Introducing Age Scotland's Wellbeing Flower
Today Age Scotland launched the Wellbeing Flower, an innovative resource for older people’s clubs and services.
The Wellbeing Flower, designed by the charity’s health and wellbeing team, involves asking and answering thought-provoking questions that will highlight how a club or service contributes to the health and wellbeing of the older people it supports, and how it can enhance current offerings.
The resource, launched at Age Scotland’s first Wellbeing in Later Life Symposium in Stirling, has been successfully piloted in settings including a Men’s Shed, a support group for people who dual sensory loss, sheltered housing for older members of the Chinese community and with staff in a residential care home.
Those attending today’s symposium, including Age Scotland members, professionals and volunteers who share an interest in the health and wellbeing of older people, had an opportunity to try the Wellbeing Flower.
Among those who welcomed it was Dr Jitka Vseteckova, senior lecturer in health and social care at the Open University, who described the resource as a “incredibly helpful and supporting for us to learn about what helps us age better, to assess our current activities and the contribution these make to our health and wellbeing, and to identify areas where we might take an action to do a little bit better.”
Doug Anthoney, Age Scotland’s health and wellbeing manager, said:
“The Wellbeing Flower is an interactive and enjoyable experience, aimed at groups of organisers of older people’s clubs and services, such as a committee, a residents’ group or a staff team. To get the most out of it, you need to dedicate a bit of time, however it is like playing a fun game. The Wellbeing Flower makes the latest research into healthy ageing accessible and easily applicable, on topics including eating and drinking well, movement, social connection, emotional wellbeing and keeping the brain healthy.”
A facilitator is needed to use the Wellbeing Flower, and Age Scotland is offering free half-day workshops that equip volunteers and professionals from older people’s clubs and services with everything they need to lead a session.
Workshops are scheduled for Edinburgh, 10am-12pm Wed 21st June, Aberdeen, 10am-12pm Wednesday 28th June, and Glasgow, 2pm-4pm Thursday 29th June (click on event links to book). The Age Scotland Health and Wellbeing Team will also consider requests to facilitate Wellbeing Flower sessions directly. You can contact the team by email to healthandwellbeing@agescotland.org.uk.
