Outdoor Activities Planned for Seniors in July
The Canary Islands government is launching a series of outdoor activities aimed at enhancing the wellbeing of seniors as part of the active ageing programme within the Maresía Plan. The initiative, known as AlGolpito, is being carried out by the Ministry of Social Welfare, Equality, Youth, Childhood, and Families in collaboration with the Tenerife Sports Club Foundation and the Las Palmas Sports Union Foundation.
Verónica Meseguer, Director General for Seniors and Active Participation, stated that the goal of the workshops is to “improve the quality of life for seniors by promoting active participation in society.” This approach aims to tackle social isolation, enhance personal autonomy, support emotional wellbeing, and foster social connections.
Meseguer emphasised that these workshops are a commitment to creating a more inclusive and healthier Canarian society, allowing seniors to remain active and involved. The programme focuses on promoting healthy habits and bolstering physical, cognitive, emotional, and social capacities.
Running from July to December, the workshops will take place in various environments, including both indoor facilities and outdoor spaces, to encourage participation and physical exercise. Notable locations for July activities include Las Teresitas Beach, the Palmétum, La Caldera, and Taoro Park.
The programme features two main components:
Senior Day Centres: These include centres in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Icod, Los Realejos, Isidro Rodríguez, and Santa Cruz II, along with centres in Las Palmas such as Ciudad Alta, La Isleta, and Arrecife. In July, a specific programme will be offered from Monday to Thursday, comprising two hours of physical activity (including yoga, gymnastics, and aerobics) and two hours of cognitive stimulation. Each centre will also take two outdoor excursions for additional activities like gymnastics and breathing exercises.
Senior Associations: Around ten centres per province in Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, and Tenerife will run workshops that last two hours, occurring twice a week at each location. Sessions will involve 45 minutes of physical activity, 45 minutes of cognitive stimulation, and 30 minutes of training.
The programme employs a tailored approach to enhance various welfare areas:
Physical Activity: Sessions designed to maintain mobility, strength, coordination, and balance through participant-specific exercises.
Cognitive Stimulation: Activities aimed at exercising memory, attention, reasoning, and other cognitive functions using worksheets, board games, group dynamics, and theatre activities.
Training and Healthy Habits: Talks, debates, and round tables focused on health-related topics, prevention, emotional wellbeing, and promoting healthy lifestyles.
The AlGolpito programme is part of the Maresía Plan and is funded by the Canary Islands government through the Ministry of Social Welfare, Equality, Youth, Childhood, and Families, in partnership with the respective foundations of the two sports clubs. The initiative promotes active ageing and seeks to improve the social perception of ageing and intergenerational solidarity.
