Taking the healthy ageing message to Highland

In October the Health and Wellbeing team took a roadshow of healthy ageing events to Highland communities. Team manager, Doug Anthoney, shares the story.

The first stop was Inverness, where I ran a day of free workshops for paid staff and volunteers who support older people.  This began with a morning session to enable participants to use our popular multi-media strength and balance games, Body Boosting Bingo and Power Quiz, with their groups and services.

In the afternoon, I ran our brand-new workshop on Supporting older people to age well. It was fully booked, with 17 participants in the morning, all but 3 of whom stayed for the afternoon session.  There was fantastic feedback, with everyone who completed the post-workshops surveys saying they would recommend them. 

• “A most enjoyable interactive training session.” (Games leader workshop participant)
• “Very holistic. I enjoyed the wide perspective.” (‘Supporting older people to age well’ workshop participant)

The next day I was in the Sutherland village of Lairg running a How to Age Well workshop for local older people.  I covered topics including movement, keeping your brain healthy, social connection, emotional wellbeing, and nutrition and hydration.  There was some great discussion with our 11 participants, all of whom indicated that they intended to put into action a tip they’d picked up.

On my final day I visited The Glenurquhart Centre in Drumnadrochit on the shores of Loch Ness. There, I ran a workshop for 15 Day Centre attendees, plus staff.  Manager Michelle Graham-Taylor said: “The staff that sat in on the session found it very helpful. I have had very good feedback from a number of service users.  Some said it was good to be reminded of things that they knew but had forgotten, and others that they found the talk helped them make sense of their own experiences.  Both staff and service users also found the leaflets and information that you left very helpful.”

Personally, the roadshow was an amazing experience.  It gave me some insight into the lives of older people in our more remote and rural communities, and into the experiences of workers who support them.

Applying the ‘be social’ message I promote, I stayed, and self-catered, in the Inverness Youth Hostel rather than a hotel.  There, I met and was inspired by 80-year-old Jean from New Zealand, who was travelling solo around Europe and knitting for friends she’d made on the way.  I also met Linzi, who was around 200 days into a potentially record-breaking walk around the coast of the UK to raise funds for charity.

Planning and delivering the roadshow was a team effort. I’m hugely grateful to my colleagues Jo and Anne, our Community Development Officers for Highland, for wise counsel, buddying up on visits and lifts to more remote locations. Back in the office, Susan, Gillian and Bo provide invaluable support with marketing, communications and administration.

The roadshow was made possible thanks to a contribution from the Arnold Clark Community Fund and was promoted in partnership with the Highland Senior Citizens Network.