The Finnish group in the Project meeting in Sines, Portugal

Enchanted  by Vasco da Gama 

Toes in the warm water of the Atlantic

Portuguese Tapestry

 Finnish national costumes

 

 

In sauna we slap ourselves with birch twigs

to help the blood circulation

Finnish group in the European Fair

  

The Prosas choir entertaining the guests

 

In Porto-Covo

Benefits of working out for seniors

In today´s hectic time full of stress and everyday responsibilities, only a few people take time to work out, especially among seniors. Although they often have more free time, many of them simply do not go work out. Whether it is because of feelings like „that’s just not for me anymore…“ and „I´m too old for this…“, or because their doctor simply stops them from working out. It´s a pity, because working out with assistance of qualified trainer can have many benefits for both mental and physical health, we will show some of them:

• Cardiovascular. Improves indicator of physical fitness (tidal volume, cardiac output), regulates blood pressure, reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and heart failure, modifies the representation of fats in the blood serum.
• Diabetes mellitus type 2 (diabetes). It improves the possibility to control blood sugar and response to insulin.
• Osteoporosis. Reduces bone loss, especially for women after menopause. Reduces the risk of falls and fractures.
• Arthritis (inflammation of joints). Improves mobility and overall joint function and reduces their pain.
• Difficulties with urination. In the case of functional difficulties (and the majority of them) in 100% of cases, blurring problems with leakage.
• Establishment of cancer. Proven to reduce the risk of cancer of the colon, breast, prostate, and rectum. Reduces fatigue.
• Obesity. Exercise increases metabolism and thus burns more calories. In the long term helps to maintain optimal weight.
• Neuro-psychological health. Improves quality of sleep. It improves learning ability, especially short-term memory. Anti-depressant. Expand the possibilities of social contacts.
• Other. Relieves symptoms of difficulties in the development of vascular occlusions. Reduces mortality and morbidity.

We all grow old, against age there is no cure. But how fast we grow old, that depends on us. And also “it is easily done in pair”. So take your friend, or girlfriend and go together to your nearest gym or at least take a walk in the forest.

For more tips for working out, you can check out these links:

http://www.helpguide.org/life/senior_fitness_sports.htm

(in English)

http://www.ftk.upol.cz/_katedry/apa/esf_3_2/download/Uhlir_Pohybovacvicenisenioru.pdf

(in Czech)

Eslováquia

  

Dobré roky 50plus/Good years 50plus/ - Slovakia. Our organization has been established in 2007.We are non governmental, nonprofit organization and our members operate on the basis of volunteering. Many of our members are still economically active but we have also many members in retiremet age

Our priority is mainly to organize free time activities and partially vocational training for adults, with an emphasis on strengthening (reinforcement) of independence and self-confidence of "seniors" in everyday life. We focus on developing life skills, in the sphere of physical as well as mental condition in the form of workshops, training courses, short courses, competitions, but also excursions or trips.

Within the framework program LLLP our organization has  already in the past established friendly relations and cooperating with partners from the EU

Meeting in Athens

Our little Slovak group has participated in the project meeting of the Grundtvig Partnership project named Active Body + Active Mind = Healthy Senior organized by 50+Hellas in Athens, Greece  on the 21., 22., and 23th. of October 2013.

And our friends from Czech Republic, Finland, Portugal and Turkey were also there.

The host group, chaired by Mrs. Giorgia Michalopoulou prepared very challenging but extremely interesting program. 

The main topics of the meeting were Reflexology + Memory + Nutrition.

Reflexology was associated with a showing foot massage and highlighting the importance of individual zones. Excellent presentation of Reflexology as supplementary and holistic therapy in country of Hippocrates and Aesclepios as tender healer was important not only for physical body, but also emotional. This therapy should be as a medicine. In Greece make it voluntaries, they supported children and adults.

In Memory have its center of gravity in memory skills training meeting participants who have acquired some of the terms in the languages of its foreign partners, for example. greetings, thanks, numbers, names of individual days of the week and the like. It was extremely difficult, because these languages met for the first time.

 The art of memory was developed by ancient Greeks, e.g. mnemotechnics. Memory is the most significant aspect  of both -  intellectual and spiritual activity.

Active body cooperated with brain and support memory. But it takes longer to learn and recall information in later age. We also focused on ways in which you can keep and practice memory skills into old age.
In the section on nutrition, we learned a lot about Human digestive system - ingestion and mechanical and chemical digestion, on suitable and unsuitable food for the elderly, etc...

All together we visited K.A.PI. (Senior House in Municipality of Elioupolis. Tam held Greek evening with folklore dance, singing and traditional Greek food cooked by the ladies of project´s team and meeting with Vice Mayor of this municipality.

