Wednesday wellbeing a big success
A very successful six week series of Aging Well talks called ‘Wellbeing Wednesdays’ was run in Carrick-on-Shannon over the months of September and October this year.
The series of talks followed on from it being ran in Sligo in May.
This six week series was organised and coordinated by Elaine Cunniffe Health promotion Officer in Health Promotion and Improvement Department HSE Sligo/Leitrim.
The aim of the series of talks was to bring older people together from around County Leitrim and empower people to make a healthier lifestyle change, to improve knowledge on key topics to aging well and to enable participants to have a healthy chat with a peer on what they had learnt.
Speakers presented on a range of topics such as mental health, mindfulness, physical activity, falls prevention, diet, entitlements and rights, community grants, medication, safety in the home, befriending services, technology and intergenerational singing.
The participants of Sligo Wellbeing Wednesday thoroughly enjoyed the talks and commented as follows:
Robin ‘As a result of attending Wellbeing Wednesdays we were able to invite two of the speakers to come out and speak to our active age group on physical activity and mental health’
Mary: ‘I am more aware of dangers of falls in the house, I put a shower mat down as I became aware of how easy a fall is in the bath.’
Patricia: ‘I learned how to correctly take my medication and am eating better as a result of attending also. I joined a befriending group as a result of attending the talks also.’
Doreen: ‘ The social aspect was good, there was plenty of chat around the tables.’
Mae: ‘We got great knowledge from each other, we heard about things we had not even thought to ask about.’
Another new exciting pilot on Aging Well is GlÓr Shligigh Sligo’s new Intergenerational choir.
GlÓr Shligigh is a joint initiative of Sligo County Council Arts office and HSE Health Promotion and Improvement Department.
The choir will commence on the 18th of November with three further workshops planned in the Art Deco Theatre Ballymote on the 25 th November and 2nd and 9 th of December.
IT is free to attend and the starting time is 3.30pm.
The choir will be directed by Dave Flynn who is also choir director of Ballagh Choir of Ages.
The choir involves old and young people coming together to sing so why not get involved in something that is known to be good for your mental health and wellbeing with social benefits.
If you are interested please register by ringing Catherine 086 84248969 or emailing arts@sligococo.ie