Sir, – Bravo to Jacky Jones (HealthPlus, May 15th) for highlighting how events such as Bealtaine, to “celebrate creativity in older age”, simply increase the incidence of ageism rather than combat it.
Who believes that older people prefer to be typecast as being part of a discrete element of normal society, isolated from activities that involve people of varying ages? By all means, encourage older people with time on their hands to participate in whatever local activities may be available, but the goal must not just be to create interest groups, to paraphrase Abraham Lincoln, “of the older people, by the older people, for the older people”. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Jacky Jones’s article (HealthPlus, May 15th) made a number of valid points about the continued prevalence of ageism in Irish society. Unfortunately these were accompanied by a number of somewhat negative and ill-informed comments about genuine initiatives being taken to promote increased involvement by older people in society.
Her comments in particular on the Bealtaine Festival are not accurate. Festivals like Bealtaine are recognised as a prime route for people from all socio-economic backgrounds to first engage with their own creativity and to try out new activities.
An independent evaluation of Bealtaine carried out in 2008 by the Irish Centre for Social Gerontology at NUI Galway shows the festival changes communities as well as individuals. The changes are linked to solidarity, social connectedness and social capital that benefit the community in the longer-term.
Bealtaine’s effect is far-reaching. Its success is increasingly recognised abroad. This was demonstrated by the attendance at the international Bealtaine conference, Creating a New Old recently and the fact that a number of other countries are establishing their own versions of Bealtaine.
I also disagree with her assertion that people are unlikely to participate in creative activity at 65 unless they have done so previously. We can provide numerous examples to the contrary.
We initiated the Bealtaine Festival 17 years ago because we recognised that older age presents people with opportunities to try something new or to re-engage with something that had been put aside while working and rearing families for instance. The NUIG study shows Bealtaine has encouraged many older people to engage in the arts for the first time. It also shows that, as well as helping to combat social isolation, Bealtaine enriches lives particularly by enabling older people to discover talents of which they had been unaware.
It is ridiculous to say that an activity targeted mainly at older people is thereby ageist and to dismiss the excellent work put in by many statutory and voluntary organisations around the country making Bealtaine such a success. Age Opportunity is proud of the success of the Bealtaine Festival which is demonstrated by the participation of so many people and organisations in Ireland. – Yours, etc,