The last day was devoted to visiting Epidaurus in the Peloponnese, where we saw

presentation of an ancient chorus by the Study group of ancient orchestra of The National and Kapodestrian University of Athens. 
In addition, we also visited the healing place of god Asclepius and Thermal Spa in Loutraki and we had the opportunity to use the thermal pools.

From project and even entire stay, we not only took away a lot of knowledge, but also many beautiful experiences and new friendships.

Now, our Slovak organization is a difficult challenged - to organize in April 2014 just as interesting, useful and even enjoyable meeting in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Marcela

Turkish partner

Our  association is a non-governmental, non-profit,  local NGO working in the fields of culture, arts and history, lifelong learning, active citizenship, educational and vocational activities, social and cultural activities. The members of the association are young people, adults, professionals, students, graduates. The target groups of the activities are children, young people and adults from different backgrounds preferably disadvantaged ones, migrants and refugees and people with fewer opportunities. A special group of our concern is the 50+ citizens. Our association organizes different courses like language courses, folk dance courses, sports activities, mathematics, physics, chess, musical instruments ( baglama, guitar etc.) for people with less opportunities, migrants and refugees.
Gaziantep is a big city and it is also cosmopolitan because there are a lot of people from eastern part of Turkey who come and live there to find jobs because Gaziantep is an industrial and commercial city.
The association has been trying to provide equal opportunities for people especially form rural or disadvantaged areas, lets the people actively involve in decision-making in the society, contribute to the social and professional development of the people, offer solutions for social problems and become a part of the society, cooperate with different actors in the society such as governmental, non-governmental organizations, etc. to disseminate the activities and outcomes or results.
The association has arranged and has been involved in local projects. Some members of the association have had some experience in international projects and activities. The organization is interested in participation in this project because there is a lot of cultural heritage in Gaziantep and it is also becoming popular because of its potentials in culture, history, handicrafts, traditions, etc. However, most of the people are not aware of the social and cultural values and they do not know much about how to introduce and maintain the cultural heritage and traditions. The project will let them to be aware of those cultural heritage and social values.        

From 23th  to 27th June we have been together in Sines, Portugal to attend to the third meeting of our project. To remember the good times we spend toghether , please see this pictures

   

 

 

 

The 50plus Hellas is a non governmental and non profit organization aimed at improving quality of life for people over 50 in Greece, in a society of equality and through activities related to all areas of life. Together with other social partners, arrange and supports their rights to equal and fair treatment in society, at work, in health and medical care, entertainment, the autonomy and decent living, participation in decisions taken, and the formulation of any policy implications in these . The organization also promotes the interests and needs for support of dependent older people and their families and professionals who care for them. 2012 is the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations. It's an opportunity for us all to realize that Europeans live longer and remain healthier than ever - and reap the benefits that they offer. Active aging can give the post-war baby boom generation and tomorrow's older people following opportunities : • continue to work and share their experience • continue to participate actively in society • to live as healthy as possible and to satisfy their desires. In societies where the number of elderly people is constantly increasing, active aging is also key factor for maintaining solidarity between generations. Improved opportunities for active aging in general and for independent living challenge for politicians and stakeholders, and invited to act in completely different areas such as employment, health care, social services, adult education, volunteering, housing, IT services and transport . The European Year seeks to raise awareness on these issues and the best ways to overcome them. Above all it seeks to encourage all policymakers and stakeholders to set goals and take action to achieve them. 2012 should be passed from words to action and begin to yield tangible results. At European level, the 50plus Hellas is an active member of the organization AGE Platform Europehttp://www.age-platform.eu representing Europeans citizens over 50 years at the bodies of the European Union.

 

Since 2008 our members have created a team of volunteers which organises a lot of events and takes part in European projects. So  in 2008 we were partners, among 9 other associations of partner countries, we have taken part in a workshop that was organised by the KuuRet 55+ group in Finland in 2011 and the topic was: “Many Faces of Finnish Nature Enviroment. Now we are partners with 5 more countries in the project “Active Body + Active Mind = Healthy Senior”. Our partners are: Finland, Portugal, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Turkey.

 

Greetings from Greece where the sun is shining no matter the weather is.

Happy Finnish partners in Gaziantep on 14 - 19 April 2013

The oraganizer took really good care of us - Thank you very much!

Even the Governor of Sahinbey was kind enogh to receive us

                                         The blooming trees were beautiful

Portugueses in Ostrawa

Ocober 2012 - 1st meeting in Ostrawa

Amélia is speaking about his city and  its beautiful beaches!

Discussing healthy food

European Fair -Portugal

PORTUGUESE PARTNER

                          

Associação PROSAS, Projecto Sénior de Artes e Saberes de Sines is a Third Age University associated with RUTIS, a network association of Third Age Universities in Portugal. The objectives of our association are: the social integration and cultural promotion of people without professional activities, older than fifty years developing social solidarity, volunteering and social support; informal learning in a life long learning perspective; social inclusion and social participation in cultural, sport and leisure activities; stimulation and sharing solidarity and voluntary practice inside and outside the institution; participation with other organizations in the City Social Net. We have only one employee because we are volunteers and our members are both students and teachers in their own skills. We have no profit purposes .

