Reconnecting with the local community in Swansea.

Tackling lockdown anxiety and helping people to reconnect socially is the cornerstone of our Getting Back Out There campaign. As life moves on it’s important to give those that have been socially isolated access to their local community.

One of our first events as part of our Getting Back Out There campaign was a social event at Founders & Co., a venue known for their support of local businesses and support for the local community. Action For Elders group regulars joined some new faces for tea, cake and a chat. It was a huge step forward as we built confidence and enabled social interaction to help people actively prepare for the return of our face-to-face Balanced Lives exercise and wellbeing programmes in the community.

Attendees filled in crossword puzzles and played bingo. Prizes included jigsaw puzzles, which are part of our sister campaign, the Jigsaw Project.

Scientific research has proven that jigsaws can greatly improve the cognitive ability of those in later life.

Coming back out at your own pace

Everyone was encouraged to take things at their own speed. Most people felt comfortable but a few were still uneasy about being back in the outside world, so they chose to wear masks and practice social distancing. By the end of the event there was an overall feeling that everyone was pleased things were getting back to ‘normal’.

Shirley’s Story

Shirley, who was one of our regulars at our face-to-face sessions, filled us in on what she had been doing recently since things have been easing. She had joined a casting agency and was very close to working alongside her only crush Tom Hardy.

How did you feel about the event?

It was wonderful. We are all so pleased to be back with Action For Elders. And it is so lovely to be back together, meeting new people, having a chat and seeing how they’ve all coped with the pandemic. It’s all a matter of getting people out of their homes, because we’ve been locked down for two years.

How did you cope during lockdown?

It was hard for me because I’ve recently moved to a new property and I didn’t know anyone, but I coped alright. My son called and remained outside, I communicated with him through the window. Alex (Action For Elders Swansea group) called me regularly and also visited me, staying outside at a safe distance. These visits helped me cope.

Did you feel anxious about coming back out after lockdown?

No, not at all, it was absolutely fantastic to be here today. The only thing I did when we came out of lockdown was to go supermarket shopping. I had nowhere else to go until Alex phoned me and told me about this event in Swansea. It’s been a great day and I’ve met a lot of lovely new people. It’s lovely to be out mingling again.