Following on from The International Day of Older People, we have created a new page on our website: Living Well for Life. We will use this page to celebrate the best examples of positive ageing, and those people - famous and not so famous - who represent embracing ageing with continued purpose, meaning, resilience, authenticity, and zest. Watch the page for who we feature and to find out more about why they are changing the perceptions of what is means to be an older people.
We are also asking for your best examples - who do you know in your local communities, or people you are inspired by, that we can shine a light on and celebrate for their contribution, and relevance to our world today.
By showcasing how our later years can be as vital and purposeful as earlier ones, we can begin to shift perceptions of what it means to be an older adult in the 21st century. Amongst many other things, Positive Ageing is about undermining preconceptions, pushing boundaries, and busting myths about ageing and its limitations.
We hope you'll join us on our quest!
We are now in a position to offer life coaching on Zoom for those who wish to embrace the opportunities that positive psychology offers for flourishing and thriving - whatever your stage of life.
If you are struggling to find your place in the world, have some specific health goals you wand to achieve, would like guidance on how to tackle challenges or changes you are currently facing, or simply need support to transform yourself into the very best version of yourself - Matt can help you to find your strengths, rediscover and reconnect with your authentic self, boost your resilience levels, and manage your emotions to reclaim your motivation, meaning, and purpose in midlife and beyond.
Our form of 1:1 coaching puts you first, and harnesses the power of science to focus on personal growth and transformation designed to help you shift you beliefs, behaviours, and sense of identity, perceptions of the world around you, enabling you to unlock your potential - creating lasting change.
Click on the button below to make an enquiry and find out more about our Midlife+ coaching sessions on Zoom or in-person.
With our origins firmly rooted in Positive Psychology and ongoing research into the actualities of ageing, we offer a variety of services designed to support individuals, organisations, and communities in elevating the reality of ageing for everyone - from one of enduring & surviving, to one of flourishing & thriving.
We inspire, educate, and motivate groups & teams by providing tailored workshop and/or training sessions for your customers or in-house teams, together with ongoing organisational team support. Our interactive & informative strengths-based workshops will prove hugely beneficial to your employees, and teams, increasing motivation, cohesion, and productivity. For groups in your organisation who are nearing retirement or for community-based customer groups who are newly retired we have tailor-made educational and inspirational workshops and resources ensuring a smooth, proactive transition into life beyond work .
If your organisation supports those in care or independent living facilities, your teams will benefit from learnings and practical tools on resilience, strengths, motivation, and wellbeing, centred on self-care in service environments, preventing burnout & emotional / compassion fatigue. Based on our principles of positive ageing and our concept of Live Well for Life, we have designed supportive and informative sessions focused on enabling wellbeing and life satisfaction.
You may belong to a Group - social or professional - which might benefit from the science of Positive Psychology and how it can be harnessed to increase wellbeing and life satisfaction from Midlife onwards. We can provide relevant, energising, and interactive talks and workshops for your Group with research-based insights, and interactive exercises designed to provoke learning, thinking, and reflective practice geared towards self-awareness and growth.
Workshops and training can be tailored to requirement, and can be run in-person and on location, or via Zoom for a remote or hybrid workforce.
From midlife there are changes that come our way - it can be a time of great transition and challenge, but can also be one of opportunity and self-development. Work done now will create the best future for a flourishing and thriving older age when that time comes.
In our 1:1 Coaching sessions, we enable individuals to create the healthiest, happiest older age through an holistic approach that encompasses mind, body, and spirit, learning, practice, and embodiment.
Initial consultations are £150 and last 1 hour. Further sessions last 1h30 minutes, and are £175 (via Zoom).
Contact us for availability and pricing of in-person sessions if desirable.
Our Founder Matt C Freeman is a passionate and engaging public speaker with vast experience as a keynote at events and conferences around the world. With his specialist area of the Mind|Body Connection, Positive Psychology and the process of ageing, Matt will tailor his talk to your requirements, capturing the hearts and minds of your audience. Dynamic, entertaining, yet culturally sensitive and inclusive, Matt would be delighted to talk at your event, adapting his breadth of knowledge and experience to your particular specialised interest area.
