McAuley Place in Naas: Bringing Older Persons to the Heart of a Vibrant Community Margharita Solon

The Best Way Forward.:

Inclusive Communities for Older People

Hosted by Respond Housing Association , in association with Irish Centre for Social Gerontology NUIG

23 October 2013

McAuley Place in Naas: Bringing Older Persons to the Heart of a Vibrant

Community

Margharita Solon Chair and Board Member: Nás na Ríogh Housing Association

• Nás na Ríogh Housing Association (NnRHA) is a voluntary, not-for-profit association with charitable status and is affiliated to the Irish Council for Social Housing.

• It is managed by a voluntary board of directors.

• The NnRHA development is located at McAuley Place in Naas, Co. Kildare.

NnRHA’s development at McAuley Place, Naas

• 53 apartments in the centre of Naas town• Community Centre• Arts and Culture Centre• Tea Rooms (‘The Convent Tea Rooms’)• Volunteer Centre• Plans for a Health through Learning Centre

and Garden

Inclusive Communities

• What type of housing?• Where? Connected to community? How?• Who for? Us – Us as we age• Relationship between housing and health• Vision for “ageing in place”• Importance of “enabling environments”• Importance of “anti-fragile environments”• Expectation of the unexpected

Well-Being

• Positive initiatives to improve the lives of older persons– Positive Ageing Strategy– Healthy Ireland– Age Friendly Counties– OPRAH

• Research• Subjective well-being• Importance of adaptation• How to evaluate well-being?

Possible Index to Evaluate Subjective Well-Being• How many people was I in physical contact today...yesterday...past seven days.• How many people, other than those providing me with support?• How many people did I have a conversation with, who were physically present, that lasted more than 3

minutes, in the past week, month?• Can I go outside my home unaided?• How far can I comfortably walk alone?• How often was I out of my home in the past week?• Did I connect with anyone using technology?• Did I use technology to improve my situation?• Was I physically challenged?• Was I mentally challenged?• Was I socially challenged?• Was there something I wanted to do but could not?• Did I prepare my own meals?• Were my meals brought to me?• Have I been part of or observed dinner being prepared over the past week/month?• Have I eaten alone any day...how many days?• Did I have choice/input into what I ate?• Do I drive?• Do I go to the shops?• Can I get to local shops and services unaided?• If I need assistance to go to shops or services how available is that help?• Etc.

Community Centre

Interior of Community Centre

Expectation of the unexpected!

Arts and Culture Centre

The Convent Tea Rooms

Proposed Health through Learning Centre

Garden

Quotes from volunteers at McAuley Place• It keeps the mind right.• I enjoy the banter with the staff.• It is a lovely, bright and cheerful place to volunteer in.• It is great to have interaction with people in the Tea Rooms, it

gives me confidence talking with older people.• It was great to have the opportunity to bake, to learn new skills.• I would say hi to old people if I pass them on the street now. I

used to feel they were looking and judging.• Before I became a volunteer I used to hear the word

"community", I didn't know what it really meant. Through all of this my world has become bigger and better.

• I see all ages mixing in my community cafe and want this to happen everywhere.

Comments from participants in the Community Arts Project

• We all have our own little things. You’re getting my inner thoughts. The happiness I felt in this place is wonderful. This should continue. There are so many people missing something.

• I love this place. It’s a very peaceful place.• I had no grounding. This is a lovely space to come to.• You can wander in, wander out. It’s so creative.• It would encourage you to be creative. Through the weeks

here, it’s encouraging. I’ve met so many young people here!• This make me feel a lot better, I’m not taking my worries

home with me.

Comments from Tenants

• I have halved my pain medication since I moved in here.

• There are so many things to do here. It is great.

• I am secure in a cocoon of acceptance of being afraid.

• My brother would not be alive today if he had not moved in here.