New life in the café: 81-year-old meets 25-year-olds at the blind date

New life in the café: 81-year-old meets 25-year-olds at the blind date

in the heart of Münster, on the cathedral square, blooms a special Initiative that brings together students and seniors. In the café, where a table is reserved for a blind meeting, 81-year-old pensioner Christa Olgemöller and 25-year-old student Erik Hafermal run. The concept of these blind dates was launched by a committed group of students and bears the promising name "Moin! Münster - Jung. Old. Together". It aims to promote social networks between different age groups.

The idea was launched in 2023 with a first game afternoon in a retirement home. Since then, the organizers have initiated over 25 meetings between young and older people. In view of an impressive number of 2.5 million people in North Rhine-Westphalia, which feel regularly lonely, the initiative focuses on the promotion of interpersonal relationships. A study by the State Chancellery and the Ruhr University Bochum emphasizes that seniors and young adults in particular are among the particularly affected groups.

Community experiences and exchange

For Olgemöller this meeting represents a bright spot in your everyday life. "I want to meet new people because I am currently feeling some lonely," she says openly. Your interlocutor, oatmark, shares this longing for social interaction: "I look forward to good conversations and the exchange." Regardless of the age difference of 56 years, both the pensioner and the student are aware of the importance of human contacts.

Your conversation in the café runs over an hour in which you exchange thoughts and experiences. For Olgemöller it is a welcome change to her otherwise rather quiet life. With a smile she reports: "If my grandchildren had seen me, they would say: 'Now our grandma ticks completely'." The meeting shows that not only the exchange of living environments is enriching, but prejudices can also be reduced. Both feel comfortable and could imagine planning another meeting.

In order to ensure a safe environment, a member of the "Moin! Münster" group is always available and the staff of the café is trained to provide support if necessary. This ensures that both the boys and the older participants can feel comfortable in this new encounter.

The example of Olgemöller and oatmalz is not the only one that shows how valuable such initiatives are. More and more people are taking the opportunity to establish new contacts and expand their own horizons. The students not only organized a simple meeting, but also created the framework that enables mutual inspiration and understanding.

In conclusion, it shows that this form of encounter has a deeper social value that goes far beyond individual well -being. It contributes to the relief of loneliness and promotes cooperation that is often neglected today. The way to promote a respectful and active community leads to such connecting projects that enrich the lives of all involved.

A comprehensive overview of the situation offers www1.wdr.de .