on the first friday of every month.
   having variety in the guests brought in to engage with the group.
   going on outings to enable them to engage in other ways.

3 Challenges in Planning / Delivery

1. Securing a good venue that would always be available to the group.
2. Ensuring the word got out to all over 65s as very few of them on social media.
3. Knowing what visitors in were available and useful to the group.

3 Outcomes / Benefits

1. Initially it was a safe space for older people to feel they could come out of their homes and go to post covid.
2. Connecting people with others of similar age that they may have known but not as friends until the group was formed.
3. New people over 65 who had moved to the parish without any family connections got to meet people of a similar age and make friends.
   It has improved the mental, social and physical health of all who attend.