A program run by the Alzheimer Society in Peterborough is getting people moving.
Minds in Motion runs once a week out of the Sport and Wellness Centre in Peterborough. It’s open to anyone who is battling any form of memory loss, and his or her caregiver.
“We’re working the mind, the body, the soul, we’re working it all,” said Jennifer Stubbert with the Alzheimer Society.
The program includes up to an hour of physical activity, followed by an hour of socializing and games.
Stubbert said regular physical and mental exercise helps in the fight against early dementia.
“By having this group, we are focusing on the caregiver and the person with dementia coming out and doing something fun,” Stubbert said. “We’re not focusing on the memory loss.”
Beyond that, the program puts a lot of focus on friendship, new relationships, and emphasizes positivity.
It’s Paul and Marilyn’s second session of Minds in Motion, and Marilyn said they’ve already signed up for a third.
“The social aspect is wonderful,” Marilyn said. “We all have problems, but we come here, we get to know the people.”
She said the program gets the two of them out of the house, gives them a chance to meet others who are grappling with similar health issues and adds a healthy boost to their exercise routine.
“Paul, when he came in, was in a walker, and using a walker all the time. Now he uses a cane, and doesn’t even need that a lot of the time,” she said.
The program runs throughout the Peterborough region as well as in the Lindsay and Haliburton areas.