MHA Torrwood, a care home in Somerset, has been shaking things up with new and innovative exercise classes designed to entertain the residents and get them moving at the same time.
One of the many regular activities that MHA Torrwood residents are offered at the home are pom-pom classes, delivered by instructor Tina Blackwill. These social and engaging classes are accessible for people of a wide range of abilities as participants get involved while sitting down.
Care home manager Beverley Davies, says: “Keeping residents active is really important, so it’s great that these classes have proven to be such a hit. Women and men both join in – they love it!
“Some of them are very honest and say they weren’t too sure at first, but after they gave it a go they saw how much fun could be had. You really can see the enjoyment in their faces during the sessions.”
The pom-pom classes have proven so popular with her loyal attendees at Torrwood that Tina has been rolling her sessions out to more care homes across the region.
It is thought that getting older people moving and stimulating the brain at the same time, as Pom-Pom sessions do, could help ward off dementia. A Stanford University study found that energetic activities are better for preventing dementia than crosswords or reading.
