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Dr. Áine Ní Léime, Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

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Inclusive communities: opportunities and challenges in older age: Participating in social and creative programmes for older people. Dr. Áine Ní Léime, Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway. Active Ageing, Creative Ageing and quality of life. www.icsg.ie. Active Ageing :. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Inclusive communities: opportunities and challenges in older age: Participating in social and creative programmes for older people. Dr. Áine Ní Léime, Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway. Active Ageing, Creative Ageing and quality of life. www.icsg.ie
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Page 1: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

Inclusive communities: opportunities and challenges in older age:Participating in social and creative programmes for older people.

Dr. Áine Ní Léime, Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.Active Ageing, Creative Ageing and quality of life. www.icsg.ie

Page 2: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

23 October, 2013

‘The process of optimising opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age’ (WHO, 2002)WHO recommends that the state and NGO’s should provide such opportunities

Active Ageing :

Page 3: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

Why participate in social/leisure activities?Social activities: • Enhances quality of life, delays cognitive decline.

Physical activities:• Help prevent diseases; reduce depression; combats memory

impairment

Cultural activities: • Enhances self-esteem; sense of mastery/ control

23 October, 2013

Page 4: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

23 October, 2013

Active Ageing: the challenges• Problematising ‘active ageing’: are some people excluded? Is it accessible for

all groups ?• Whose responsibility is it to maximise participation?

– Individual, NGO’s , the state?• Why is it important?

– Demographic ageing– Decline of traditional opportunities for continued participation

• farming, church, shops, pubs, particularly in rural areas

Page 5: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

23 October, 2013

What is Active Retirement Ireland? (ARI)• 550 Active Retirement Associations (ARAs)• 23,000 members (est.)• 27 years - as yet no assessment of impact• European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between the Generations,

2012.• Aim: To encourage members to maintain their independence and to

participate in social contacts and self-help activities of a cultural, educational and sporting nature aimed at enhancing quality of life

Page 6: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

Aim of research

Assess:• motivations for joining• impact of membership of an ARA on the quality of life (QoL) of its

members.• Impact on community• Identify barriers to joining an ARA.• Implications for policy?• Implications for research

23rd October, 2013

Page 7: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

23 October, 2013

Mixed methods evaluationSelf-completion questionnaire posted to:

– all 541 chairpersons of ARAs– 341 surveys to membersFocus groups: Five (6-8 members)Interviews with:20 members and 8 non-members

Page 8: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

23 October, 2013

Research findings

• Response rate: – chairpersons’ survey: 50% (270/541)– members’ survey: 62% (210/341)

• All respondents: 77% female, 23% male• Committee members : 76% female, 25% male• Members: 79% female, 21% male

Page 9: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

Motivations: life transitionsBereavement:

‘I was widowed and was feeling a bit lost and lonely and I felt that this (ARA) could suit me’

Retirement; loss of social networks:

‘When I worked, I was always involved with large groups of people I had lots of contacts. I didn’t realise when I retired I had lost that’

Returning to an area: ‘Well, I came back from England having been there for 43 years and came back close to where I came from, but of course people had moved on and I had lost contact to a great extent ... and I went (to an ARA) and it was a great way of getting back into the community and getting to know people’

23rd October, 2013

Page 10: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

Types of activitiesPhysical Activities: swimming; walking; Go-for Life; bowls; other (61%-27%).

Social activities: tea-dances; short holidays; day tours; coffee mornings (96-75%).

Cultural activities: theatre; Bealtaine; museums; other, opera (79-33%)

Educational activities:

Information; guest speakers; other; arts and crafts; PC and mobile phone training (83 % - 27%)

23rd October, 2013

Page 11: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

23rd October, 2013

• The average QoL score for the group is 46.5• Males: 46 • Females: 44• TILDA 42.7; ELSA 42.5

Score lower than 19 indicates absence of QoL

Maximum Score Achievable is 57

Conclusion: respondents have good QoL

Quality of Life (CASP-19 scale)

Page 12: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

Loneliness

• Average loneliness score:– ARI study =1.47: TILDA = 2 (Timonen et al., 2011)

Members = 1.73; ACM = 1.37• ‘For me, the quality of life it’s given me from loneliness to not

having time to bless myself now in this organisation. It’s just made me very, very active and aware.’ – [Source: Female ARA member Focus group]

23rd October, 2013

Page 13: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

Challenges: Barriers to joining

• Perceptions:

– “for older people – I’m not drooling yet , you know”

– For women.

