The Active.me project helps seniors acquire healthier habits

As part of the University of the Third Age at the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, fifteen seniors participated in the Active.me project. Its goal is to help people over 60 change their lifestyle and acquire healthier habits.

Seniors are divided into groups of six people and work for fourteen weeks under the supervision of a health coach. The project is supported by Norwegian grants and the state budget.

Why do seniors sign up for the project and what exactly does it help them with? "I joined the program out of curiosity, but also out of the belief that everything new that I can learn is beneficial for me. I think that seniors should be accessible to all opportunities to learn," says Active.me participant Mária Ratajová. He considers the exchange of experiences between the participants and valuable advice from the trainer to be beneficial. “It made me think about my lifestyle, diet, exercise, ways to keep my mind fresh and de-stressed. I forced myself to find a suitable movement that suits me and at the same time to set aside time for it regularly," said the senior.

As Barbora Čakovská, director of the Office of the Internal Quality Assurance System, informed, SUA will continue the project in cooperation with the University of Žilina this academic year as well.