Place: Płock
Timeframe: long-term, periodically
Participants: senior citizens living in Płock
Goal: increasing social activity among senior citizens
eniors are one of the largest social groups in Poland. There are nearly 9.8 million people aged 60 and over (according to data from the Central Statistical Office). In Płock alone, there are 33,000. Hence, there are more and more initiatives dedicated to them, including in our city.
For several years now, October in Płock has belonged to mature people. This is because October 1 is International Day of Older Persons, while October 20 is its European counterpart. Every year, a series of events for mature residents is held throughout the month.
In Płock, Senior Citizens Month begins in September with a colorful parade through the city center and a cheerful outdoor party in the Old Market Square. In the following days, lectures, workshops, talks, and thematic meetings addressed to older people are organized. The Płock Senior Council, an advisory and consultative body to the Mayor, involves many institutions, entities, and non-governmental organizations in these activities. This significant group can take advantage of offers specially prepared for them by cultural institutions, the Senior Activity Center, neighborhood clubs, universities of the third age, colleges, and other organizations.
Every year, the Płock Senior Council, together with the city council and numerous partners, organizes dozens of events, e.g., concerning the health, fitness, and well-being of older residents of Płock, preventive measures, and medical advice. Joint themed walks and bicycle rallies, film screenings, theater performances, and music concerts are also an important part of the program. In recent editions, an important topic, co-implemented by Poland, has been the safety of seniors, both in the city and online, i.e., cybersecurity. The overarching goal is to activate those seniors who, especially after the pandemic, have remained at home, are inactive, and are not looking for new ways to spend time together.
Due to the fact that there are several non-governmental organizations in Płock that bring together older people (including two universities of the third age), the highlight of Senior Month is Senioriada – a review of the artistic creativity of seniors. During this all-day event, senior artistic groups showcase their talents in several categories: choir/singing, dance, and theater/cabaret performances. This event is gaining popularity every year, not only among senior artists, but also among the multigenerational audience in Płock.
For their year-round activities on behalf of senior citizens, the Mayor of Płock and the Płock Senior Council award a prestigious title to one person – Senior Worthy of Following. In this way, older people are recognized and honored for their outstanding activities and attitude in social life, undertaking actions for the benefit of the residents of Płock.
The Senior Worthy of Following also becomes an honorary member of the Płock Senior Council.
The measure of success in activating older people is the increasing number of participants in various forms of activity carried out by non-governmental organizations and cultural institutions. Their activity in the socio-cultural area encourages the city to take further steps to run and finance more community centers and clubs where seniors can pursue their passions, make new friends, overcome loneliness, and become involved in the life of the city. The City of Płock’s co-creation of the activities of the Senior Council translates into the implementation of Płock’s Senior Policy, which is a real manifestation of civic participation by the oldest group of residents.