Pauline had been struggling to find her way in later life and found herself stuck at home feeling isolated and lonely. She soon found that having support and finding new friendships along the way gave her the desire to help others beat loneliness too.

Pauline, 68 originally discovered Action For Elders through our free weekly Winter Warmer sessions in Swansea, held in partnership with Swansea Council and the National Waterfront Museum, Wales.

Now these sessions have been rebranded as Balanced Lives Social Hubs and take place in Swansea and Ystradgynlais. Older people can still access a full range of free activities including Tai Chi sessions, warm drinks and soup. In Swansea, there is the added attraction of a free film show every week, while in Ystradgynlais there is a special session of Gentle Years Yoga for people of all abilities; from sitting to standing.

Life is much better now

Pauline’s life has come on in leaps and bounds since the dark days of Covid and lockdown. She now has the mental strength to navigate the choppy waters of the ongoing Cost of Living crisis.
As she told Wales Online recently; going to Balanced Lives Social Hub sessions was one of the best decisions she has ever made.

“You’ve got a warm place to come, you meet nice people and you can have a free cup of tea and some soup. You make so many friends,” said Pauline, speaking to Katie Hoggan at Wales Online.

Pauline enjoyed the sessions so much she has become a regular and has now enrolled as a volunteer at Action For Elders events, where she enjoys making a big difference to the lives of older people.