Safeguards for ageing well and living a positive life

The Safeguards for ageing well program, which is funded by the Office for Ageing Well, SA Health, aims to raise awareness and support older people’s rights, including developing strategies for living a positive life and ageing well, through four key messages – stay connected, stay active, stay healthy and stay in control.

Activities for the program included ARAS facilitating an intergenerational event: ARAS in collaboration with Helping Hand residential aged care home in Golden Grove and Kozy Kids Golden Grove came together for an enriching intergenerational activity. Older residents without frequent young visitors and preschool children lacking older figures in their lives connected in a space of learning and sharing. Before the event, both groups were educated about ageism.

Another intergenerational event was when ARAS worked with Kapunda High School and Kapunda Community Shed. Real life stories motivated discussion and provided opportunities for students and community members to understand each other’s viewpoints, dispelling myths and biases about different age groups.

Feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. The shared experiences and stories from this event have planted seeds for future community interactions, where age is celebrated, not a barrier.

This abstract relates to the conference theme in that it represents an innovative approach to intergenerational issues as taken by the Aged Rights Advocacy Service. The audience will gain an understanding of the nature and value of intergenerational events. The targeted audience will be service providers working with older people and community members.