Taking a cursory look at the range of activities on offer for senior citizens, one might get the impression that the main needs of mature people are the development of artistic skills, trips and get-togethers. Such a view is stereotypical. However, as with any stereotype, there is a grain of truth in it. Fortunately, the reality of mature people is more complex and their needs have many „shades of grey”. Seniors themselves speak best about their situation and their needs, and the role of the MOST Association is to help them make this voice heard. That is why in 2023 we implemented the project „Seniors Act!”, which received funding under the Multiannual Programme for Older Persons „Active+” 2021-2025 - Edition 2023. One of its outcomes is this collection of ideas for activities for senior citizens.
We collected the ideas and needs of senior citizens during several group meetings in each of the towns covered by the project's activities and during a joint four-day travel workshop. The aim of the workshop, and of the project as a whole, was to strengthen senior citizens' councils and council members. Another aim of the activity was to inspire senior citizens' councils to take innovative measures for the benefit of mature people.
Who is a senior citizen?
This was the first question that those involved in the project - designing solutions for seniors - had to answer. According to them, several subgroups of senior citizens should be distinguished:
- People who have reached the legal retirement age, i.e. 60+ for women and 65+ for men. These are usually people who describe themselves as „young” and „active”. These people often work and, if not, expect to relax at home or enjoy an interesting and active cultural offer for relatively little money. It is worth noting that these are people who rarely need help and care. However, they perceive their own physical fitness to be declining, which influences their view of public space, including proximity to services and the availability of leisure facilities.
- The „longevity” people who are assessed as 80+ by those participating in the project. These are people who are often alone in their homes and require constant care. In addition, they are unable to take advantage of the current range of activities and events. Reasons for this include: deteriorated physical fitness, inability to use new technologies, lack of trust in strangers and the services offered, fatigue and a desire to rest, health problems. These are perceived by people 60+ as needing support.
As a result of the division of the entire senior citizens' group into two age groups and the continuous increase in the number of senior citizens, it was noted that while there are interesting initiatives for active young seniors in the voivodship, it is quite a challenge to support thee for people 80+. According to those who participated in the project, currently people 80+ are „left alone” and rely mainly on the help of families and care facilities. There is no cultural and activating offer for people staying at home.
Senior citizens' council in every municipality
The main demand of those participating in the project is to regularly consulting on local legislation and changes to the public space with 60+ residents of the specific area. In addition, these opinions should be submitted by people of different ages and abilities. And, while in smaller municipalities it is simpler to seek such an opinion in „off-the-record” forms (e.g. private conversations between people 60+ and the authorities), this is not possible in large cities. Therefore, according to the Act on Municipal, District and Provincial Self-Government, it is possible to set up a senior citizens' council. Such a council should be a link between seniors and the authorities. According to the comments of those who participated:
- Due to legal changes and the differing approaches of the supervisory authorities, the statutes of the senior citizens' council should be universal and general, while at the same time flexible so that they can be adapted to local conditions and the needs of the senior citizens' community.
- When setting up a new council of senior citizens, the provisions on the number of members and the way in which they are elected should be thoroughly considered, taking into account participatory and democratic principles.
The project meetings also discussed the council's rules of procedure, which should define in detail key aspects of its activities, such as the role of the chairperson and his or her competences, the composition of the council's bureau, the number of members, their competences, deputies, the division of tasks, the appointment of working groups, the external representation of the council, the work between sessions and the reports of the senior citizens' council.
Factual situation
Unfortunately, since 2013, in the Silesian Voivodeship, according to data from the Bona Fides Association contained in the report “Senior Citizens” Councils in the Silesian Voivodeship. Condition and prospects for development" the number of senior citizens' councils is not high.
“In the Silesian Voivodeship, in mid-2017, senior citizens” councils existed in 2 county councils and 32 municipal councils, including two rural municipalities and almost all cities with county rights [there are 19 urban counties in the voivodeship], except for Zabrze."
These are the latest figures on the number of Senior Citizens' Councils established. As of this writing, there is still no Seniors' Council in Zabrze, but a Provincial Seniors' Council has been established. Considering that there are 36 counties and 167 municipalities in the province, Senior Citizens' Councils have been established in approximately 19% municipalities and 55% counties. MOST's experience of implementing activities to strengthen senior councils shows that the potential of mature activists, including senior councillors, is untapped.
Senior citizens' councils and activities for senior citizens
Senior citizens„ councils do not have legal personality and cannot be a ”contracting party' (e.g. for funding of activities), as a result, councils have little opportunity to actively undertake activities for people 60+. This aspect, among councillors and senior citizens, arouses considerable emotion. On the one hand, people point out that „the council is not for action but for advice”, on the other hand, in some locations there is no representative senior community working for 60+ people.
As a result, active activities for senior citizens are being undertaken:
- NGOs linked to senior councillors (the most common form of action),
- entities as part of a call for tenders developed by the local authority together with senior councillors,
- local authorities (this solution is rare).
In accordance with the rules, the form of implementation of a particular initiative should be chosen for that initiative. In order to implement the initiative in the least costly and most time-efficient way.
Activity ideas for senior citizens
Senior bench
The idea for the initiative responds to the needs of senior citizens moving independently in public spaces and running households. They are the kind of people who tire more quickly and it can often be a challenge for them to walk the distance from the shop to home with heavy nets. Therefore, it is important to:
- carry out a public consultation process with the senior community in the municipality and select locations where senior benches can be placed,
- design the optimum bench for a senior citizen and place it in selected locations.
The bench should meet accessibility criteria and respond to the needs of different senior groups (e.g. with knee conditions). In addition, the bench should be protected against vandalism and easy to keep clean. According to the recommendations of the participants in the activities, the bench has the signature: „Senior bench”.
