“Active Aging University Project” Concluded with a Closing Ceremony

The closing ceremony of the “Active Aging University Project,” carried out with the approval of the Ministry in collaboration with Üsküdar University Accessible Life Support Application and Research Center (ENMER) and the Ministry of Family and Social Services Üsküdar Social Service Center, was held. Participants who successfully completed the four-week training program experienced the excitement of graduation with a gown ceremony, while the program highlighted the understanding of lifelong learning and active aging. Üsküdar University Rector Prof. Nazife Güngör, who participated in the program, emphasized that aging does not mean an individual withdrawing from life, and drew attention to the importance of continuing to produce and contribute to society.

The closing program held at Çarşı Campus Emir Nebi Hall 1 was attended by Üsküdar University Rector Prof. Nazife Güngör, Deputy Provincial Director of the Ministry of Family and Social Services İstanbul, Mustafa Ervaş, Asst. Prof. Ömer Faruk Karasakal, Director of the Vocational School of Health Services, Asst. Prof. Melek Çaylak, Director of ENMER, Sedef Şuvman, Director of Üsküdar Social Service Center, academicians, and students.

Prof. Nazife Güngör: “Aging should be regarded as maturing rather than getting old”

Üsküdar University Rector Prof. Nazife Güngör emphasized that aging does not mean an individual withdrawing from life, and drew attention to the importance of continuing to produce and contribute to society. Güngör stated; “Aging should be regarded as maturing rather than getting old. Maturation is essentially a kind of transcendence, analyzing life better, analyzing people, society much better by drawing inspiration from all those experiences and learnings. We should know that as long as we breathe, no matter what our age, we are in this world, we are in life, and we continue to contribute to and enrich this life.”

“Let’s Definitely Forbid the ‘Retired’ Psychology”

Güngör stated that it is necessary to remain active and maintain productivity at every stage of life, and noted that retirement is not the end of life but an opportunity to pursue new interests. Güngör said; “Let’s definitely forbid the 'retired' psychology. Retirement is merely the end of our active duty in a job, in an institution, but it is about increasing and strengthening activities in another sphere of life. Because the meaning of being human, the fundamental understanding of being human, is to work and produce as long as we breathe. A working iron shines. We will only age, but we will never feel old. As we age, we will realize that we are more experienced, and by transferring those experiences, we will further increase our production energy.”

Mustafa Ervaş: “We Prioritize Our Elders Actively Participating in Society”

Deputy Provincial Director of the Ministry of Family and Social Services İstanbul, Mustafa Ervaş, stated that active aging efforts hold an important place in terms of ministry policies. Ervaş emphasized the need to support elders in remaining active and productive members of society without withdrawing from social life, and underlined that the project is an exemplary work in this regard. Ervaş said; “We prioritize our elders actively participating in society.”

Asst. Prof. Ömer Faruk Karasakal: “Active Aging is Also a Requirement for Continuing to Learn”

Asst. Prof. Ömer Faruk Karasakal, Director of the Vocational School of Health Services, pointed out the importance of lifelong learning, stating that active aging should not only be associated with physical health. Karasakal stated, “We see that active aging is not only related to physical health but also a requirement for continuing to learn. It is also an indicator of participating in social life and being productive within life. Many of these points were addressed in these trainings. Universities' social contribution activities are very valuable, not only through students studying at the university but also in terms of being able to reach every segment of society. In this context, it is also a source of great pleasure for us that our university undertook such a project and that the process was carried out with the support of the Ministry of Family and Social Services. I would like to thank all our instructors, academicians who provided training, and our esteemed elders who participated. Hopefully, let's not leave it here; let's continue in the coming years.”

Sedef Şuvman: “You Are the Memory of This Society, and We Need This Memory”

Sedef Şuvman, Director of Üsküdar Social Service Center, expressed the project's purpose and the importance of participants with the following words: “As the Social Service Center Directorate, we carry out our services by offering assistance to our elders based on their needs and demands, just as we do for all other segments of society. However, this time, we decided to take a different approach and considered what we could do for you before receiving a request. We carried out this program in collaboration with our ENMER Directorate. Within this scope, over four weeks, we conducted various trainings, programs, and activities, and humbly tried to convey our knowledge to you. At the end of the day, we realized that what we actually needed was for you to share your knowledge, experience, and expertise with us. Because today I also realized that you are truly the memory of this society, and we need this memory. I hope the friendships established here continue thereafter, and we can be together in new, current projects.” she said.

Asst. Prof. Melek Çaylak: “Aging is Not a Loss, but a Gain”

Asst. Prof. Melek Çaylak, Director of Üsküdar University Accessible Life Support Application and Research Center (ENMER) and Head of SMHYO Social Services Program, emphasized that the main goal of the project was to ensure that aging is not seen as being pushed out of life or becoming passive. Çaylak stated, “We wanted to show that aging should not be perceived as being cast out of life, remaining idle, or experiencing deprivation, but rather as being able to exist by actively participating in life, being within life, and utilizing existing knowledge and skills in the best possible way within life. We aimed to make individuals feel that aging is actually a gain.”

Çaylak stated that many topics such as healthy aging, safe exercise, correct medication use, hearing health, home safety, and conscious use of chemical products were covered during the four-week training program, and thanked the academicians and stakeholder institutions who contributed to the project. Çaylak stated that the increase in the number of participants throughout the process was a significant gain for them, and added, “Our aim was to be useful and support social contribution. We believe that this is one of the most important functions of the university. We were honored to be with our esteemed elders who participated from the beginning of our project and always showed great interest.”

Participants Also Talked About the Training Process

Filiz Türemiş, mentioning that the trainings provided significant contributions to them, stated that they became more conscious thanks to the trainings, while Emine Noya said that during the four-week period, they not only acquired new knowledge but also learned to approach their health and lives from a different perspective.

Noya also stated that the program brought them new friendships and unforgettable memories.

Gown Ceremony and Music Recital Held

Following the speeches, the program continued with the gown ceremony, the most exciting moment of the project. Participants who diligently followed the lessons for four weeks were invited to the stage and donned their gowns. The trainees, receiving their certificates of participation from the academicians, created a great enthusiasm and a wave of applause in the hall.

Later, participants enjoyed pleasant moments with a music recital by Research Assistant Ender Sezen from the Faculty of Health Sciences, Occupational Health and Safety Department. Participants, singing along to the songs, shed the fatigue of the training process by having fun. 

The program concluded with a cake cutting and group photo session.

The “Active Aging University” project, which supports the understanding of lifelong learning; aimed at improving the quality of life for elderly individuals, strengthening their participation in social life, and raising social awareness about active aging, was successfully completed as an exemplary social responsibility initiative.