Year started: 2021

Positive Ageing Week (PAW) is an annual opportunity to highlight the positive aspects of ageing and celebrate the contribution older people have made and continue to make in their communities. Its central aim is to dispel negative perceptions of ageing and transform attitudes towards ageing and older people. The Galway Age Friendly Alliance which comprises local agencies and representatives of older people, facilitate and organise a range of activities and events. The flagship event is an exhibition of 27 older persons who are active, and engaged in their lives and communities and who enrich the lives of others. Another initiative involves children colouring a specially designed card and writing a message of thanks to an older person of significance in their lives. Many other local and county wide events are encouraged and supported throughout the week and are promoted and highlighted on various media channels.

Objectives

The main purpose of Positive Ageing Week in Galway (Ireland) is to showcase the value and the contribution of older people in our communities and to say thank you. Ultimately we are supporting the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing aim of "changing how we think, feel and act towards age and ageing". A secondary objective is to replace the negative narrative of ageing which has always been prevalent but has intensified as a result of the pandemic. The exhibition takes place in a central and busy thoroughfare in Galway City Centre, and is promoted heavily on local radio, and print and social media before and during Positive Ageing Week The childrens cards are distributed widely via schools, libraries, and businesses to reach a wide audience of older persons who are valued and appreciated by their grandchildren. Many other events also take place to extend the reach of Positive Ageing Week across Galway County

Scope

This initiative is targeted at the communities across Galway City and County to encourage all to see and recognise the value of the older persons among them, to acknowledge their contributions, and their value, and to say thank you.