To avoid exclusion of  seniors we conduct classes such as ICT , language (French, English, Spanish), Portuguese language ( as a basic skills), poetry  and literature , painting, mathematics, history, anthropology, music and  gymnastic . We promote travels, visits and leisure events. We have agreements  with Local Health Service to promote monthly sessions alerting to healthy behaviours, with Évora University to promote scientific divulgence and Town Hall to discuss citizens' questions.

We think we are helping lonely people to socialize and remain active. The eldest member of our association is a ninety- years-old lady and we have several members elder than eighty years of age.

                            

We are the Finnish  partner

KuuRet 55+ is a sub group of the club Kuusankosken Retkeilijät ry. (Kuusankoski Travel and Hiking Club) The club started in Kuusankoski (a former independent town, since 2009 a part of the town of Kouvola) in south-eastern Finland, in 1979. The town of Kouvola is wide in area and mostly rural, e.g. it includes a large National Park.

Kuusankosken Retkeilijät is a member of the Union of Workers’ Travel and Hiking Clubs in Finland, which in its turn is a member of the worldwide Naturfreunde Internationale (NFI). The club aims at encouraging people to take part in activities in our natural environment with regard to ecological viewpoints. Today the club has some 300 members, many of whom are senior citizens. Members of the club help old or disabled people to take part in various activities. The club has been active in various social happenings arranged by our town and other organizations. Participation is based on volunteering.

The program of the club includes giving people interested in outdoor activities information on ecology and history and traditions of the places visited, arranging excursions both in our own town Kouvola with its surroundings and in Lapland as well as cultural excursions, various outdoor activities, travelling abroad at moderate expense and planning and organizing programs for visitors to Finland by using voluntary team work. The activities include project work and offer participants multiple transnational learning possibilities.

In 2006-2008 the club acted as a silent partner in an EU project “Travel Agents 55 + without frontiers”. A network of groups working for similar causes in ten European countries was created during the project. The themes of the project were mobility, voluntary work, lifelong learning and active ageing. After that EU project the club has continued with similar activities. With Grundtvig funding, the club has been the coordinator of a learning partnership project ”European Approach” (2010-2012), arranged a workshop “Many Faces of Finnish Nature Environment” (August 2011).

A senior volunteering project “Taking Care” with a Portuguese partner is taking place Sep 2011 - August 2013. In addition to the Active Senior project our organisation will host a workshop "Excercise and Learn in the Nature Environment" in May 2013.

The KuuRet 55+ group is growing all the time, which is a sign that our goals are good and well accepted.

                                                   *    *    *    *    *    *

Greetings to all project partners from KuuRet 55+ group!

29th - 31st October 2012: Kick off meeting in Ostrava (Czech Republic)

Between 29th and 31st October 2012, we gathered in Ostrava, the Czech Republic, to attend first project meeting, the Kick off meeting. There were 15 people coming from all over the Europe to spend together 3 days of project management work, education, social activities, getting to know each other and the Czech country and Ostrava region as well. All the project partners arrived safe and sound on Sunday, 28^th October. 

1st day

We all met on Monday morning in Harmony Club Hotel. Sedukon, o.p.s. welcomed all the participants and then introduced each other. After a short discussion and according to suggestions of the partners, we decided to change a schedule of meeting and move a morning program to the afternoon. We discussed the project dissemination strategy, we created the blog www.activesenior2012.blogspot.com. We set the timetable of the project meetings and then we arranged the European Fair. Each partner brought local products and specialties from local cuisine and shared them with partner organizations to spread knowledge of partner countries culture. 

2nd day

Next day, the morning activities were divided into several parts. We started with two workshops: “How to reach the longevity”, led by experts from Club of Health from Ostrava; and “Importance of family support for people changing their lifestyle habits” led by two local nutritional counselors. At the end, partners split into two groups to share knowledge and experiences from their countries about healthy eating habits. We visited Landek park museum in the afternoon. We all went down there and saw the underground exposition in cultural monument in former Anselm mine and we visited the exposition of mining rescue services as well. Partners could learn about heavy industry and mining which are so specific for the Moravia – Silesian region. 

3rd day

Last day, Sedukon presented the senior education system in the Czech Republic and in the afternoon, we visited University of 3^rd Age in Ostrava, where we met Mrs. Polášková, the main secretary of University of Third Age of VŠB – Technical University of Ostrava. She invited us to a Geology Pavilion where we could see the collection of minerals from all around the world collected by teachers and students from Faculty of Mining and Geology. It was a last part of the kick off meeting program. All partners said their goodbyes and started to prepare to leave the Czech Republic.