Develop your posture – ballet for the elderly!
There are many activities and groups around Worthing and West Sussex especially set up for the elderly to enhance physical and mental well-being. These groups tend to be fun and enjoyable and offer an outlet for socialising rather than focussed on strict physical exercises.
There are often many such groups advertised on the West Sussex well-being website and, here at Comfort Keepers™ we were intrigued to see a really innovative group for the older person interested in taking up ballet. Starting in April, this seems a great idea as it offers much more than the run of the mill exercise and might ignite a once lost passion for ballet and dance. This group is not only brave in its subject matter and taps into the current interest for dance (come back “Strictly”!) but it is also a perfect past time for balance, strength and posture.
Good posture strengthens all muscles in a balanced manner
Great posture is just as important to healthy living as agility, good mobility and improving stamina and strength are. We tend to notice people with good posture – they appear strong, healthy and alert – why should this be different for the elderly?
In fact, when you regain a good posture, you will naturally strengthen muscles so they work in a balanced manner. Deep in the technological 21st century it is easy to find ourselves hunched in front of a computer, a television screen or slouched in an armchair – our muscles lose their strength, and our bones get used to certain positions and we end up with poor posture.
The elderly have other pressures which contribute to poor posture such as illnesses associated with old age (arthritis, rheumatism and neuromuscular conditions to name but a few). The fact is that when posture is bad, mobility suffers making the elderly prone to more accidents such as falls in and around the home.
How can you build better posture into your elderly relative’s day-to-day care?
The best place to work through your new posture regime with them is in the home. Starting with common seating areas such as the dining table and sofa, monitor how they might normally sit, how they might be more comfortable with a better posture and identify changes that can be made. Would a cushion in a soft chair be all that is required for a better posture? Leaving little reminders in seating areas on simply a post-it note with ‘posture’ written on it could make all the difference!
There are more solutions to developing good posture in the elderly…
We have found one such solution; the Senior Ballet group in Northgate is for men and women over 50 and is led by an experienced teacher of ballet. During these friendly classes ‘students’ will learn ballet movements to music, have fun, meet new people and possibly minimise falls in the future as well as enhance their all-around well-being.
To learn more about the Senior Ballet group visit the website by clicking here
Are you looking for quality care for your elderly loved one in Worthing and West Sussex? Contact us on 08082391525 or at info@prestige-nursing.co.uk for more information and friendly helpful advice.
