Living well with MS: The power of online communities
In this blog, Annie writes about the challenges of MS and isolation, and how online interest groups help her stay connected.
I'm finding that the combination of aging and MS is making it increasingly difficult to get out and about - and this will only get worse as winter sets in. For people like me who live alone, this can contribute to loneliness, low mood, and losing touch with friends and interests.
So over the last few years I've looked for ways to keep up my old interests, and even find new ones. And I’ve found that staying engaged with the wider world has really helped support my health and wellbeing.
Interest Groups Online
You might have heard of The University of the Third Age (u3a), an organisation for people not in full time work to 'learn together, make friends, and have fun'. It's for anyone, of any age, who’s had to step away from full time work, and offers a wide range of activities across the country through its local groups.
And for people like me who find it difficult to travel to face-to-face meetings, they also have an online community called Interest Groups Online (abbreviated as IGO). IGO members pay £12 per year, and this gives them access to talks, groups and courses that they can join from the comfort of their own home. The groups are organised and led by members and, unlike the face-to-face groups, aren’t limited by geography.
Something for everyone
IGO now has 1700 members - and growing! There are over 140 groups, ranging from Ad Hoc Art and Agatha Christie Appreciation through to the Zentangle Club. There’s something for everyone, and if you want to set up your own group it's a simple and straightforward process.
As well as the groups, there's a fascinating range of online talks available every month. For example, online talks through October and November range from The Geology of Britain in the Palaeozoic, the era of early life, to London on the Eve of the Great Fire 1666, and The Talking Drums of Africa.
A space to find new friends and interests
I understand and share some of the concerns people have as more aspects of our lives move online. Especially when it comes to excluding those without access to technology and limiting our face-to-face interactions.
But for people like me who have MS and struggle to get out and about, these online groups have given me the opportunity to maintain old interests and develop new ones. To meet new people and make new friends.
You can find out more about IGO on the University of the Third age website.
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