Description
The project addresses the challenges faced by the elderly people aged 65+ in Plovdiv Municipality (dire poverty, social exclusion, poor health, loneliness). The project aims at empowering them by organizing support and self-help groups. First, a self-help group of 20 men and women aged 65+ will be set up. Second, the self-help group members will be trained with the help of a psychologist to support each other and carry out joint activities including outdoor trips in the wild. Third, the self-help group will learn about self-help mechanisms related to health and nutrition. Finally, the members will organize 3 hobby bazaars where they can share hand-made objects with each other. The project will benefit the elderly people in Plovdiv Municipality, the social services and the local community in general.
Summary of project results
The project addressed the conclusions a number of studies reached about the poor quality of life of the elderly in Bulgaria who are most at risk from dire poverty and social exclusion compared to the other EU Member States. The project created a model of self-help and solidarity aiming to help improve communication via interactive psychotherapeutic methods and a nature therapy and train and teach people identify health problems. The project participants, 20 elderly people, were active and managed to organize a social group from similar background based on the knowledge and skills acquired during the training. They joined in enthusiastically and willingly and took part actively in all project activities: the psychological training for empathy and communication, the training for self-help for health problems, nature therapy and hobby bazaars with different themes. The participants turned from people living alone to people involved in a group and they attracted to it other elderly people with similar interests. The project was a good example of social inclusion of elderly people over the age of 65 beyond the limits of the services offered by the institutions. The project contributed to greater recognition of our association among the elderly in the city of Plovdiv and to better capacity for project implementation supported by an international donor as well as improved skills for accountability and publicity.
Summary of bilateral results