Positive Ageing Month: social connection vital for wellbeing
The Public Health Agency (PHA) is shining a spotlight on the importance of social connection and encouraging people to take part in age-friendly events as part of Positive Ageing Month this October.
Throughout the month, Age Friendly Coordinators in all 11 local council are hosting activities alongside community organisations designed to bring people together, help reduce isolation and celebrate the valuable contribution older people make to our communities.
Jeff Scroggie, Regional Health Improvement Lead for Ageing Well at the PHA, said: “Loneliness is one of the biggest risks to older people’s wellbeing. Social connection is vital for our health and wellbeing at every stage of life, but it becomes even more important as we get older. Positive Ageing Month is an opportunity to recognise the enormous societal contribution older people make, while also encouraging everyone to get involved in activities that help strengthen connections and create a real sense of belonging.
“Taking part in local events is a great way to meet new people, strengthen communities and enjoy all the benefits that social connection brings.”
To support positive ageing, tackle health inequalities and build intergenerational links, the PHA funds Age-Friendly Coordinators in all council areas across Northern Ireland. These coordinators, working alongside local partners, are delivering a diverse programme of events and information sessions throughout October to encourage older people to stay active, engaged and connected.
Positive Ageing Month is also about looking ahead – ensuring that communities across Northern Ireland are places where people can thrive as they grow older.
Jeff continued: “Positive ageing is about thriving, not just surviving, and building inclusive, age-friendly communities that benefit everyone. The Age-Friendly Network continues to grow across Northern Ireland, helping to create a society where older people feel valued, included and supported to live and age well. We would encourage everyone to see what’s happening in their local area and get involved.”
To find out what’s happening in your area, visit your local council website or follow their social media channels for details of Positive Ageing Month events near you.
- The theme of this Positive Ageing Month is: “Building Belonging – Celebrating the Power of Our Social Connections."
- Positive Ageing Month helps to raise awareness of opportunities and challenges faced by ageing populations, and to mobilise the wider community to address difficulties faced by older people.
- The Age-Friendly work undertaken by the PHA forms part of the PHA participation in the World Health Organisation’s Age-Friendly Communities Programme.
- The Age-Friendly Network in Northern Ireland has been supported by the PHA since 2019 and has grown to include all 11 local councils
- An Age-Friendly Community is a place that enables people to age well and live a good later life. Somewhere that people can stay living in their homes, participate in the activities they value, and contribute to their communities, for as long as possible.
- The UK Network of Age-Friendly Communities is a growing movement, with over 75 places across the country committed to making their community a better place to age in. Over 26 million people are living in an Age-Friendly Community.
- The UK Network is part of a global movement led by the World Health Organisation, affiliated to the Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities.
- View a map of Age-Friendly Communities and details of Northern Ireland’s Age Friendly Coordinators can be found at https://ageing-better.org.uk/uk-network-age-friendly-communities#map