COVID has changed the way we live and has made leaving home all the more challenging due to its nature
Social isolation has been both normalised and advised in order to protect ourselves and others from becoming unwell, leading to a lack of social connectedness and a rise in absenteeism in activities throughout Taranaki, particularly among seniors.
To improve social connectedness and community engagement, the WHO Age Friendly New Plymouth group and three of the Taranaki councils (New Plymouth District Council, Stratford District Council and South Taranaki District Council) have partnered together with the collective aim of re-engaging seniors with their activities and services and with the community in general.
Spring Back is simple. It’s about encouraging socialising and having fun outside of the home. As a promotional campaign, it aims to emphasise the importance of social interaction for overall wellbeing through the promotion of practical tips and reminding the community of the activities running in their local area as well as the free and low-cost activities outside of the home. For the month of October, beginning on the 1st of October (the International Day of Older Persons), seniors will be encouraged to try new activities or re-engage with old ones in which they used to attend or do before COVID. Additionally, Spring Back aims to encourage others to help seniors socialise, as participation is often more successful when two or more people are motivating one another. Throughout October, there will be various advertising happening through the networks of partners and in the free Taranaki papers to encourage and motivate seniors to get involved in their community.
Want to know more? Contact Alex McNab, BAF Community Connector connector@baf.org.nz or 027 2055 182.
