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professionals. The humble intention was to develop creative projects that are effective
and sustainable in developing life satisfaction and quality of life of the
community.Presently MAGICS is having self-developed projects and also projects
in collaboration with Governmental organizations and Non-Governmental
Organizations.

An age-friendly city is a concept promoted by the World Health Organization to
benefit people of all ages. India and especially Kerala is ageing in a fast pace
warranting appropriate policies and programs for its senior citizens to ensure
opportunities for development, active ageing and a life with dignity. It is important
to create a model culturally suitable for our country that should replace the
stereotype of an older person being disabled or dependent. In an ageing world, it is
not just the extra years that a person lives; but it is important how healthy the
person lives in terms of physical, mental, social and spiritual health. An age-friendly
society will in fact help upcoming senior citizens to alter their lives in a way that
they can live engaged in the community in their later years.

Creating an age-friendly society will ensure safety and adequate services and support
for older persons that will assist the younger generations and families to take care
of their older relatives.In an age-friendly community, the whole community benefits
from the participation of older persons in volunteer or paid work and civic activities.
Making a community age-friendly is one of the most effective policy approaches
for responding to population aging.

The University of Third Age is an international concept aiming at education
and stimulation of mainly retired members of the community - those in their third
age of life. It is commonly referred to as U3A. U3A membership is not related to a
specific age but to a period in one’s life (the third age) after the second age of full-
time employment and parental responsibility. Anybody in their third age can join
U3A and this includes people who are working part-time.There is no lower age for
membership.

Education institutions conventionally exist for younger generation in our country
while there are only a few centres where adults have opportunity for continued
education. Age-friendly colleges are such education institutions which offer
conventional education while opportunities for adults to access these institutions
for continuing education, vocational trainings and obtaining other life skills. One
another highlight of this project is the inter-generational nature of the program.
Teaching and knowledge sharing between generations is given prime importance.
For example, a student with an aptitude for teaching may get an opportunity to
teach an older person how to use a computer, smart phone or a gadget to access a
bank account.

Adelaide Journal of Social Work, 4:1 (2017) : 126-137