Here at Summerhill Active Retirement Group we are constantly looking for new ideas and inspiration for innovate projects, which will benefit both our members and the wider community. Many studies have pointed out that mental stimulation and physical activity are positively correlated to health and well being. Firmly believing that to keep the brain working we need to keep the brain challenged, we strongly support life long learning and the benefits that it brings.

Listed below are some of our current projects.

Established in 2001, the resource centre is run and co-ordinated from the Third Age Centre. It acts as a base where information can be accessed in relation to rights, entitlements, services, facilities, schemes, grants, educational and training opportunities, health, volunteering opportunities, contact details of organisations and agencies etc. The centre is open five days a week. Booklets and forms can be downloaded from the Internet, contact information can be accessed and questions answered, at the touch of a button, eliminating the wait associated with postal replies.

One of the objectives of the Resource Centre is to create a comfortable, friendly atmosphere where older people can take their time and ask as many questions as they need, and where information provided is done so in a clear and concise manner. Statistical analysis of the service revealed that this year we are facing a 12% increase in the number of clients using the service, this may be in part the result of an additional service to the resource centre, that of an outreach information, assistance and advocacy service. Statistics for this year to date revealed that 68% of clients requested assistance or advocacy services, thus confirming the need for this service.

The combined Choral Group consists of members of Summerhill Active Retirement Group and participants from the Navan Traveller’s Training Centre, and more recently long stay resident’s from our local nursing home (St. Joseph’s Hospital) in Trim. The Combined Choral Group has 25 members, who were brought together as the result of a shared love of music and song.

This project is unique because it has utilized the medium of music to encourage interactions and foster friendships between older people from very different backgrounds and upbringings. Attitudes of both the participants and other individuals have changed drastically especially when they witness the group in action. This project has succeeded in quashing prejudice and discrimination through knowledge and positive interactions between different groups. This project has been a triumph for the anti-discrimination cause.

Performances over the last year have included the launch of our Internet Café, as part of the Bealtaine Festival, for President Mary McAleese, at our annual mass and for a special end of year ceremony at the Travelers Training Centre. Choir Rehearsals run from September to July.

From her first hand experience working with long stay resident’s our chairperson, Mary Nally became aware of the negative implications that lack of stimulus and social interaction had on individuals from this group. This was one of the reasons for the development of the St. Joseph’s Hospital Project. Now running over 5 years this project brings long stay nursing home residents back into the heart of the community each week (via our Third Age Centre Bus), to the Third Age Centre where they participate in various activities with local older people.

In 2005 the St. Joseph’s Hospital Project involved between 13 and 16 long stay resident’s on a weekly basis. In 2006 we have extended the range and amount of activities that these individuals are involved in, to three days every week. Over 50 long stay residents have been involved in various activities including arts and crafts projects, social events, concerts, drama, go for life, reminiscence sessions, and public representations highlighting the projects that they are involved in and issues that are of concern to them. This project is extremely important as it provides a level of normal community life for those involved in it. It also provides new stimulus, new friends, social contacts, new opportunities and a change of routine. Both our members and the resident’s from St. Joseph’s Hospital enjoy this project tremendously. The benefits of this project are numerous, and include the development of new friendships, learned skills and crafts, change of scene (from being confined to a nursing home) are all very evident. The self confidence, esteem, happiness, and even abilities and manual dexterity of the residents has greatly increased since their initial visits to our centre. Our members continue to assist with the running of this event.

Discovering that knitting was no longer taught in our local schools, and after several impromptu classes during the course of an intergenerational arts and craft project in 2002, our members were asked if they would like to start teaching knitting classes to primary school pupils, from Summerhill Village in Co. Meath. As the project progressed, the children wanted to create something more tangible with their newly learned skills, hence the knitting project evolved into the “Trauma Teddies” Project. Trauma Teddies are hand knitted teddy bears in bright colours, with knitted jumpers and scarves, and smiling faces. This initiative was met with great enthusiasm by the National Ambulance Service whose child clients were to be recipients of these special bears. To date over a thousand have been donated to the national ambulance service for child patients who are worried, upset or apprehensive about their journey to or stay in hospital. These simple mascots act as comfort toys, as reassurance tools and are a simple way of generating feelings of security, safety, comfort, kindness and reassurance, which are especially relevant if we consider how a journey to hospital must feel for a young child. This project also has other important focuses, namely the development of intergenerational links, breaking down barriers, community development and co-operation between the generations, and the handing down of skills (through the generations) that are in danger of being lost. Intergenerational projects such as this one are fun, interesting, educational, and extremely worthwhile because they encourage others to help individuals who are less fortunate.

