AGING WORKSHOP: “Understanding gives people the power to make decisions,” says organizer Jill Simpson
lifespan, she said, while those who see it as a time of decline and loss, fulfill that.
“Our job is to get rid of those negative thoughts and replace them with scientific evidence,” she said.
Simpson says during the pilot project they were able to talk about hard topics like death in a more comfortable way and “have a few laughs.”
The goal of the seminar is to help people design a rest of life plan to age well and with dignity so they are in control of their lives and feel a strong sense of purpose.
“It’s all about planning ahead,” she said.
The feedback Simpson received to the pilot was great.
Simpson said one participant wrote to her about the workshop on dying. “They said, ‘that was difficult. I am so grateful.’”
“It was like, that was the most difficult thing I’ve done in my life, thank you so much for making me do it,” said Simpson.
She said another one of her older participants wrote to tell her he just registered for his PhD.
Since the pilot ran, Simpson and her colleague Marjorie Paleshi have received government funding to run the series again. This time it will be available to anyone in Ontario. They will run 10 six-week workshops.
Participants of the pilot workshop will be volunteering to help facilitate the conversation. There will also be a team to help behind the scenes to make sure the workshop runs smoothly and other trained facilitators, said Simpson.
The Township of Woolwich is running the registration for the project. Staff are taking registrations online or in-person at the Woolwich Memorial Centre. People with technical difficulties registering online can contact the township’s customer service desk at 519-669-1647, ext. 7000.
“When Jill approached us for these workshops, it was just such a unique opportunity for us to assist with partnering and spreading the word for our older adult population,” said Marie Malcolm, the program and inclusion coordinator with the township.
The six-week program will run 10 times over the next 10 months.
To begin, series one will run Tuesdays May 24 to June 28 from 1-2:30 p.m., series two will run Thursdays May 26 to June 30 from 9:30-11 a.m.
The program is free to attend.
Simpson said participants typically range in age from 55 all the way to late 90s, though she wouldn’t turn others away.
“One thing is to start right now. You can’t change the past, so start now,” said Simpson. “When something bad happens, it’s about planning ahead.
“Understanding gives people power to make decisions.”