Whatever your age and level of mobility, exercise is an important part of life, not only for the physical benefits it brings, but also the mental and social benefits!
We’ve brought you our selection of mobility friendly exercise options in and around Swindon. Whatever your needs hopefully you can find an activity that’s right for you and you’ll have fun keeping active and well.
Love to Move
Love to Move is a group session led by an instructor of seated exercises designed to get older people moving and functioning better. The moves are based around “bilaterally asymmetrical movement patterns” but in simple terms these exercises support balance and co-ordination. The sessions benefit older people as well as those with dementia and mild cognitive impairment, by enabling the left side and right side of the brain to process information independently, and this increases the skills required for the everyday mobility needed to stay independent at home.
The groups are sociable and there is time to chat at the end.
Annamaria is a local, trained Love to Move leader and has a monthly session at Highworth Forget Me Not Café at Highworth Community Centre, on a Wednesday afternoon. To find out more about Love to Move in general look at their website https://britishgymnasticsfoundation.org/lovetomove/ or for information from Annamaria about the local groups email her on [email protected].
Dementia Friendly Walk and Talk at Lydiard Park
Beautiful Lydiard Park in West Swindon is the setting for this monthly dementia friendly walk hosted by Swindon Carers and Home Instead. Take a stroll around the grounds with either the moderate walkers or the slower group and end up at the café for a well-deserved drink and chat. No-one is left behind and this is a great opportunity to connect with people who understand dementia.
This takes place on the second Monday of the month (weather permitting) and can be booked by registering with Swindon Carers on their website and then booking a place. Registering with Swindon Carers is a really positive thing to do if you care for someone with dementia as will give access to their many other services too.
For more information call Heather on 07841 503849 or to register visit https://www.swindoncarers.org.uk/
Gentle Keep Fit with Linda Jefferies
Linda Jefferies runs various groups in several locations which focus on people exercising at the right pace for them. Her classes include circuits, but in a way which enables members to set their own goals and she welcomes all abilities and mobilities.
She has classes at Gorse Hill Community Centre on a Monday 10-10.45am, then on Monday afternoon 2-3pm at Christchurch Community Centre Old Town, Tuesday 10-11am at Pinetrees Community Centre and Wednesdays 2.30-3.30pm at John Mouldon Hall, Penhill. For more information call Linda on 07763 282611 or email linjefferies @hotmail.com
Neuro Wellbeing Centre
The Neuro Wellbeing Centre is a charity supporting those with any neurological condition (as confirmed by a GP) and this includes many conditions including MS, ME, Stroke, Alzheimer’s to name a few. A much longer listing is available on their website.
The Neuro Wellbeing Centre has a specially designed gym which enables those with neuro conditions to be able to use the machines and also offers many classes including pilates, yoga and other exercise groups at various levels according to how mobile a person is. They also have a NASA built anti-gravity thread mill which enables people to walk and improve their gait and mobility whilst the machine reduces the weigh bearing to enable the person to move more freely.
There is an annual membership fee of £20 and sessions are priced at subsidized rates and block bookings can reduce cost. For more information visit their website: https://neurowellbeingcentre.co.uk/
There are many more groups and activities locally that work well for older people, or those with a specific need. We hope you will find the right exercise for you and/or an older person you care for. Home Instead provide a guide called the “What’s On Where” WOW Guide which gives a calendar of local activities. We also provide The Resources Directory which contains links to many other local and national services which can benefit older people. For copies please email [email protected]
Find out more about supported living in this area and see if Home Care in Swindon & the Vale of White Horse could be right for you or your loved ones.