As we’re all aware, there are a multitude of benefits from exercising as an older adult or someone with a chronic medical condition, and it’s never too late to start. Exercise is a key component in maintaining and improving your health and quality of life, regardless of age or condition. It can potentially add years onto your life or increase your independence. This is why our organisation offers a wide array of classes designed for all different ages, conditions and ability levels. There’s benefits to each of them, but often before you start it’s important to know what course would be best for you.
The way we typically categorise our programmes is in terms of dependency, and what a participant is already physically doing prior to starting a Siel Bleu Ireland class. If you’re already pretty active in your day-to-day life, we have Stay Active, a programme designed specifically for the most active older adults. The specifics of the programme often adjust depending on the needs of the group that is taking it; however, its main objectives are to maintain and improve participants’ physical conditions. For participants who want a change of scenery during class, we also offer an Up & Go programme, geared to work on participants’ cardiovascular help along with their resistance and handling of their body weight. Our Fall Prevention programme focuses on coordination and balance, working toward limiting and preventing any falls participants have in the future.
While the courses mentioned above are designed for more active, independent participants, that is not to say that we don’t have courses for all ability levels. For individuals with mobility issues — whether that be the use of a wheelchair, a walker or otherwise — we have our Chair Gym programme. This programme helps participants maintain their independence and receive the benefits of a full body workout even while sitting. We also offer one to one programmes, which are catered for participants who may want more individualised attention and would benefit from exercising in the comfort of their own home.
Furthermore, we also offer courses to people with many different conditions. Participants living in a wheelchair, with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, COPD, Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, or having just survived a stroke can all exercise with us, through our patient group programmes. These programmes strive to meet the needs of many participants, and we’re proud to be in collaboration with so many wonderful organisations that are passionate about helping them.
At Siel Bleu Ireland we recognise the capacities and needs of the people we serve are varied, which is precisely why we offer so many uniquely tailored programmes. Sometimes it can be a bit difficult or daunting to figure out how and where to start exercising, which is why we aim to be as informative as possible. If you would like to know more about any of our programmes, especially if you believe yourself or someone in your life could benefit from one of them, we encourage you to visit our site and find a class near you. Furthermore, if you have any questions, we are always available to answer them via email, phone or social media.
Sources:
https://pmj.bmj.com/content/90/1059/26
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise-and-chronic-disease/art-20046049
***Disclaimer: The information in this post is for reference only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical expertise or advice. If you have any concerns about your own or another’s health, then please contact your doctor.
