A LOCAL woman is starting a group for residents aged 85 years and older, enabling them to have open discussions about contemporary topics that may be affecting their lives.
Roz Sunley is starting the group, following research she carried out into the way older people see their lives, as part of a master’s degree in End of Life studies at University of Glasgow.
“In my dissertation which was entitled: ‘The lifeworld of the very old in a digital age: listening to voices from the silent generation’, I wanted to take something from it that I could apply in the community. Not just something theoretical. The over 85s are considered to be the oldest old in society, that’s how they’re talked about in academic literature.”
Roz collaborated with local charity Active and In Touch, to hold three focus groups with residents aged 85 years old plus, to find out what gives meaning to their lives and how they see the future.
“In the focus group they were all living independently and I had more men than women. The average age of the participants was 90 years old,” says Roz.
“My findings show that relationships and daily routines of independent living provide meaning-in-life, while a lifetime of experiential acceptance helps this generation cope with the challenges of extreme old age. However, my research highlights how accelerating technological change is creating a growing digital divide that excludes the very old and stealthily denigrates human relationships that are the mainstay of their lifeworld.
“Someone over 85 is still driving but now in most car parks you need a smartphone, the same with the railways, you’ve got to be able to use these machines, especially if they close the ticket offices. They can’t go online and book Covid vaccinations.”
To start conversations around giving older people a voice, Roz’s new group will begin on Friday 3rd November in the social space at Active and In Touch on Christchurch Street West at 10am to 11.30am.
“The elderly people enjoyed the focus groups and enjoyed meeting for three weeks in a run and having something else to talk about,” explained Roz. “We know physical activity is important but our minds need exercise too.
“Now imagine you’re 84, you’re widowed, you live on your own and you have daytime TV on for company. Think of all the news. The news at the moment is dire. The world is burning, everybody’s fighting each other, the next virus is around the corner, there are shootings and stabbings, it’s all dire and how do you get another view point with if you have nobody to talk about it with?”
The first session is entitled: Behind the Headlines and will run for three weeks. “This group will give an opportunity to look at newspaper headlines and see what’s really happening in the world,” says Roz. “What’s another way of looking at it and how do we counterbalance it with how the majority of people are getting on with their lives.
“We will start with coffee and then have a facilitated discussion for one hour. It’s a safe space, we provide transport and take them home. It will be a chance to talk with other people beyond just, ‘how are you today.’ People still need that, they’re not all sitting at home watching daytime soaps all day.”
Roz said the group will initially be limited to 10 people. For information or to book a free space, call Roz on: 07795 325484.