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‘Dancing Days’ Lights Up Christmas for Wigan
Residents in Care
 A project to improve the mobility and independence of people living in
Wigan Borough’s residential care homes has had the older generations
dancing in the aisles this Christmas.
The Dancing Days project has been successfully piloted at Barley Brook
residential care home in Standish. The project is part of the Moving
More Often initiative co-ordinated by Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust.
Moving More Often trains care workers within residential homes, care
settings and groups to deliver a variety of physical and mentally
stimulating activities
Dancing Days is led by the trust’s Fit 2 Dance Co-ordinator Vicky
Thomas. Vicky has visited Barley Brook throughout December to deliver
specially-tailored dance sessions for the residents. The sessions
involved exploring dance moves through the use of simple props while
listening to music such as swing and ‘60s pop.
Vicky said, “This pilot has been very successful. We teach simple moves
that the group can enjoy and it really help them to get a little more
active. The social benefits of the scheme are equally important for all
of the participants. We have enjoyed laughing together and moving
together which is especially important at this time of year when some
older people can feel isolated and vulnerable. I am looking forward to
developing the work and taking ‘Dancing Days’ to other organisations
around the borough.”
Doris Shingler, one of the residents who participated at Barley Brook,
said, “It made me feel alive and was really enjoyable. It was nice that
everyone came together to take part. I enjoyed sharing the activities
with other people - that was the most important part.”
Sandra Heaps, Activities Co-ordinator for Century Healthcare, sums up
the value of the scheme, “The residents were apprehensive at first but
as soon as they realised it was accompanied with music and dance they
soon got into the mood. Vicky not only encourages the residents to do
their movements but she has a great natural rapport with them. Each week
we have more people joining in and not just women, the men too enjoy the
challenge. I would like to see this type of exercise introduced in all
the care homes I visit.”
The Moving More Often initiative, co-ordinated by the trust’s Active
Living Team, with support from Adult Services, has trained 140 care
staff, who are now delivering physical activity opportunities in
residential care and nursing homes across the borough. Training for the
Dancing Days element of the scheme will continue to be delivered in
2007.
To receive further information about the Moving More Often project,
please contact the Active Living Team on 01942 488489 or Adult Services
on 01942 404501, or visit
www.wlct.org/activeliving. To find out
more about Dancing Days or other Fit 2 Dance projects contact Vicky
Thomas on 01942 486922.
-ends-
NOTES TO EDITORS: For further information on this News Release please
contact Chris Dunbar, Public Relations Manager, Wigan Leisure and
Culture Trust on 01942 486937 or at
c.dunbar@wlct.org.
Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust: Wigan Leisure and Culture Trust is a
charitable trust working on behalf of Wigan Council to manage and
support leisure and cultural facilities, initiatives and events for over
300,000 residents in the Wigan Borough. See
www.wlct.org.
Getting Wigan Active: Getting Wigan Active is Wigan Leisure and Culture
Trust’s vision to ensure that people across the Wigan Borough have the
opportunity to become more physically, mentally and creatively active.
It also aims to increase community activity and to encourage good
citizenship.
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