More Active 80+ projects
AUSTRIA
Organising and Operating a Carnival Party in a Senior Group in a Red Cross
Day Centre
A group of about 9 persons aged between 70 and 92 (at least 5 of them over 80)
planned, designed, and prepared the party and guided through the afternoon (with
music, sketches and performances). The aim of the project was to have a selforganised Carnival Party and bring together old people, neighbours and family
members with a positive, funny theme. An additional (unexpected?) outcome was the
amount of fun and ego-boost during the preparation and in the performance itself.
Two sketches / performances as a contribution to a Carnival party in a senior
residence
The aim of the project was to contribute cultural inputs to the Carnival Event of the
senior residence. A group of 4 women and 2 men (all between 80 and 86) were the
actors of two sketches. The preparation consisted of 10 meetings including 3 stage
rehearsals. It was a success not only in terms of the outcome quality but also in the
process. The participants of the preparatory group succeeded in overcoming a lot of
difficulties (e.g. illnesses) and stayed the course.
Founding of a committee for several events in a senior residence
The idea was to found a sustainable group that will grow together by planning and
performing cultural events of any kind. The seniors decided on the spot that this first
event should be the Carnival Party. The biggest successes were the growing of the
group during the project and positive feedback of participants. Thus the decision of the
group to stay together and go on with further projects was easily made.
Bingo-Group in a retirement home
Inhabitants of a retirement home get the chance to get together by a periodic social
event (initiated and guided by the 80 + coach) that takes place on weekends, when
there are no other activities offered by the retirement home. Here the involvement of
This project has been funded with support from the
European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and
the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use
which may be made of the information contained therein.
the participants 80+ was more in the role of visitors – at least at the beginning. Time
will show, if it develops in the direction of more active participation.
Reading circle in a senior residence
The idea of the coach was to bring together a group of people who would like to
engage in poetry or literacy. She found an 80+ woman who was an author of poetry
herself and also would have liked to share ideas and recommendations that might be
interesting to read – for herself and for others. The poet started to read her poems and
other texts to a small audience and encouraged others to do that as well. They began
by reading texts in the form of double conferences. Now there are up to 15 people
regularly participating.
Baking group in a senior residence
The aim of this group is to redetect and foster baking skills of the seniors and to bring
old people together to exchange their recipes, traditions and methods. The old people
themselves decide on everything and are also fully responsible for the baking process.
Only with the oven is there always a volunteer/coach keeping an eye and helping to
take in and out the tray. The old people are really interested to each other´s ways of
baking. They have a lot of fun in tasting and comparing.
GERMANY
Singing Generation - An intergenerational choir with members of a seniors’
day centre and a kindergarten
In Advent 2013, children from the kindergarten "Haus Kunterbunt" and the day centre
for seniors "Haltestelle" in Langen came together to sing winter and Christmas songs
and performed in front of family, friends and acquaintances. Since September 2015, the
choir - now named "Singing Generation" - rehearses regularly once a month. They train
at professional standards, practice vocal and ear exercises, clapping and speech
rhythms, traditional pieces, children's songs and canons with piano and guitar
accompaniment. The singers proposed their own pieces and held a concert at the end
of the year. Currently, "Singing Generation" assembles 11 children and 6 adults, one of
them being at high age.
This project has been funded with support from the
European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and
the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use
which may be made of the information contained therein.
Saloon of Encounters - to share experiences of war and escape
On 22 January 2016 a “Saloon of Encounters” took place for old people and refugees to
share experiences of war and escape. Although no current day refugees were in
attendance, the participants found it important to share their experiences at least
among each other. Of special interest were reports by an older man who takes care of
a family of refugees. His wife had written down her experiences in being a refugee at
the end of World War II. Another participant was a member of the conversation group
“Being a child in war” and was interviewed by pupils of the local school about her
experiences at that time. The members of the saloon will continue their encounters.
Walking Encounters - for old people with and without walking frames / Brain
jogging
The walking encounters for old people with and without walking frames was initiated by
an 87-year old lady, herself being in need of a walking frame. She wanted to address
all seniors who like to take walks regardless of the fact that auxiliary means may be
needed. After the walk, joint visits to cafés were planned where coffee and cake could
be enjoyed. However, despite trying hard, it was not possible to identify attractive and
long enough ways in the surroundings of Gravenbruch for people in need of walking
frames. It is an indirect success that this deficiency is taken seriously be the local
authorities, and solutions are planned. Supported by her coach, the old lady has
meanwhile developed a concept for organizing brain jogging offers that do not currently
exist in Gravenbruch.
ITALY
WII-ING - Bologna's Villa Serena care home
80+ participants showed enthusiasm when learning about new IT devices and
communication with relatives or friends via Skype has been a greatly positive surprise
for elderly previously unaware of the possibilities offered by e-technologies. Wii-ing –
Wii, Wii U and Kinect video game consoles to increase the very old persons' cognitive
skills. Playing golf (ranked number 1), tennis and boxing with Wii in small teams have
been indicated as those most interesting by the 80+ participants taking part in this
small project. The small project has also included group soft gymnastics (in connection
This project has been funded with support from the
European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and
the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use
which may be made of the information contained therein.
with the video games), participation in competitive computer games, the use of of
IPADs and Skype to keep in touch with far away relatives or friends, IT learning and
sharing in small groups what has been learned, and discussing YouTube group video
watching.
