From Sabina to Tuscia: Active Ageing Takes Shape with ACE20 and the Senior Centers of Lazio
ACE20 is engaged in research and social planning in the field of active ageing, accompanying and supporting numerous Senior Centers across the region—from Sabina to Tuscia—in the development of autonomous, unique, and distinctive projects created within the framework of the regional call “Projects in Support of Active Ageing” promoted by the Lazio Region. Each center develops its own pathway based on the characteristics of the local context, the interests of its members, and the resources of the area, giving rise to different experiences united by the shared goals of well-being, participation, and inclusion.
The regional call represents the common framework within which Senior Centers can design activities aimed at enhancing older adults as active members of the community. In this context, ACE20 plays a role of guidance, coordination, and research, supporting centers in structuring their activities and observing the impact of the various initiatives carried out. The focus is not on standardizing interventions, but on valuing the specific features of each project, reflecting the identity, needs, and aspirations of participants.
The activities promoted by the Senior Centers range from outdoor initiatives to cultural and recreational experiences, creating a broad and diverse offer. Walks, excursions, and gentle exercise sessions help maintain an active lifestyle, prevent frailty, and strengthen social relationships. At the same time, cultural activities represent a central element of many projects, offering opportunities for discovery, learning, and shared experiences.
Among the most significant initiatives are visits to the Vatican Museums, allowing participants to access one of the world’s most important artistic and cultural heritages, and cultural outings in Rome dedicated to discovering its extraordinary historical and monumental legacy. Other centers have focused on experiences closely connected to local landscapes and traditions, such as the journey on the “Transiberiana d’Abruzzo,” a scenic railway route crossing mountain villages and breathtaking panoramas, or visits to Sulmona and Lake Scanno, where culture, traditions, and nature intertwine in a single experience.
Destinations of great historical and symbolic value are also included, such as Assisi, a place of spirituality and art, and Caserta, home to its magnificent Royal Palace and monumental complex. These trips, varying in type and duration, offer each center the opportunity to design pathways consistent with its identity and the expectations of its participants, strengthening the sense of belonging and community dimension.
The element that unites all projects is the focus on the individual and on the quality of the experience. Activities are not conceived as mere leisure moments, but as tools for active participation, capable of stimulating curiosity, memory, relationships, and the desire to continue being an integral part of social life.
Through its work with the various Senior Centers, ACE20 gathers data, observations, and best practices that feed into its research on active ageing. The diversity of the projects, each with its own characteristics, represents an added value: it makes it possible to observe how different models can effectively respond to the needs of older adults and contribute to the development of increasingly attentive and inclusive social policies.
From Sabina to Tuscia, the projects developed by the Senior Centers within the regional call form a mosaic of diverse experiences united by a common vision: ageing lived as an active, participatory, and opportunity-rich phase of life, in which older people are protagonists of their own time and their community.