THE Coffs Harbour Older Women’s Network (CHOWN) is hosting a free community workshop at Shoreline Luxury Retirement Living’s Pavilion Room on Wednesday, 14 May.
It will address the question of how we support today’s increasing cohort of older people to live well, safely, and with dignity in their own homes and communities.
“It’s a very different workshop, held in conjunction with the University of Technology Sydney’s Dr Moira Scerri,” CHOWN’s Lorraine Penn told News Of The Area.
Dr Scerri will share new research on elder personas – detailed snapshots of different experiences of growing older – and open the floor for discussion about what makes it easier or harder to “age in place.
While many older people want to stay in their homes for as long as possible, doing so requires the right mix of support, social connection, and practical tools.
The workshop will also introduce some of the latest technologies, including social robots and assistive devices designed to enhance independence and reduce isolation.
Attendees will get hands-on with this technology and help shape local thinking about what’s acceptable, useful, or simply not for them.
“Older women bring a wealth of lived experience to conversations about community design and aged care.
“Yet too often, their voices are excluded from planning and policy.
“This workshop flips that script: here, older women are not just participants, but partners in shaping the future of aging in our region,” Ms Penn said.
All women aged 50 and over are invited to join the conversation.
The morning will be interactive, reflective, and grounded in real-world experiences.
To attend, RSVP by Friday, May 10.
Morning tea will be provided.
Contact: coffsharbour@ownnsw.org.au or Lorraine Penn on 0404163136.
By Andrea FERRARI