See our Client Testimonials section below for references on some of Matt's latest talks and appearances.
We provide bespoke information, insight, and marketing communications packaged appropriately for relevant, practical, and commercially savvy application. Our up to date research considers midlife, ageing, and the challenges / requirements of life pre- & post-retirement. This specialist knowledge & expertise, and unique frontline access, is invaluable in providing commercial and/or support services for Midlife+ populations.
Our approach is borne from the mission to change the perception of ageing across society, by enabling healthier & happier life for older adults ahead of time. Please contact us to discuss your particular requirements further.
Do you have any questions that you would like answered? Our Ask Matt Q&A section features several questions that might have been on your mind, along with informative and insightful answers from our Positive Ageing Guru, Matt C Freeman. If you have a question or query that has not already been answered on the page, we are ready to help!
Our Founder Matt is a Positive Psychology Practitioner, Midlife + Coach, Trainer & Workshop Leader, Consultant, and Researcher with vast experience in diverse areas of ageing well, so he is well placed to answer your questions. We also have a range of experts who work with us, all of whom have different areas of specialist knowledge and practice, who will also be able to help with answers to your questions.
...is older people - those who are already in older age, those who are on their way there (which is all of us), and those in midlife who want to ensure their own path to older age is an opportunity for health, happiness, and personal growth. We fundamentally believe that growing old healthily and happily is a right for everyone.
It is cer
...is older people - those who are already in older age, those who are on their way there (which is all of us), and those in midlife who want to ensure their own path to older age is an opportunity for health, happiness, and personal growth. We fundamentally believe that growing old healthily and happily is a right for everyone.
It is certainly possible, if we know we have a choice in it, and have the knowledge to affect it. For some, the area to pay attention to might be to do with their bodies, for some it might be more mental, and for some emotional. For some, it might be a mix of all three! We continue to be inspired every day by the older people we work with, and the rich and fulfilling lives they live, empowered to share their wisdom, experience and learning with those around them, performing a vital, appreciated role in society.
We are inspired by those who look after and support older people. We care that they also have the best life possible during the time that they are caring for their elders. It is often the case that in caring for others, we forget to look after our own health and wellbeing - mental, physical, and emotional. This can have an impact not only for our own energy, compassion, and perspective, but also - crucially - our own older age. If can also have a ripple effect on those we are caring for and supporting, our careers, our families, and our loved ones. This is especially true if we are part of the 'sandwich' who care for our parents as well as our children.
We come from a background of compassionate care, and unwavering support for our own older relatives. Everyday we work with older adults in Exercise & Fitness, Diet & Nutrition, Coaching and Training settings. We are trained & qualified in Positive Psychology practice and research, Diet & Nutrition, Physiology & Anatomy, Dementia, Bereavem
We come from a background of compassionate care, and unwavering support for our own older relatives. Everyday we work with older adults in Exercise & Fitness, Diet & Nutrition, Coaching and Training settings. We are trained & qualified in Positive Psychology practice and research, Diet & Nutrition, Physiology & Anatomy, Dementia, Bereavement & Grief Counselling.
We all want to age the best we can so that when we get to our oldest old age (85+) we are as healthy and happy as we can be.
The great news is that we can influence around 50-75% of our ageing process through appropriate lifestyle choices, changes to our environment, and educating ourselves about what is possible and how to do it better!
Our mission is to share information, insight, inspiration and provide accessible forums and tools to enable a flourishing life beyond midlife for everyone. We conduct research into gerontology and the psychology of ageing (both desk and in-person) on an ongoing basis to ensure that the knowledge and information we share is always up to date and accurate. We are absolutely passionate about our chosen field, and that we have strong scientific foundation to our work, programmes , talks, and consultancy.
In 2016, witnessing first hand the challenges of older age, diagnosis, and frailty, our Founder Matt C Freeman was driven to change the experience of ageing by empowering individuals with knowledge and practical tools - backed by science and research. In 2020, he created Viva Positiva to enable and support older adults, those who care fo
In 2016, witnessing first hand the challenges of older age, diagnosis, and frailty, our Founder Matt C Freeman was driven to change the experience of ageing by empowering individuals with knowledge and practical tools - backed by science and research. In 2020, he created Viva Positiva to enable and support older adults, those who care for them and provide for them.