• Difficult to access for people with less mobility

• Lack of transport in rural areas

• Shyness – difficult to take the initial step.

• Those without networks excluded , unless targeted

• They recommend “the personal ask”, transport etc

23rd October, 2013

Page 14: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

Participating in the Bealtaine arts festival:

Page 15: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

23 October, 2013

What is Bealtaine?• Annual national month-long festival that celebrates creativity in older age• Includes several art forms:

– dance, literature, visual arts, theatre, film, music• Involves multiple agencies:

– local authorities, national cultural institutions, libraries, HSE, active retirement and community groups, regional arts centres

• co-ordinated by Age and Opportunity. Annual theme

Page 16: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

23rd October, 2013

Music, Dance, Opening ceremony

Page 17: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

23rdh October, 2013

ICSG evaluation of Bealtaine• Assess impact of Bealtaine:

– on older participants• well-being and social gain for older people• involvement in the community• solidarity among older people• 26 counties; over 100,000 people, over 450 organisations

Page 18: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

23rd October, 2013

Impact on participants• Findings – according to participants

– Bealtaine improves well-being, psychological outlook, self-esteem– creates social connections and enhances social relationships (95%)– facilitates personal development – skills etc. (89%)– engagement in community (87%)– facilitates self-expression (87%)– improved my quality of life (86%)

Page 19: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

Impact on participants

• Personal development :– “You learn a lot ... when I started I knew practically nothing about

modern art … it gives you an open mind, that you take a thing in … you look and examine” (visual arts programme participant)

• Self-expression :– “I have to say I have found my voice since joining in this group”

(member of writer’s group)

Page 20: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

23rd October, 2013

social cohesion– “It has broken down the walls of the hospital and it has involved everyone, especially the

community.. (Bealtaine organiser in a hospital)

engagement with the community– “I’m out and about more and meeting people. I’m also becoming more aware of people and

their needs” (member of Active Retirement Association)

– “I’m aware of what’s going on in the community”

Impact on participants and communities

Page 21: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

23rd October, 2013

• Social networking:– “I have formed a big circle of friends who are interested in similar activities”

(member of writer’s group)

• Quality of life:– “It gave me a new lease of life. I’m a widow and I live alone. It’s marvellous

to have something to get out for – to get involved in and then to forget your pains and aches and get completely immersed in the whole thing”(inter-generational programme in drama)

Social impacts for participants

Page 22: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

Enhances role of older people in community• Inter-generational programmes; getting to know younger people in area for

first time; advising; passing on skills. • Local identity• Setting up their own writer’s groups in their own communities • Knock-on effects: people have gone on to join community groups and be

involved in fund-raising• Groups who were isolated:

e.g. people in residential centres have opened up to the community

23rd October, 2013

Page 23: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

23rdh October, 2013

Opportunities: Participating in creative programmes like Bealtaine and social groups like ARI is very beneficial:– for mental and physical well-being of participants– encourages older people to become involved in other community activities

Challenges for inclusivity:– State should support such participation. – Need to target hard to reach groups:

• men; older people; those without transport, impaired mobility

Conclusions:

Page 24: Dr. Áine Ní Léime,  Irish Centre for Social Gerontology, NUI Galway.

23rd October, 2013

Theme for Bealtaine 2007: “Forever Begin”

Though we live in a world that dreams of ending, That always seems about to give in,

Something that will not acknowledge conclusion,Insists that we forever begin.

(from “Begin” by Brendan Kennelly)


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