Active Neighbourhoods for Older Australians



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Overview | Webinars | Community Connectors Program | VAAP Self-assessment Tool and ResourcesImportant documents | Meet the team

Active Neighbourhoods for Older Australians (ANOA) Update – 17 June 2020

We are thrilled to see some of the ANOA funded Neighbourhood Houses (NH) begin to resume their face to face physical activity classes again, now that restrictions have started to ease. They did a fantastic job implementing virtual physical activity classes during restrictions, which helped participants stay connected with their community and continue their exercise.

While some NHs are still organising their reopening due to various factors, there are about 20 funded physical activity classes that have now resumed face to face classes. These include a variety of exercise styles, including tai chi, Zumba, walking, line dancing and bowls. If you’re interested in getting involved in a fun physical activity program, contact your local NH to find out about the activities they have to offer!

Find your local NH by visiting: https://www.anhca.org/

Overview of project

Musculoskeletal Australia (MSK) have been successful in securing an Australian government grant through the Sport Australia ‘Move it AUS- Better Ageing’ initiative. Musculoskeletal Australia will be working with the University of Sydney to oversee and implement the Project.

The ‘Active Neighbourhoods for Older Australians’ project will aim to:

  1. enhance older people’s understanding of the benefits of regular physical activity (PA);
  2. improve access to PA amongst older people (especially those who are socially isolated and disadvantaged and currently not engaged in PA) through Neighbourhood Houses providing more age-appropriate PA opportunities;
  3. enable PA to be a regular component of the participants’ lives;
  4. support older people’s engagement in PA at Neighbourhood houses by developing a peer support program; and
  5. improve the knowledge and skills of Neighbourhood House staff and volunteers involved in planning and delivering age-appropriate PA activities to older people.

The ‘Active Neighbourhoods for Older Australians’ project will support the expansion of PA programs for older people in all Neighbourhood Houses and Centres across Australia through capacity building, partnership development, awareness raising, and activation of peer support for program participants.

If you would like more information on programs available or attend a program, please contact your local Neighbourhood House or Centre, or contact MSK ANOA project staff on (03) 8531 8020 or ANOA@msk.org.au

For further information and to keep updated with ANOA project please follow us on:

Webinars

Webinar 1 Active Neighbourhoods for Older Australians Project: an overview of project, funding requirements, training opportunities, support and resources for staff and volunteers.
Thursday 31 October 2019, 11am to 12pm (AEST)
Watch the recording now
Webinar 1 slides

Webinar 2 – Tools and strategies to engage older people in physical activity
Thursday 21 November 2019, 1pm to 2pm (AEST)
Watch the recording now
Webinar 2 slides

Webinar 3 – Engaging inactive older people in physical activity: Some tips and ideas
Thursday 28 November 2019, 11am to 12pm (AEST)
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Webinar 3 slides

Webinar 4 – ‘Importance of physical activity for musculoskeletal and general health’
Thursday 6 August 2020, 12pm to 11pm (AEST)
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Webinar 5 – ‘Strategies to stay connected and support well-being among older Australians during COVID 19’
Thursday 17 September 2020, 12am to 1pm (AEST)
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Webinar 6 – ‘Models and strategies to engage older carers in your PA programs’
Thursday 5 November 2020, 12am to 1pm (AEST)
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Community Connectors Program

The Community Connectors (CC) Program aims to raise awareness of the physical activity (PA) programs for older people at Neighbourhood Houses or Centres (NH) and provides personal support and a welcoming environment for new, older people attending PA classes. Implementation of the CC Program is freely available to any NH throughout Australia.

The resources to implement the CC Program at your NH are now available and are as follows:

Please note that there is no cost involved in running or undertaking the CC training, or for involvement in the CC Program overall.

If you are interested in implementing the CC Program at your NH or have any queries about the Program, please email ANOA team ANOA@msk.org.au.

VAAP Self-assessment Tool and Resources (SaTR)

The VAAP Self-assessment Tool and Resources has been designed to assist you to review and reflect on your current programs and activities, to think about what you’re currently doing and if it might need to be improved. The SaTR takes a continuous quality improvement approach and is intended as a ‘value-adding’ tool.

A version of the VAAP SaTR has been specifically tailored for use of Neighbourhood Houses and Centres. To access this version and to find out more about the VAAP SaTR and how to use it, please click here.

Important documents

Contact


Gen Nolan, Policy and Programs Manager

Buffy Squires, Community Program Co-ordinator




Musculoskeletal Australia (or MSK) is the consumer organisation working with, and advocating on behalf of, people with arthritis, osteoporosis, back pain, gout and over 150 other musculoskeletal conditions.

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