New Wii, Wii U and Kinect labs addressed to individual interests (reading, music,
sewing, football) have been scheduled as follow-up for the months following this small
project.
RITORNO AL FUTURO (Back to the future)
The project has been implemented as the participating 80+ and volunteers originally
planned, within the animation activities at Bologna's Villa Ranuzzi carehome, to induce
later-life active ageing through painting, opera, puzzles, knitting and Frank Sinatra. In
the course of the weekly sessions, participants expressed the interest to also include
gardening, taking advantage of the park areas which are part of the care home
property, writing with Internet research and participation in literary contexts, and the
Bologna Calcio (Bologna Football Club): sharing memories of the highlights of the local
football team and following its current successes.
ROME IS LIKE A CAT
This small project has been implemented at the Rome Giorgio Perlasca Elderly Center.
Five seniors attending the English classes offered by the Center - Alba, Bruno, Claudio,
Franca and Gabriella - decided to contribute to Active80+ by putting together short
sentences in English to motivate participants in the project activities in other countries
to visit Rome. The result has been the Rome is Like a Cat video, available on the
Active80 + project website at the link http://www.act-80plus.eu/?page=2
LITHUANIA
Big world in small room
89-year-old resident of Prienai care home Vytautas Baranauskas made a presentation of
his trip to Expo 2015 in Milan. Electrician by profession, Vytautas was and still is a
passionate traveller. He has a big collection of travel brochures, maps, post cards and
souvenirs from different countries and expressed a wish to share his experiences with
This project has been funded with support from the
European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and
the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use
which may be made of the information contained therein.
other residents and staff of the care home. Vytautas owns a laptop and uses it for
exchanging e-mails and archiving his photos. An Italian volunteer at Prienai care home
helped Vytautas to make a PPT presentation and Photo slide show for the lecture. The
challenge was that Vytautas needed quite a lot of personal assistance for the
preparation and expected the institution staff to organise the event.
The value of old days
Five women 80+ are regular visitors of the day centre at Kauno Kartų Namai.
SIC held a small group discussion with the women where they shared their life stories
and found out that three of them write reminiscences. The women did not want to
share their reminiscences with other people due to fear of critical thinking of their work.
Creative writing sessions for the group were proposed. These sessions should lead to
some final products such as an album of short stories describing the most memorable
events, illustrated with photos or even drawings.
The project was only ideated but not implemented because it needs additional staff to
carry out this idea.
THE NETHERLANDS
80+ Dialogue-Tables in Amersfoort
Two ‘Dialogue-Tables’ were held by a team of volunteers in Care-Residence Het
Seminarie in the inner city of Amersfoort. Six participants, aged 78-89, living in the
neighbourhood were invited for a delicious ‘high-tea’ and a group dialogue about
engagement of people 80+. Results from the dialogue-tables were: a greater
awareness and insight into one’s own wishes, possibilities and opportunities to become
engaged in meaningful activities in the neighbourhood. Three out of seven 80+
participants became engaged in voluntary work at walking distance from their homes.
Participants were surprised to discover there are in fact many initiatives and possibilities
to participate, but up until that point this information had not reached them. They have
urged professionals from social organisations and the municipality to improve
information facilities about active engagement, recreation, opportunities to meet one
another and voluntary work.
This project has been funded with support from the
European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and
the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use
which may be made of the information contained therein.
Living room meetings
De Deventer Dagsociëteit (DDS) aims to create a permanent meeting place with and for
older citizens, including frail older people, in the city centre of Deventer. Meetings took
place at a temporary location, i.e. the living room of a sympathising older couple.
Participants actively invited and stimulated involvement of people 80+ from their
networks and neighbourhood, thus providing the living room meeting centre with new
participants. 80+ Participants took up old hobbies (writing poems, going to the
theatre), felt listened to and became inspired and stimulated by pleasant conversations.
80+ Participants also actively contributed to the preparations and festivities at the
official 2 day opening of a permanent meeting place in the foyer of Theater De
Leeuwenkuil, acting as hostesses, writing and reciting a poem and musical
performances.
Tenants meet tenants
Vital tenants and their frail neighbours who receive care rarely meet each other. A
group of 10 tenants, both vital and frail, of residential home De Polbeek (Zutphen) were
invited for a conversational meeting with coffee and cake to discuss their ideas about
becoming engaged in meaningful activities. The 80+ residents actively helped thinking
along and brought in their ideas and wishes in the meeting. One idea was setting up a
bowling-group. It was agreed that participants would do the organising themselves,
facilitated by staff if needed. The conversational ‘coffee and cake meetings’ of tenants,
both vital and frail, have since become a weekly activity.
Lost city project in Zutphen
The digital ‘traveling’ exposition ‘stories about the bombardment of Zutphen, 14
October 1944’ was a project of the musea in Zutphen that started its journey in
Residential home De Polbeek. In addition to the exposition, young children (aged
approx. 10-11) from a nearby school visited De Polbeek to interview (80+) occupants
about their experiences. People who are now aged 80 and over had all been young
children during the war. The meeting between the young and very old people was a big
success. People were very keen to tell their stories, bringing items from the war for
display like a copper canon shell now being used as an umbrella stand.
This project has been funded with support from the
European Commission.
This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and
the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use
which may be made of the information contained therein.