As the month of May moves merrily along with summer 2012 showing few signs of life, at least it can be noted at this time of year that the members of the older generation among us are more vital and visible than ever. Bealtaine (Irish for May ) — the name given to the month-long celebration of creativity in older people through the staging of arts, entertainment, and activity events in the community — is currently running full steam ahead with everything from dawn chorus get-togethers rousing our seniors from their beds to late-night concerts keeping them dancing into the wee small hours.
The reality, of course, is that many of our older people are putting us to shame, such is their active participation in the communities we live in. Whatever about the much-touted trials and tribulations of ageing, all a body need do is turn up at any local meeting, event, or rally these days and there they will witness the seniors among us keeping the wheels turning on all that matters.
Everything from volunteer organisations to sporting clubs and political parties are manned (and womanned ) in large part by people over a certain age. Their presence at regular weekly/monthly meetings are also rarely lacklustre, as not only are they clued in to all the ins and outs arising, but often they are wonderfully fired up making their views known.
The notion of taking a back seat or turning up just for the sake of it is often anathema to our elder participants. They remain involved in their chosen activities, from bridge and amateur drama to golf and counselling support, because they thrive on it. They form the backbone of so many organisations and are the bread and butter of all that is achieved because of their involvement and experience. Yet crucially, much of this effort, this precious energy expenditure, this work, is voluntary.
Older people are in fact some of the best volunteers in society, something that is not highlighted half well enough. It is their interest and participation that keeps events going year after year; their expertise that is called upon again and again to ‘show the ropes’ to younger people; and their wisdom, their savvy, that keeps everything nice and calm all the way, as they knowingly operate on the basis that it will always come together in the end; and even if it doesn’t, it will still come to pass. That’s just the way it is.
In our volunteering feature this week there is a call for more people in Mayo to get involved in volunteering as services from carers to counsellors, fundraisers and flag sellers, are desperately required. Although this National Volunteer Week runs from May 14 to May 20 only, the need for volunteers is year round with vacancies not just in the caring professions, but in everything from computer training to business mentoring. Given the high level of unemployment in our country right now, volunteering offers tremendous opportunities to be productive. While the lack of pay may seem self-defeating at first, the reward of contributing to the community cannot be beaten. Just ask any older person.
This year of 2012 is also the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity Between Generations, making it a good time to have a sit down to think about our older people and the valuable contribution they make. After all, with Census statistics for Mayo revealing that over 14 per cent of the county’s population is over 65 years of age (above the national average of 11 per cent ), clearly it will not be long before many more of us can count ourselves among the ‘silver surfers’ brigade.
