Respond! residents "Going for Life"

RESPOND! RESIDENT’S “GOING FOR LIFE”


Getting up, getting out and getting active is becoming the new mantra of Respond! residents in Waterford, Wexford and Tipperary. Ireland’s largest housing association are working in partnership with “Go for Life”, the National Programme for sport and physical activity for older people, to empower and enable their older residents to get involved in all aspects of sports and physical activity more often.

Respond! realises the importance of physical activity, especially in older people. However, as people age they tend to become less active but “Go for Life” is a new programme aimed at involving older people in health enhancing activities including walking, gardening, swimming, bowling, dancing etc.

Margaret Fenton, Care of the Elderly Co-ordinator for Respond! said: “We are delighted with the response to the programme that we have received from our residents in the South East. It is encouraging, not only to see older residents becoming more active, but also to see them involving other members of their community as well.”

Some of the older residents on Respond! estates have started taking a leading role in getting social and physical activities up and running in their communities. Earlier this year, 25 Respond! residents took part in a joint project between Respond! and “Go for Life”, in Waterford. The group have just completed Physical Activity Leadership training which has enabled them to get a variety of social and physical activities up and running on their own estates such as botchy, bowling and the favourite for many, line dancing. For many, the social aspect such as the “cup of tea and chat” after the session is as important as the games.

Mary Harkin, Waterford Co-ordinator of “Go for Life” said: “I delighted to see the enthusiasm and commitment of the residents to getting more active more often.” Go for Life” is an Age & Opportunity initiative funded by the Irish Sports Council.


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