The idea
The Active Elders Clubs is based in Westley Hall Community Centre. We would like to introduce seated chair based exercise and laughter therapy for elderly and disabled people run by a professional tutor.
The exercise will keep them physically and mentally fit and help them to enhance the quality of life. We would like to promote the socialising of elders and disabled people who may be lonely, physically frail or disabled by providing a pick and drop service in our minibus. Our aim is to reduce isolation and social exclusion.
What we'll deliver
- Exercise equipment - specific for elder and disabled people
- Pick up and drop service in our minibus
- Refreshments and room hire
Why it's a great idea
The session will make a lasting difference to people’s lives rather than simply alleviating the symptoms or current problems through engagement and providing solutions through socializing.
The project aims to:
- Reduce isolation, stigma and discrimination
- Enhance the wellbeing and self esteem of elderly and disabled people
- Improve physical and mental health
- Build confidence and social group for vulnerable disabled, elderly people
- Encourage or enable the elderly people to share their experience with others in the group.
This group will provide a very important way of supporting older people by helping them to remain independent within context of their own community and make new friends to improve social contact.
Steps to get it done
- Buying Equipment
- Advertisement
- looking for professional Speakers for health related topics
Due to the levels of deprivation in the area, meeting local need and tackling negative issues in our community is a long game, requiring time, effort and consistency of approach. However, we recognise the importance of demonstrating the impact of our work, especially positive benefits to the various user groups we support. Last year, the 60 elders we supported through our lunch club told us the service was a lifeline and helped them get out of the house and helped them maintain friendships and social skills. Our recent evaluation and research showed that there is a great demand and need for elderly and disabled people to be more active and be apart in the community. We also want to create more of a sense of community locally but involving young volunteers with elderly people.
