IT was the first region in Scotland to run an “Olympics” for people in care homes and West Lothian is now set to pilot a Parkinson’s-friendly gymnastics programme.
They are just two of the initiatives in the area that have been developed to help people stay healthy as they grow older.
Ill health in the elderly is a growing problem across the whole of Scotland and is forecast to have grave economic implications in the coming years.
West Lothian in particular is predicted to have the fastest growth in population of pensionable age in Scotland over the next 25 years – an estimated increase of 44%. This is twice the Scottish average so keeping the elderly fit and active within the region is seen as essential.
Programmes already running with this aim in West Lothian are calculated to have contributed a significant £14.4 million in social value over the last financial year.
Their Xcite Ageing Well initiative was set up in the late 1990s to promote healthy ageing by offering social, accessible activities that enhance physical and mental wellbeing.
It now runs more than 50 weekly classes that attract 43,000 visits from the 60-plus over the year.
“That shows how important these community-based solutions are,” said Ben Lamb, CEO of West Lothian Leisure. “We have found that these classes are a lifeline for many people. They keep people healthier for longer and they also meet that deep emotional need for connection.”
Many of the classes are free and include line dancing, walking netball, seated exercise, singing for health and arts and crafts, with people aged from 60 to 90-plus attending regularly.
Lamb believes programmes like this need to be rolled out across Scotland in order to help people lead healthy, active, independent lives as they age.
“There is an enormous social responsibility on us as a country to look after our rapidly expanding older generation,” he said.
“We know that physical activity for whatever age bolsters immunity, helps slow the biological clock and is a protective factor for many diseases but the social aspect is equally important,” he said.
“These classes provide a safe space for friendships to blossom. Loneliness is so prevalent in older people and that is the bit that sometimes gets lost.
“The activities we run are a huge part of preventative care and that is the challenge that everyone needs to address to reduce the cost of care in later life.”
Residents in care homes are not forgotten, with the Canalympics set up by West Lothian Leisure now in its 10th year.
This year, more than 90 residents from 11 homes took part in the games, which include bean bag tossing, penalty shootouts, hook a duck and even sock pairing.
Lamb said it was clear the competitors had been looking forward to the games, with many turning up in customised t-shirts and banners for the opening ceremony, having practised the “sports” for weeks beforehand.
However, he said more need to be done for care home residents.
“It is often a challenge to get people out into the community and we need to do more to reach out to more people in that setting,” he said.
With that in mind, the charity has recently successfully secured funding from Scottish Gymnastics to pilot a Parkinson’s, age and dementia-friendly, seated programme focusing on movement, cognitive stimulation therapy and social interaction.
“We all need to do more of these kind of things because we know the value of them,” said Lamb.
