Energetic Elderly - CACE Health Initiative

Aim

Combat isolation and health concerns of older people by providing bespoke walking groups and exercise classes, facilitated by trained staff.

Cumbernauld Action on Care of the Elderly are a local charity supporting older, isolated and vulnerable people living in Cumbernauld and the surrounding areas within North Lanarkshire. Our charity currently supports over 200 people every month, we are a small staff team who rely on community support, particularly our incredible volunteers and our fundraising efforts. For over 30 years we have been providing services to the elderly; Day-care, Groups, Befriending, Outings, Community Transport and social events. You can't begin to imagine how the COVID Pandemic affected our services and service users - but that is why WE NEED YOU!!!

Restrictions and social distancing have meant that elderly people were isolated; lonely, increasingly frail due to lack of exercise or poor diets / or loss of appetite, some people living with dementia have reported a decline in cognitive function and mobility. Many people have recognised that both their mental and physical health have suffered due to lack of exercise or stimulation, and even lack of access to the outdoors.

Our proposed project is called 'Energetic Elderly'. This is a health initiative that will provide physical exercise suitable for elderly attendees and it will bring people together socially, supporting people (carers and those they care for) to improve their health and wellbeing.

What exactly is 'Energetic Elderly'?

A pilot project to deliver 6 sessions of ‘Energetic Elderly’, a new health initiative consisting of walking groups, bespoke exercise classes, health and wellbeing information for older people living in Cumbernauld and the surrounding areas. 

Walks would be held in the local greenspaces and beautiful outdoors, facilitated by trained walk leaders and supported by volunteer marshals.

Classes would be held at CACE activity suites in Cumbernauld, facilitated by trained staff and volunteers, and access would be supported by CACE Community Transport who would deliver a door to door bus service (wheelchair friendly).

Why do CACE need your help?

CACE want to address economic inequalities by ensuring that our Energetic Elderly initiative is free to attend. Unfortunately, our income has been hit hard by having to close face to face services for 18 months due to restrictions. CACE are now reopening services and starting up much needed new initiatives like Energetic Elderly to address the impact on health, but we need to secure funding as we don't have the reserves to fully fund this ourselves.

CACE staff and volunteers will need to attend training courses provided by ‘Paths for All’ to equip us to safely deliver exercise for older people, and deliver walking activities for people living with dementia. These courses will cost £700.

Delivering the 6 sessions, and offering them free to attendees, will cost CACE in staff wages and our transport costs - we are asking our community to help raise £650 towards these costs.

CACE support older people to live active lives - Will you?

This project successfully funded on 21st September 2021