The Ageing with Confidence Programme is a health promotion programme designed for older people by Age and Opportunity. Age and Opportunity is the national organisation that inspires everyone to reach their full potential as they age. They work with public and private partners to deliver programmes like the Bealtaine arts festival in May each year, and Go for Life – the national sports programme for older people.
The Ageing with Confidence programme aims to enhance the development of older people by providing education for health, developing life skills, promoting positive mental health and building self-confidence. According to Age and Opportunity, the programme “is based on an ethos of empowerment and mutual self-help among older people and promotes physical and mental health and social interaction”. The Group Programme consists of 8 weekly two and a half hour sessions. Each session is delivered by two facilitators trained by Age & Opportunity. Topics covered include:
- Self-Confidence and Ageism
- The Components of Self and Physical Ageing
- Psychological Aspects of Normal Ageing
- Self-Knowledge and Stresses in Later Life
- The Emotional Self
- Improving Self-Confidence
- Isolation, Loneliness and Sexuality in Later Life
- Review and Evaluation of the Programme
If you would like to take part in Ageing with Confidence course in Dun Laoghaire Rathdown, you could contact Fiona Holohan directly at Age & Opportunity, Marino Institute of Education, Griffith Avenue, Dublin 9, phone (01) 805 7798 or email her at: Fiona.Holohan@ageandopportunity.ie Alternatively you could contact the Southside Partnership DLR: http://southsidepartnership.ie/ who deliver the programme on behalf of Age & Opportunity in this area.
Ageing with Confidence is also available through the medium of the Irish language as Aosú le Muinín. The course content is identical to the English language version and the facilitators have all been trained by Age & Opportunity. Currently Aosú le Muinín is available in South Connemara through Tearmann Éanna Teo, Baile Na hAbhann, An Tulach, Co na Gaillimhe. tearmanneanna@eircom.net