This is continued feedback on the CAFE group Introduction survey. (see previous posts by clicking on ” CAFE Project ” in the Tag Cloud )
87% of people were in one or more clubs, groups or societies and 44% were in three or more, which is very positive and probably reflects the more active and mobile group we are talking to. It must be a great opportunity to share experience and potentially make new introductions.
Footnote:- It will be good to have a list of the clubs, groups and societies that the current CAFE group members belong to.
We could develop an APP that provides links to all the Coventry clubs for older people, if it doesn’t already exist.
U3A, would appear a good association of like minds: However While they conduct community activities, they are more usually at different locations, for diffent events and social meetings around the town or city. What one may have to consider is putting the organisation for all these occassions in centres where the 55+ groups meet/live in say like a retirement village of maybe 300 dwellings, and open out the retirement village facility to the local hinterland residents, and encourage both the retirement village occupants to look outwards, and the local elderly population look inwards at the retirement village concept, and discuss it vigerously, and with conviction, and belief.
The social mix in a project like a retiremt village has to be a sociable interactive group from all social strata and walks of life! Should one restrict the concept to the more wealthy/those needing care and dependancy/council-social security tenets/ and those of modest means then one may not get that ‘Get up and go’ and active voluntry wish to help ones neighbour? It is a balancing act, and has to be openly discussed freely, and to find out as you are doing: What do the over 55+’s want. One needs a wise chairmen not to make the decisions (that is the work and job of the cafe Group attendee’s), but to offer alternatives to a ‘What if we do this scenario?’