Another favourite with our members this project runs from September to June, and involves older people, members of the traveller community and long stay resident’s from our local nursing home. Last December under the direction of John Grant our group performed and wrote a piece entitled “Saving Christmas”, which went down extremely well in St. Joseph’s hospital where it was performed for the residents. After Christmas the group worked on a music and dance extravaganza which was performed first at the launch of our New Bus and again at the Bealtaine Festival. The 20 strong group are currently rehearsing their Christmas piece, which promises to not only be extremely tuneful but hilariously funny. This group have mastered the art of entertainment.

The aim of this project is to introduce technology into the lives of older people, through the development of an innovative programme that stimulates an interest in information and communication technologies and highlights it’s potential. This project came to fruition thanks to financial assistance from the Department of the Taoiseach, as part of the e-Inclusion Fund. Internet café for older people was officially launched on the 27th June by Minister Sean Power. The aims of this project are simple, to include, encourage and facilitate older people to take part in I.T. initiatives, and to assist and support them as they get to grips with I.T. The participants in this project are older people who have expressed an interest in taking part in computer related project, but who have found it difficult either through physical disabilities, attitudinal barriers such as embarrassment, fear, or physical barriers including lack of suitable equipment or facilities. On Monday afternoons the Third Age Centre is transformed into an internet café for older people, the atmosphere is relaxed, comfortable, and friendly, participants see to appreciate the fact that they have the option to ask for help should they need it, and that they are among friends and their peers.
This project has encouraged older people to get to grips with the World Wide Web, expend their skills and knowledge base, keep in touch with friends and relatives abroad, research hobbies and interests, locate good holiday offers and cheap flights, download application forms and access various kinds of information, thus bridging the gaps in the digital divide, by increasing opportunities for older people to broaden their horizons and utilise I.T. to their benefit.

In addition to the current services provided by the Third Age Foundation, and in particular pertaining to the Resource Centre we recently developed an outreach advocacy service. Developed as a result of a recognised need, and with the help of funding Comhairle we were in a position to pilot this project over a one year period. This project allowed us to develop an outreach advocacy and information service, which is co-ordinated and run from the Third Age Centre. The advocacy worker is available one day a week to visit the homes of clients who require assistance and advocacy in relation to rights and entitlements. This service targets older people (isolated, frail, lonely, housebound, ill– the most vulnerable in society), people with disabilities and those who are unable to travel to the Third Age Centre for the current services that are available.

There are numerous reasons why this service was developed. We already provide assistance and advocacy services for people who could reach our centre. Statistical evidence verified a need for this service among people who were unable to attend our centre. We receive many referrals from other organisation, agencies and individuals including health centres, citizen’s information centres, active retirement groups, public health nurses, community welfare officers. Also an observation that many previous clients of the Resource Centre had difficult travelling to our centre, due to lack of local transport schemes, frailty, ill health etc, and who often relied on the telephone or written requests to gain assistance with queries, sometimes a relative or neighbour may make contact on their behalf.

In 2001 Summerhill Active Retirement Group put together a bid for funding under the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform’s Equality for Women Measure. Our proposal looked at the provision of services, facilities and opportunities for older women, over a three year period. This project was entitled the Summerhill Mentoring Association, Resource and Training Centre or “S.M.A.R.T. Centre”. This project was recently evaluated and can be viewed by clicking HERE. To download right-click and select 'Save Target As' from the menu (1Mb).

Over the years members of Summerhill Active Retirement Group (Third Age Foundation) have participated in Senior Games at European level in Copenhagen and Brussels and at World level in Utah in the U.S.A. This year our group was presented with the opportunity to travel to Newcastle Upon Tyne, England to participate in the Senior Games programme there. On Monday the 21st August a team of 13 older athletes from Summerhill Active Retirement Group participated in a week long programme of events and challenges set for them by the Quality of Life Partnership, in Newcastle who were organising this event.