Matt is very concerned about ageism in our society, in our workplaces and other institutions. His mission is to positively impact societies, organisations, & nations, advocating for older adults, and their right to proactively age better.
The generalised and pervasive perceptions of older people and ageing can be damaging, and life limiting according to the World Health Organisation. Viva Positiva wants to shift these perceptions of getting older by taking back control of how we age. We have a choice in how we age, and therefore have the potential to affect the impressions we and others have of ageing. We believe that if we, as older adults in training, are able to access the knowledge and practical tools to do what we need to do, we can all change the way we age. We then have the opportunity to alter how older adults are perceived in our society and beyond - allowing us to all live to our full potential - for life.
" Matt delivered an outstanding presentation on Positive Ageing at our Healthy Ageing Conference, perfectly balancing insightful information with genuine inspiration. Drawing from his extensive experience and expertise in positive psychology, Matt challenged us to rethink how we approach the ageing process, both personally and as a society. His message of reframing ageing to focus on living well, no matter the challenges we face, resonated deeply with everyone in the audience.
Matt’s engaging and dynamic delivery kept us captivated from start to finish, ensuring that key insights were both entertaining and thought-provoking. His ability to connect with the audience and present complex concepts in an accessible way made his session one of the highlights of our event. I wholeheartedly recommend Matt as a speaker for any organisation looking to inspire positive change and foster a mindset of thriving, not just surviving, in later life."
"I loved Matt's workshop on Positive Ageing at the Positive Psychology Summit: UK 2024 earlier this month!
Matt shone a light on an increasingly important topic, and one that is still under-served in the Positive Psychology arena. His practical exercise was an enlightening illustration of how mindset and targeted interventions can support us in our later years, whatever our circumstances. Flourishing in old age is possible! (thank goodness -let's face it, if we're lucky enough, we will all experience it!)
I hope many organisations supporting our older population bring Matt on board so that he can support not only individuals through his coaching, but facilitate flourishing of larger groups in places such as retirement homes, nursing homes, assisted housing communities etc."
"I had the pleasure of co-hosting one of Matt's workshop tailored for Goldster members for the over 60s and it was truly transformative!
Matt skilfully addressed the unique challenges and opportunities that come with ageing, providing valuable insights that resonate deeply with our Goldster community.
His engaging and calming approach to mental exercises demonstrated how a positive mindset and targeted strategies can empower us to thrive in our later years.
It's inspiring to know that flourishing in old age is not just a dream or a meme , it's a reality we can all achieve, particularly as we age.
I wholeheartedly encourage other organisations supporting older adults to collaborate with Matt and his belief system, to help educate us all as we age"
"We had the pleasure of Matt leading a workshop on Positive Ageing: How we can shift our mindset and thrive whatever our age, at the Positive Psychology Summit:UK, 2024. I am co-organiser of the event.
Matt was knowledgeable, engaging and had clearly put a lot of preparation time into the event. He led us through three scenarios that older people may face, and how to respond positively.
I have no hesitation in recommending him as a speaker or workshop facilitator on positive ageing. "
"I had the pleasure of working with Matt for a year and a half. Matt was always a willing and skilled sounding board with excellent communications skills. He was able to lead a young and dynamic team with a light yet deft touch, and collaborate well with the initiatives I was driving across a number of different marketing platforms, providing welcome support. As a long time resident of South Africa who has retained Canadian values around diversity and inclusion, I appreciated his way of interacting with staff from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds in addition to how he brought his inclusive approach to his direct mandate. His marketing and branding subject matter knowledge was on par with the best I've worked with (and I've worked with excellent specialists in this space). I enjoyed our working relationship and wouldn't hesitate to recommend Matt for a corporate or strategic advisory/consulting mandate. He listens, he knows what he's doing, and he puts his clients first."
"I had the pleasure of working with Matt. He was always reliable, enthusiastic, balanced but firm and insightful in his views and recommendations and his sense of humour is infectious.
He always understood fast and got things done, finding solutions and removing obstacles."