University of Fourth Age Programme Launched at Golden Care, Naxxar
Thanks to collaboration between Active Aging and Community Care, The University of Third Age, The University of Fourth Age (U4A) in collaboration with Golden Care has launched the UA4 educational programme. The objective is to offer educational sessions coordinated by the University of Third Age (U3A) to residents living in institutional care.
The U3A was launched in 1993 under the care of the University of Malta (UOM) with a number of centres that have been set up to provide services for the elderly across Malta and Gozo. Given the success of the U3A programme, the UOM in collaboration with the Active Aging Department decided to extend its services by launching the U4A programme which adapts and takes the services offered by the U3A to a care home setting including individuals with dementia. The scope is to ensure that elderly living in an institutional care setting will be offered the same learning opportunities as those residing in the community.
The University of Fourth Age will be running two activity programmes for residents at Golden Care as follows:
Creative connections: These sessions enhance memory, interactions, and self-esteem, whilst also maintaining one`s identity.
Mind, body and soul engagements: These sessions include activities that involve the mind (memory), and the soul (feelings of self-expression, self-worth and contentment).
The primary goal of both activity programmes is to enhance one`s quality of life and wellbeing through engaging in meaningful interactions and discussions with fellow residents. Each activity programme will consist of four (4) to (7) sessions.
To introduce this service, the U4A held an informative session at Golden Care Naxxar on the 16th January 2024. Present for the event were Hon. Malcolm Paul Agius Galea, Parliamentary Secretary for Active Aging, Dr. Renzo Degabriele, CEO of Active Aging and Community Care, Profs. Marvin Formosa Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of Gerontology Unit, Faculty of Social Well Being University of Malta.
This event underlines the commitment of the Ministry of Active Aging and the University of Malta to ensure that lifelong learning opportunities enhance the quality of life of our elderly.
