Seniors get active ahead of No Falls Month
Seniors from Bolton Clarke’s Tantula Rise retirement village in Alexandra Headlands have been getting active in a weekly exercise class designed to support balance, agility, and overall fitness.
April is ‘No Falls Month’ and highlights the importance of health, fitness, and improved balance for seniors. Falls have a major impact on quality of life of older people and can cause injury, loss of confidence, and reduced activity and independence.
Reduced activity in older age can lead to loss of muscle strength and sense of balance - factors which may lead to a fall.
Staying active is the most important thing seniors can do to kept fit and remain independent.
Aiming to support continued activity are the classes, led by Bolton Clarke’s At Home Support team. They take participants through a range of both seated and standing exercises, specially designed for ageing bodies.
Class participant and Tantula Rise retirement village resident John Gardner, 94, said that the exercise classes played an important role in helping him stay healthy during retirement.
“It’s early days yet but they seem to be going well,” he said. “I’m really enjoying it.
“I’d like to work on my strength and balance, that’s really important as you get older.
“Once you get to 94 years old things don’t come as easy as you’d like them to, so I’d also like to increase my health and fitness overall.
“We’ve been doing it for about three weeks so far. The instructors are all very good – very helpful. It’s good to have someone around you who can do it all and show you how. It keeps you young.”
John says the classes are not only encouraging him to keep fit, but to stay connected with fellow residents in the village.
“We’re already a pretty close community here but it’s good to have another reason to get together. It keeps us connected – everything helps, it’s worth doing.
“No one feels isolated and group activities help new people at Tantula Rise get acquainted.”
He said the class was just one aspect of a community lifestyle that supported people to stay active and engaged.
“I first moved here with my wife, and after she passed, I had a community around me.
“I think Tantula Rise was one of the best kept secrets in the Maroochydore and Mooloolaba area – but not anymore. Now I live here, it’s great and I think others should consider it too.”
The Tantula Rise exercise classes are open to all Bolton Clarke residents and home care clients on the Sunshine Coast, including new clients. The program will soon be expanding to the Wide Bay area.
In addition to the exercise classes, Bolton Clarke offers free information sessions on Falls Prevention through the organisation’s Be Healthy and Active program. Find out more about these sessions and access more resources at www.boltonclarke.com.au/behealthy
