The turn of the year encourages summaries and reflections, planning and preparations: what have we achieved together, what kind of community are we co-creating, how do we implement the University of Lodz values in practice? But also – what more can we do, and how, to effectively support the development of the personal well-being of people of all ages. Each person brings something important to the community, and diversity only strengthens it. Senior citizens are not a relic of bygone times, but a source of principles and life wisdom for future generations.
Numerous studies and reports on people aged 60+ in Poland indicate a number of growing problems within this group. In addition to health issues, economic hardship, loneliness and a sense of marginalisation are becoming increasingly prevalent. Therefore, the university authorities have decided to provide systemic assistance to their former employees and other residents of the Lodz Voivodeship who are over 60 and require assistance for various reasons – primarily age, illness or disability.
At the UniLodz Educational Senior Support and Activity Centre “EDU-SOWA” on a daily basis we:
- we help maintain intellectual activity,
- support building motor skills,
- teach new things,
- lead discussions,
- share passions.
Developing the individual well-being of people aged 60+. Over a year ago, in September 2024, the University of Lodz launched the project "Utworzenie Klubu Seniora przy Domu Seniora Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego w Łodzi" [Establishment of the UniLodz Educational Senior Support and Activity Centre] co-financed by the European Union under the "European Funds for Lodz 2021-2027" programme. Its value is PLN 877,675, of which PLN 833,675 comes from the EU. This means that the centre’s members incur no costs for participating in classes and are provided with all necessary materials and tools for classes and workshops.
The project participants are individuals from the Lodz Voivodeship who are over the age of 60 and who meet specific eligibility criteria as well as successfully complete the admissions process – in particular, retired employees of the University of Lodz who require support in everyday functioning, mainly due to age, health condition and disability.
More information about the project's participation requirements and the admissions process: The UniLodz Educational Senior Support and Activity Centre “EDU-SOWA”
At the UniLodz Educational Senior Support and Activity Centre “EDU-SOWA”, we create a safe and open space where you can pursue your interests, maintain your fitness and simply feel well. We ensure that every day brings something worthwhile. Every morning and afternoon, we offer a variety of activities that improve mental and physical well-being, encourage networking and building lasting interpersonal relationships, and others that simply bring the joy of spending time with peers, chatting over coffee or playing board games. We also have a library and a reading corner available to the seniors.At the UniLodz Educational Senior Support and Activity Centre “EDU-SOWA”, we create a safe and open space where you can pursue your interests, maintain your fitness and simply feel well. We ensure that every day brings something worthwhile. Every morning and afternoon, we offer a variety of activities that improve mental and physical well-being, encourage networking and building lasting interpersonal relationships, and others that simply bring the joy of spending time with peers, chatting over coffee or playing board games. We also have a library and a reading corner available to the seniors.
Tasks implemented as part of the project
The diverse activities included:
- health-promoting activities, at least 12 hours per week (yoga, gymnastics, dance therapy, Nordic walking) and psychosocial support (individual consultations with a psychologist or a gerontologist (6 hours per month) – certified specialists from the University of Lodz, as well as health-promoting lectures (2-4 hours per month) and "Memory Cafe" memory training workshops (2-4 hours per month),
- cultural education and creative interest development classes (art and music workshops, art education) – approximately 10 hours per week in total,
- media education classes, including computer skills and the use of the Internet and its latest tools – 6 hours per week,
- educational and developmental biography workshops (2 hours per month),
- educational and integration trips to historically and culturally interesting places in the Lodz Voivodeship (including the Palace in Nieborów and the park in Arkadia, the Arboretum in Rogów, the castle in Oporów) and joint occasional meetings on popular holidays Easter, Christmas Eve),
- outdoor educational and therapeutic activities allowing relaxation in large green complexes near Lodz (including Arturówek, Uroczysko Lublinek, Uroczysko Ruda-Popioły, Wiączyń Nature Reserve).
External and internal relations of the University of Lodz
In response to the needs and interests of people over 60, the UniLodz Educational Senior Support and Activity Centre “EDU-SOWA” also organises additional activities, such as the "Viva Mexico" travel meeting with senior citizen and globetrotter Zofia Suska, a lecture by dr hab. Katarzyna De Lazari-Radek, Associate Professor at the University of Lodz "On good life and everyday joys," a meeting with police officers on senior safety, a lecture by Prof. Piotr Ciesielski, the Strzemiński Academy of Fine Arts Łódź on the threats arising from the use of artificial intelligence in art and everyday life, intergenerational educational and development meetings, such as coaching workshops to improve the daily functioning of adults, amateur puppet theatre performances by the Aktywni Plus group for people of all ages, including preschoolers and residents of nursing homes, musical meetings with the Senior Band, which was formed from a grassroots initiative of people over 60, and film meetings with the UniLodz film studies students.
All the project classes, as well as extracurricular activities, take place in the buildings at Rewolucji 1905 No 66. This tenement building, listed in the municipal register of historical monuments, boasts a long history. In 1909, at the initiative of the Silberstein family, known in pre-war Lodz for their philanthropic work, an Orphanage was established there. After World War II, when the property was taken over by the University of Lodz, the Faculty of Biology and its animal facility were located there. Interestingly, some of our centre’s members remember the building from their student days and recall its former décor. Currently, the tenement building has been fully renovated, preserving all exterior architectural details. The building is fully monitored and accessible to people with disabilities. All classrooms, restrooms, kitchen and library are accessible without barriers.
“EDU-SOWA” in numbers
In December 2024, the UniLodz Educational Senior Support and Activity Centre “EDU-SOWA” had 48 members participating in four types of support: dance therapy workshops, Memory Cafe meetings, health lectures and psychological consultations. Today, we have nearly 200 active participants and implement 15 different activities systematically supporting people aged 60+ as part of the ongoing project, as well as 3-5 extra-project activities (over 30-35 hours per week, i.e., approximately 120-130 hours per month).
2025 was a year of tremendous acceleration and development for the centre's senior community and staff. More activities lie ahead!
