Last month, we celebrated the annual NSW Seniors Festival, with the theme for 2024 being ‘reaching beyond.’ The theme was an important reminder that maintaining an active and connected lifestyle is an important part of healthy ageing.
One of the misconceptions that comes with ageing is that it entails reducing your activities or limiting your experiences. However, we know that maintaining activities and a vibrant social life allows people to defy the misconceptions and unhelpful expectations around ageing and maintain an enriched life no matter their age.
One of the ways that Co.As.It. promotes ‘reaching beyond’ is by running several social support groups, where we meet weekly, connecting our community members, and enjoying an outing together. Our social support groups facilitate a range of activities, including walks, going to the cinema and restaurants, lunches, playing cards and visiting landmarks around Sydney. Our social support groups cater to those who may be more active and independent, as well as those who may be frailer or with specialised needs such as dementia. You can read more about our Active Ageing, Frail-Aged and Dementia-Specific Social Support Groups here.
Another way that Co.As.It. embraces the idea of ‘reaching beyond’ is through sharing the love of joy, music and dancing at our annual Seniors Festival concerts. In March, we hosted two Italian concerts at Canada Bay Club and Mounties, featuring some great artists including Cosima De Vito, George Vumbaca and The De Bellis band. Research has shown that music has an enormously powerful effect on the brain, causing both the release of positive chemicals, but also activating key memories and the emotions around them. Accordingly, at our Seniors Week concerts, our many guests found the music reminiscent of their youth and happy memories.
Finally, ‘reaching beyond’ reflects the importance of contributing to a greater cause or others’ needs, such as volunteering within your community. At Co.As.It., we are proud to run a thriving Volunteer and Companionship program, whereupon we link up members of our community for conversation and social support. Our generous volunteers express that reaching out to others, who may be socially isolated or in need of companions is a beautiful experience, and similarly our community members express looking forward to these fortnightly visits whereupon they get to share some of their life and build a friendship over time.
As we reflect on the important roles that our seniors play in our community, we can be encouraged to keep ‘reaching beyond’ and connecting with each other in our lives. If you would like to learn more about Co.As.It.’s senior services, then you can contact us on 02 9564 0744 or at info@coasit.org.au
