At the heart of these efforts is the University of Lodz Senior Home, the Educational Senior Support and Activity Centre “EDU-SOWA”. The Centre is located in a historic tenement house at 66 Rewolucji 1905 Street in Łódź, which has undergone extensive renovation.
The building’s history dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. In 1909, an Orphanage was established there on the initiative of the philanthropic Silberstein family. After the Second World War, the property was taken over by the University of Lodz, and for many years it housed the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection. Today, the historic tenement house, with its preserved architectural details, is a modern, fully monitored facility that has been completely adapted to the needs of persons with disabilities.
An important milestone in the Centre’s development came in September 2024 with the launch of the project “Establishment of the Senior Club at the Senior Home of the University of Lodz”. Its primary objective is to increase older people’s access to education, culture, social activities and health prevention initiatives.
The project is addressed to residents of the Łódź Voivodeship aged 60 and over who, due to age, health conditions or disability, require support in their everyday lives. A significant group of participants consists of retired employees of the University of Lodz, for whom the Club also provides an opportunity to maintain ties with the university and stay connected with fellow senior citizens.
Thanks to external funding, participation in all activities is free of charge. Participants are also provided with all materials and resources needed for the workshops. The offer of the Senior Club has been designed to address the diverse needs of its members, including those related to health, physical fitness, personal interests, social relationships and functioning in the digital world.
Senior citizens can take advantage of at least 12 hours of health-promoting activities each week. The programme includes, among other activities, yoga, exercise classes, dance therapy and Nordic walking. The Club also offers individual consultations with a psychologist and a gerontologist, lectures devoted to health-related topics, as well as memory-training workshops.
Preventing digital exclusion is an important component of the programme. During classes, participants learn how to use computers and the internet, while also developing the skills needed to function increasingly independently in today’s digital environment.
The Club also places a strong emphasis on artistic activities. Participants develop their interests in visual arts and music, and some initiatives emerge directly from their own passion and creativity. This has led, among other things, to the establishment of the Senior Band and an amateur puppet theatre group.
The project extends beyond the walls of the Club itself. Participants take part in educational and integration trips to important sites across the region, including the Palace in Nieborów, the Arboretum in Rogów and Oporów Castle. They also participate in field activities during which they discover the natural assets of local woodlands and landscape parks located in and around Łódź.
Interest in the project continues to grow steadily. In December 2024, the Club had 48 participants. Today, more than 250 people take advantage of its offer. Members can choose from 15 regular activities as well as a range of additional classes and events. Altogether, this amounts to approximately 120-130 hours of activities each month.
The growing number of participants demonstrates the substantial demand for places where older people can not only look after their health and develop their interests, but also build relationships, acquire new skills and remain active members of the community.
The University of Lodz has received European Union funding for the implementation of the project "Utworzenie Klubu Seniora przy Domu Seniora Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego w Łodzi” [Establishment of the Senior Club at the Senior Home of the University of Lodz], project no. FELD.07.09-IP.01-0064/24-00.
Project value: PLN 877,675.00
European Union contribution: PLN 833,675.00
More information about the Centre’s activities and its current offer is available on the University of Lodz Educational Senior Support and Activity Centre “EDU-SOWA” website.
Source: Marshal’s Office of the Łódź Voivodeship
