By Callum Ludwig
Eastern Health, Inspiro Health, Yarra Ranges Council and Belgravia Leisure have partnered together to bring informative sessions on activating living to a pair of local libraries.
The sessions are for local residents aged 50 and above to help promote all aspects of healthy living and aging, including some new ideas for getting active.
Health Promotion Officer of Community Health at Eastern Health Casey Dykes said it’s extremely important for people across their lifespan to integrate activity and movement into their daily lives.
“We’ll be talking about barriers to active living and how to address them, how to improve balance and reduce the risk of falls and giving tips and tricks for how to incorporate movement into every day,” she said.
“We’ll also be having a demonstration from Belgravia Leisure staff of a low-impact seated activity where people can try a new activity in a comfortable and supported environment, with no pressure,”
“We’ll then be finishing the session off with some light refreshments where people will have an opportunity to chat to others as well as ask questions to Yarra Ranges Council Service Navigation Officers, as well as Eastern Health, Community Health staff about the services on offer for the local community.”
Tai Chi will be the activity of choice at Yarra Junction Library while Chair Pilates will be demonstrated at the Healesville Library. Each library will host three sessions:
Yarra Junction Library:
9-11am, Tuesday 12 March
1-3pm, Thursday 14 March
5-7pm, Thursday 14 March
Healesville Library:
9-11am, Monday 18 March
1-3pm, Monday 18 March
5-7pm, Tuesday 19 March
Ms Dykes said they developed the content for the sessions thanks to the generous feedback of the community when they asked what they’d like to learn about when thinking about active living.
“The feedback told us that people want to try new activities, they want to improve their balance and reduce the risk of falls and they need activities to be available to them at free or low cost, at a time that suits them and activities with a social aspect,” she said.
“We then built the session around this by providing information about improving balance, exploring the benefits of active living and giving free and easily implemented tips and tricks to increase activity levels.”
Active wear is not required for the activity component of the session and attendees are encouraged to just wear whatever they feel comfortable in.
Ms Dykes said in over 50s the benefits of active living are plentiful and can make a big difference in people’s lives as they age.
“These benefits include but aren’t limited to increased self-perceived wellbeing and feeling of connection, reduced risk of falls, improved sleep and stimulated appetite. It’s never too late to add movement into your life and it can be modified to suit many needs,” she said.
“It can act as a protective factor to health and wellbeing and contribute to improving all aspects of health including social, emotional and mental health,”
“We hope that the people who come along leave the session feeling confident and empowered to begin, increase or maintain movement and activity in their day-to-day life. We feel that everyone who comes to the session will benefit whether that be from the active living information, social connection or opportunity to ask questions about services available in the area.”
Over 50’s can register for a Yarra Junction session at this link www.trybooking.com/CPEPA or by contacting Yarra Junction Library. Registration for the Healesville sessions can be done at this link www.trybooking.com/CPEPE or by contacting the Healesville Library. Alternatively, anyone can contact Casey at Casey.Dykes@easternhealth.org.au
