Positive Ageing Month launched across the Fermanagh and Omagh District

28th September 2020

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Positive Ageing Month 4

The Western Health and Social Care Trust and lead partners Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, Public Health Agency and South West Age Partnership are working together to promote the 3rd annual Positive Ageing Month throughout the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area during the month of October.

Launching the campaign, Seamus Ward, Head of Health Improvement, Western Health & Social Care Trust said: “Positive Ageing Month gives us an opportunity to draw attention to groups and activities that exist for older people throughout the District. In an ageing population, it is important we continue to work together to encourage older people to reach out and connect with their local community, not only to reduce social isolation and loneliness but to support them to live, long healthy lives. We also must not forget the valuable contribution older people make within our local communities.”

Positive Ageing month takes into consideration the 5 steps to wellbeing – Be Active, Connect, Take Notice, Give and Keep Learning. This PHA initiative shows these 5 simple steps built into our daily lives can help maintain and improve emotional health and wellbeing. This year in light of Covid-19, a mixture of activities are planned that enable older people to connect both virtually through online events and physically where this is permissible within the Covid-19 guidelines.

Speaking at the launch of Positive Ageing Month in the Fermanagh and Omagh district, the Chairman of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council said

“Fermanagh and Omagh District Council is a member of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Global Network for Age Friendly Cities and Communities and one of the themes of the Council’s new Draft Corporate Plan 2020 – 2024 and the Fermanagh and Omagh Community Plan 2030 is to help and encourage older people to lead more independent, engaged and socially connected lives.  Positive Ageing Month is one such initiative where, in association with its partners Western Health and Social Care Trust, South West Age Partnership and the Public Health Agency, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has put together an extensive array of events and workshops to promote this objective.”

Councillor Smyth added “This year has certainly been an extremely difficult one and the Covid-19 pandemic has challenged us all in the way how have had to adapt to a new normal. We have by circumstances been forced to embrace a new way of living and working. I am delighted that we have been able to put together such a wide range of activities for you all to celebrate Positive Ageing Month which will be delivered live and online. I would encourage as many people as possible to participate in the events.”

We would also like to use this opportunity to promote a new resource which has been produced by Age Friendly Network NI and the Public Health Agency ‘Keeping Well at Home’ booklet for older people. We are spending more time at home now and this booklet has some ideas and suggestions to keep us safe and well:

  • Keeping our mind well
  • Moving well at home
  • Strength and balance
  • Keeping nourished
  • Keeping warm
  • Avoiding scams

To coincide with the booklet, Age NI have teamed up with Lady Mary Peters to launch Move with Mary, an exercise programme aimed specifically at keeping older people moving during the extended Covid-19 restrictions.

For more information please contact the Western Trust Health Improvement, Equality and Involvement Department by emailing health.Improvement@westerntrust.hscni.net or phone 028 7186 5127 #PositiveAgeingWest

For further information on the programme for Positive Ageing Month in the Fermanagh and Omagh district and how to book events, please visit the Council website at www.fermanaghomagh.com