The seniors' club (or the retirement club) is a meeting place for the elderly. It offers not only company of a similar age, but also interesting activities, workshops and trips. How to set up a seniors club and who can do it?

Contents:

  1. Senior club - where are the senior clubs operating?
  2. Senior club - how does it work?
  3. Senior club - advantages of attending
  4. Senior club - how to set up a senior club?
  5. Is it worth encouraging a senior to participate in the classes?

The seniors clubis not an institution or an assistance center for the elderly, but a meeting place for people of a similar age. The seniors' club hosts interesting classes, courses, workshops, meetings with famous people organized by seniors. It is a place that can become a recipe for loneliness - it allows you to meet people around retirement age from your close neighborhood. It also allows you to take advantage of various entertainment for which seniors may not have enough money on a daily basis.

Senior club - where are the senior clubs operating?

Senior clubs are grassroots initiatives that most often operate at cultural centers, housing cooperatives or parishes. In large cities, there are a dozen or so senior clubs (usually their range is limited to the district in which the club is located).

Senior clubs are also run by foundations, the Polish Red Cross or the Polish Association of Pensioners and Disabled People.

Senior club - how does it work?

Anyone aged 55 or 60 can join the senior club. Usually, participation is free, but in some clubs a small monthly fee of several zlotys is charged. This money is used to buy snacks for meetings or organized activities (e.g. dance courses or workshops).

If the seniors club organizes a trip to the cinema, museum or theater, an additional fee is usually organized for people who are interested in going out.

The senior club does not organize rehabilitation classes or any therapies, so you do not need a doctor's certificate or a referral from the Municipal Social Welfare Center to take advantage of its offer.

Senior club - advantages of attending

In the senior club you can talk to other people, make new friends and take part in classes orcourses (e.g. sewing, cooking, internet basics). The great advantage of this place is that it gives seniors a sense of belonging to a group. This allows them to chase away loneliness and feelings of alienation.

Seniors clubs help maintain social relationships and make it possible to make new friends. It is not easy at this age - seniors usually do not have the opportunity to leave the house. They also feel a mental barrier, they are afraid that they will fool around or they will have nothing to talk about with people they don't know.

That is why it is so important to encourage them to leave the house for the first time. It is good to go to the first meeting with a loved one (family member, friend of the house, neighbor) to feel more confident. The next meetings will be easier.

Regular attendance at the retirement home can bring new energy to your grandmother's or grandfather's life. It makes their week plan more attractive and provides something they can expect with pleasure. It is also a new topic for conversations with neighbors or family and shows that grandma or grandpa also have their own lives.

Importantly, improving their well-being also improves their physical condition, which quickly translates into improved he alth.

Senior club - how to set up a senior club?

A seniors club can be established by local cultural centers (e.g. community centers), housing cooperatives, housing estate councils, parishes. This is a necessary requirement to be able to apply for funds for the operation of the facility.

The seniors club can also function as an association or organization, and then the administrative procedures appropriate for a given structure are in force. Establishing a foundation or association is time-consuming and involves a certain financial outlay, so the third solution is to join an existing foundation whose profile matches our business. If we convince its creators of your idea, then it will be easier to obtain funds or subsidies for the operation of the senior club.

Is it worth encouraging a senior to participate in the classes?

In conclusion, it is worth checking if there is a senior club in the immediate vicinity. Using the classes can improve the well-being of grandma and grandpa and bring joy to their lives. In the senior club, they can meet old friends, establish new relationships and learn valuable skills (e.g. using the Internet, cooking, dancing).

About the authorKatarzyna StańczykEditor of Mjakmama.pl. Responsible for the Mother, Baby and Child departments. Professionally associated with online media for 10 years. A lover of reports and interviews. Privately - Antoś's mother.

Category:

Geriatrics