Through dancing classes, “chairobics”, cheerleading or pom-pom shaking, older people in Northern England care homes get involved in physical activities and have a chance to improve mental alertness, physical health and mobility.
The Oomph! award-winning project, is a social enterprise launched 3 years ago, with now more than 600 care homes in the north of England signed up, and around 75,000 participants, including people with dementia.
Last year, the Government’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) underlined that people in care homes must actively participate in meaningful activities’ to keep the mental well-being. The founder of the programme says that classes can improve flexibility, mood and balance, and therefore reduce the fall cases up to 28 per cent.