Due to the considerable cost of the investment and the need to obtain permission for the installation of the benches, those involved in the project recommend that such an initiative be carried out by the local government in close cooperation with the senior citizens' council.
Digital senior citizens' club - an example of a needed activity for senior citizens
This is another idea for an initiative that can be implemented in any form depending on the funds raised. The initiative responds to the need of seniors for a large proportion of services to be delivered digitally. Such „forced” personal action in the digital world for quite a few people is a big barrier. Seniors:
- They often do not have access to computers and undertake their main digital activities on their phone,
- are less skilled in dealing with digital offices and do so less frequently. As a result, the acquired skill of, for example, sending letters by epuap fades over time,
- often do not want to acquire new digital competences, which they use occasionally,
- are aware of digital risks, but are not familiar with the detailed mechanisms of, for example, online scams. This influences a rather high level of fear of taking online actions related to finances and digital identity on their own.
A digital seniors' club could be the answer to the above-mentioned barriers to using digital public services. It will be a place where, on a stationary, one-to-one basis, seniors will receive support in dealing with their official matters. The club should be run by a local government institution or a non-governmental organisation enjoying public trust.
Mining feasts and other gatherings to build a sense of local identity
This is for single people who are ready to meet new people and spend time together. The initiative assumes that the meeting must be thematic and address issues of importance to seniors in the region. For example, in the Silesian Voivodeship, the theme of the meetings could be the disappearing traditions of miners.
Depending on the funds raised, the initiative could consist of one meeting, the programme of which would be prepared by senior citizens, or a series of events. For example, a miner's feast could be preceded by historical lectures on mining, beer, beer mugs and Upper Silesia. The event could also be combined with a tour of the sites Szlakiem Zabytków Techniki. In addition, recycling or environmental workshops can be prepared for integration purposes.
The implementation of such activities is important for both seniors themselves and young people. Seniors are listened to when they share their stories, and younger people discover more of the culture that is so quickly being forgotten.
Individual activities in the homes of senior citizens
This idea responds to the longevity challenges of people 80+, who are often lonely and rarely leave their homes. With age comes a reluctance in them to be socially active. People 80+ rarely participate in sports and educational activities, which in turn affects their wellbeing and physical condition. Sometimes - they are unable to participate because they are unable to leave the house on their own. An additional challenge for people 80+ is the lack of cultural and sporting activities tailored to their physical abilities.
To address these challenges, those involved in the workshops and the project developed a concept for comprehensive support for people 80+ in their homes. Individual activities responding to the needs of people 80+ are provided at the place of residence of people 80+ by staff from community centres and sports clubs.
The idea of activities for senior citizens also involves establishing cooperation with housing associations, parishes and the social welfare centre. These institutions have regular contact with seniors and will help get information about activities to the right people. In addition, working with recognised partners will lend credibility to the organisation itself and make it easier to get the senior citizen's permission to invite a stranger into their home.
Involvement of senior citizens in lawmaking
This is another comprehensive initiative a activities for senior citizens, which is mainly aimed at men 75+. As studies, including those of the Central Statistical Office (CSO), about the situation of the elderly indicate, men are less active than women seniors. Their main interests include sports, politics, which do not require leaving the house and being active. Often spending time alone in front of the TV and being cut off from other sources of information results in difficulty in engaging in quality discussions with others.
Therefore, those involved in the project have developed the idea of gradually encouraging people to leave their homes and participate in public debates. The main prize for seniors participating in the whole activity will be a meeting with a well-known politician. The concept is that:
- Participants in the programme are encouraged to take part by people known in the local environment. This could be a priest or, for example, a local activist.
- The first stage of the programme is a workshop on rhetoric and public speaking. This activity may be accompanied by meetings with a make-up artist or workshops on building one's image.
- The next stage of activities is meetings with decision-makers. The meetings take place in the offices. An additional element of the outings is a tour of the office, including the session rooms. Project participants visit and meet with district councils, municipalities, districts, provinces, the parliament, and possibly the European Commission. Such a trip to the Sejm can be a great experience for a person who has hitherto watched sittings on TV.
In addition, at each of the sites visited, you can talk to politicians and political figures.
How to enter the senior citizens' community?
How to reach seniors is the main question for NGOs undertaking activities for senior citizens. There is no single good answer, but it is worth noting that with the number of activities undertaken, the confidence of individuals and their families in the organisation increases. Which, in turn, translates into the ease of attracting more participants to projects.
Younger organisations are in the worst situation when starting activities for people 60+. These organisations should look for ambassadors for their idea (preferably 60+) to facilitate reaching more people. Young organisations can also carry out activities in partnership with organisations that support people 60+., but, for example, do not have the potential to raise funds.
Where to get funding for activities for senior citizens?
Activities for people 60+ are funded by various institutions. The easiest way is to obtain a small grant from the authority where the activities will be undertaken. These funds are scarce, as local authorities have more and more expenses and less and less income. It is therefore advisable to seek funding for activities in:
- nationwide grant competitions - e.g. Active+, New CIF, etc,
- programmes for initiative groups and active citizens - e.g. CIF Silesia Locally,
- private foundations, including international ones, which fund activities that develop social and civic participation.
Sources of funding are indeed plentiful. Make an appointment with us and benefit from COP Katowice's free assistance in raising funds for your activities. Contact details can be found on our website.
About the project
The project „Seniors Act!” was awarded funding under the Multiannual Programme for Older Persons „Active+” 2021-2025 - Edition 2023. The aim of the project was to inspire and stimulate the civic activities of 40 senior citizens within Senior Citizens“ Councils by the end of 31 December 2023. The project involved an innovative approach to civic education for current councillors and those who are setting up such a council in a town where there is none. An important aspect of the project was joint ”in action' learning and exchange of experience between activists from Zabrze, Mysłowice and Katowice.