KEEPING AN eye on older neighbours during cold weather and ensuring they have adequate heating and food is no hardship. It reinforces the communal ties that bind. And in spite of economic troubles, we continue to cherish these positive instincts. As the Irish seanfhocail puts it “people live in each others shadow”...I scáth a cheile a mhaireann na daoine.
The majority of older people are fiercely independent and wish to live their lives at home and to be active within the community. The State has been slow to recognise this and to put necessary support services in place. Rising nursing home costs and health charges have brought about gradual change in that regard, but these limited services are now under threat. It would be a great mistake, both financially and socially, if such services were withdrawn.
It is not just home support services that are important. A report from the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology at NUI Galway says that significant financial savings can be made by the State in health and care costs if older people are encouraged to engage in creative arts and in physical activity. Having examined a variety of programmes run by not-for-profit organisation Age and Opportunity, it found they delivered considerable physical, psychological and social benefits to those involved. The research findings are not surprising. They confirm what has been known for countless generations – that a healthy and outgoing lifestyle, with appropriate exercise, contributes to a happy and productive old age.
Putting that knowledge into practice is not always easy. Official attitudes do not encourage elderly people to engage in mainstream activities. That must change. And the nature and range of services being provided within the community and in nursing homes should also be expanded.
There is an unfortunate tendency by State agencies to regard older people as a group, rather than as individuals. They are frequently viewed as liabilities, rather than assets, in spite of their varied, life-long experiences. Failure to consult them about their needs and aspirations has been a common fault of policy-makers and service providers. But organisations like Age and Opportunity and Age Action Ireland are helping to change that situation. As life expectancy increases, the need to remain alert, healthy and focused through involvement in the creative arts and in physical activity becomes more important. Growing old should not mean losing a sense of adventure.