Our athletes (older people ranging in age from 50 – 90) had the opportunity to compete in a wide range of events, activities and challenges which included walking, cycling, water sports, archery, rock climbing, abseiling, swimming, high wire, boules, croquet, boating, giant chess and draughts, traditional games, dance, and golf. Also included in this programme were arts and crafts, gentle exercise routines, dance and movement to music, tai chi, aquafit, complimentary therapy, yoga, and singing work shops.
The theme of this year’s games was to make exercise and sport accessible and enjoyable for older people. The emphasis was on taking part, having fun, creating challenges for one’s self and celebrating healthy and active lifestyles.
Prior to the event the Summerhill Athletes underwent a bust training programme. Many were seen cycling and walking the high roads and byroads of Summerhill, in anticipation and preparation for this forthcoming event. This year our athletes competed against hundreds of older people from 7 countries across Europe, including France, Scotland, Austria, Turkey, Denmark, England and Wales. Our members are not afraid of a challenge, they embrace it with open arms, constantly proving that age is not a disease nor should it be a barrier. They were delighted and very proud to have the opportunity to represent their club, county and country at European level at this special event.

This activity is always a great hit with the members of the Third Age Foundation, participants of the Traveller’s Training Centre in Navan, and long stay resident’s from St. Joseph’s Hospital (all of whom are participants in this programme). Our next programme is due to start on Tuesday 17th October and will consist of 6 sessions of exercise and activities designed especially to meet the needs of the participants involved, and will incorporate a fitness assessment prior to the commencement of activity sessions, followed by an assessment after the course is completed.
The Go for life programme is excellent as it not only makes exercise and activity appealing to older people, it also introduces a wide range of activities and exercise options depending on the fitness, ability and agility levels of the participants.

This year we organised two holidays in Ireland. The First was to Wexford, and took place from 21st – 25th May. We had a record breaking 99 older people involved in this activity.
Our second holiday of the year is to Galway and will take place from the 20th to the 24th October.

These activities are always popular with our members and partner participant group. We try to provide as much variety as possible some of the highlights of this years programme of events were as follows; trips and outings to Belvadere House and Gardens, Tara, Banagher - Galway, Knock, Grove Gardens, Bettystown, Carlingford, Howth, Bray, Faughurt, Larchhill Arcadian Gardens and the Cinema.

Other events included visits to the Gaeity Theatre and the new Solstice Centre in Navan, to see “Dirty Dusting” and “The Crock of Gold” respectively. Also “Show Stoppers” performed by Kells Musical Society. We were also attended the Older Women’s Network Garden Party, and held several garden parties of our own, mini-concerts, socials, picnics and participated in social events at other centres/venues on invitation from other older people’s groups. On the request of our members we also organised a number of shopping trips to centres such as Blanchardstown, and Navan. This activity was added to our current list as a result of issues associated with access to transport locally. Many of our members are rurally isolated, some do not have any means of transport or access to transport services, couple this with distance from local services and amenities and simple tasks like weekly grocery shopping can be extremely difficult, hence the provision of our bus for this activity. This activity is to become a regular service provided for our members, and will be available on a monthly basis.

Participants in the above mentioned activities included Older people, long stay resident’s of St. Joseph’s Hospital and members of the travellers training centre in Navan.

These classes were run in conjunction with the introduction of our Internet Cafe for Older People. We organised a series of computer classes for older people that were designed in consultation with older people and were delivered at a pace that was conducive to maximizing the amount of relevant information that is retained. Our classes focused on internet and I.T. Training older people at various levels from beginners to advanced. Our next session of classes are starting on Monday 23rd October, see Notice Board for details.

We had two project launches this year the first was for our New Third Age Centre Bus. The Millennium bus, purchases in 2000, was now six years old, and as this plays such an important role within the majority of projects that we run, we had reached a stage where we needed to replace our bus. The safety and security of our members, participants and clients is paramount, December 2005 we purchased a brand new 16 seater minibus, specially adapted for people with disabilities. We launched our "Third Age Centre" bus on 24th April, at Summerhill Community Centre. Our Drama Group performed at this event.

The second launch this year was our Internet Café for Senior Surfers on Tuesday the 27th June. Minister Sean Power officially opened this service at a special ceremony at the Third Age Centre. We received much positive media coverage of this event, including interviews on radio and television. Our very own Combined Choral Group performed on the day.

Agenet.ie is an initiative aiming to support national and community organisations for older people to address the opportunities and challenges that Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) present for older people. The first phase of the project has focused on compiling an extensive resource base of initiatives on this theme from across Europe and internationally.

• Promoting diffusion and uptake of ICTs amongst older people
• ICT initiatives for older workers
• ICT supporting independent living