By PSS | Posted: Tuesday September 20, 2016
For the past 10 years YMCA Instructor Pam McKee has been getting Peacehaven Townhouse and Cottage residents moving with falls prevention, strength and balance sessions.
Almost every week for the past decade YMCA Instructor Pam McKee has made her way to Peacehaven Village, armed with music from eras gone by and a desire to get elderly residents up and moving.
She has been running falls prevention, strength and balance classes for Peacehaven townhouse and cottage residents since at least 2005. They offer low impact, chair-based exercises to strengthen thighs, upper arms, wrists and ankles – all key elements of the body when it comes to falls.
“It’s so important that people stay active as they age,” Pam says.
“It strengthens bones, it prevents falls – and if you do fall it certainly helps to be stronger – and there’s also a real social element to it as well.”
“If you just sit around you lose all of that strength, which affects your balance and you do get weak.”
Up to 12 people attend each class weekly and Pam says they get real benefit from the activity.
“When some come along they can’t even get up off the chair, but once they get that strength and muscle tone back it’s wonderful to see them improve,” she says.
“To see the progression week to week is really good. I really enjoy it; I love it!”
The classes are held on Wednesdays at Anderson Hall between 2.30pm and 3.30pm. Sessions are $3.20 per person. Classes are also open to community members, aged 65 and over.
To find out email enquiry@enlivensld.nz