“Positive Health” meeting at Anker in Borger. | Photo: Rianne Denissen
BORGER – Petra van den Bosch, combined coach of Borger, is organizing an information meeting on Positive Health today in collaboration with the welfare organization Andes. Dozens of elderly people gather at the Anker in Borger to explore the topic together.
What is positive health?
“At Positive Health we try to look at health in a different way,” explains van den Bosch. He stands in front of a well-filled Anker room with a wide smile on his face. “When we talk about health, we need to look far beyond simple health as a cure for disease. Health is also about your mental well-being. Consider, for example, mental resilience, meaning and quality of life.”
Increase self-confidence
Van den Bosch explains why a meeting on positive health is important now: “Our welfare state is slowly transforming into a participatory society. Older people are increasingly dependent on an informal caregiver or multiple informal caregivers at the same time, and the number of available informal caregivers is expected to decline each year.” This development means that older people are more aware of their health and thinking about what they can do to stay fit and vital for as long as possible. The meeting on Positive Health is therefore very useful for elderly people who want to take matters into their own hands and increase their self-sufficiency.
Working together
During the meeting, participants investigate the 6 different pillars of Positive Health through discussions, games and riddles. This morning we talk about everything: bodily functions, mental well-being, meaning, quality of life, participation and daily functioning. It is then up to all participants to identify these pillars themselves. What is going well currently and in which areas is there still room for improvement? The whole room gets to work enthusiastically and talks to each other about the different pillars. Discussions soon arise about philosophical questions: What does it really mean to care about someone? What is the difference between loneliness and being alone? And again: how can I take care of someone who doesn’t want to get help? One of the participants asks the group for advice: “My neighbor seems very lonely. I asked her several times to have a coffee together or to help her in some other way. But no matter what I do, he doesn’t seem to want to get help. How can I best help you?” One by one, fingers are raised in the air. Participants share personal experiences and exchange practical advice.
Participants learn together about the importance of positive health. | Photo: Rianne Denissen
Not only useful but also fun
Erika Klein Gombert of the social organization Andes recognizes the public’s questions all too well: “We often see that asking for help and taking the first step in that direction is often experienced as difficult. By participating in these meetings and activities, older adults create a social safety net from which they can later benefit.” One enthusiastic participant fully agrees: “My wife and I also attended the van den Bosch fall prevention course. For us this was not only useful and educational, but also a lot of fun. It helped us enormously in making new contacts.”
In addition to the necessary theory, a lot of attention is also paid to movement, music and above all: lots of fun during the meeting. In this way the meeting not only provides information on Positive Health, but also represents a first step in the right direction.
Are you passionate and would like to participate in a meeting or course with Petra van den Bosch? Please contact Petra van den Bosch and email [email protected]
2024-01-03 18:48:17
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