AGEING WELL

Free Strength & Balance Classes  Have you had a fall or are you worried about falling? If you are 65+ an ‘Otago’ class may be just want you need to help with your strength and balance to help reduce the risk of falling. If you think this is something that would benefit to you then you will need contact your GP or medical professional for a referral.  The course is for 12 weeks, which can start at any time and is completely free. Classes are taking place on Tuesdays at Mid Suffolk Leisure Centre from 1.30pm – 3pm and at Stradbroke Swim and Fitness Centre on Fridays from 1.30pm  – 3pm. 

Digital Instruction Guides  Getting to grips with digital technology can be daunting and confusing. Age UK have creating s wide range of step by step guides to help you get started. Learn how to send & receive emails,  using apps,  video calling, online shopping and so much more. The guides are all designed to help you feel more confident about using technology and making sure you stay safe online. All the guides are available to download on the Age Uk website

Walking Football programme Age Uk along with England Football and Sport England have are launching ‘Walking Football’ groups. its a good way of learning a new skill and connecting with others.  To find out how you can get involved click on the image below.

Later Life Community Connect. Thanks to the support of Suffolk Community Foundation, Later Life Community are launching a new support service for older people in Suffolk on Monday 8^th February 2021.  Later Life Community Connect is a single point of access telephone support line offering a “real” person at the end of the phone, between 10am – 2pm, seven days a week to speak to any older person or anyone worried about issues around later life. They’ll offer regular and agreed follow-up calls from Later Life Community to the individual to check how they are getting on and regular welfare calls for older people, with trained volunteers, can be arranged. Often the issue or concern that is the initial prompt for a call, is not necessarily the only (or main) reason for the call. This service will be about working collaboratively with many of the amazing organisations in the county that provide vital support for older people, to ensure that the caller gets all the support that is needed. Later Life Community hopes to become the advocate for older people in Suffolk. The Later Life Community Connect phone number is 01284 334516 and we’ll post updates about the service as we receive them.

Independent Age – are a national charity that help, support and advise older people, as well as offering befriending services. You can call Independent Age‘s free Helpline on 0800 319 6789 if you would like advice on a range of issues from care and support, money and benefits, and health and mobility; if you would like to order one of their guides or leaflets, or if you would like to discuss receiving regular friendship calls. There’s also a great online quiz on their website you can take, to test to see if you are ‘Scam-wise’, posing examples of fake and genuine messages you might receive to see if you can tell the difference. Take a look at the full list of free advice guides and fact sheets they have available by clicking on the picture below, many of which we have been glad to take along on our Rural Coffee Caravan village visits.

Our local, Suffolk, Independent Age representative is Simon Sinclair who can be contacted via email.

Free Singing For Wellbeing Classes Swell Music CIC are running a series of free singing activities for people who are living with Dementia, as well as  Parkinson’s Disease. For more information contact Helen Hayes on 07917  799456. The classes will be taking place at the locations,dates & times below.

Singing with Friends: Dementia Accessible Group, Holton Village Hall -Alternate Wednesdays 2pm – 3.30pm ♦ Waveney Skylarks: Sing to Beat Parkinson’s Group, Holton Village Hall – Alternate Wednesdays 2pm – 3.30pm ♦ Singing Connections: Dementia accessible Group, Kessingland Sports and Social Club – Alternate Wednesdays 2pm -3.30pm ♦ Singing Connections: Dementia Accessible Group, St Michaels Community Rooms, Framlingham -Alternate Wednesdays 2pm -3.30pm ♦ Music Appreciation Group: Dementia accessible Group, The Seagull, Morten Road, Lowestoft – First Friday of the month 1.30pm – 3.00pm ♦ Waveney Skylarks: Sing to Beat Parkinson’s Group, The Seagull, Morten Road, Lowestoft – Alternate Fridays 2pm -3.30pm

Free Canine Card Card Service The Dogs Trust are running a free service supporting owners in the event that you may become seriously ill, pass away or have to move to a care home. The Dogs Turst will ensure your dog is well looked after and rehomed if the circumstances are required.  For more information on the Canine Card Service visit The Dogs Trust website. alternatively contact Emily on 01953 497912 or email emily.matthews@dogstrust.org.uk

Get Fit Whilst You Sit!   Gatehouse Community Wellbeing are running a free 6 week, 1 hour,  chair based exercise class to improve flexibility & balance and to increase joint & muscle mobility and overall strenght. Taking place at Gatehouse, Dettingen Way, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3TU with classes running every Thursday, 10.30am- 11.30am from 5th October to 9th November.  Contact Lisa Osborne for more information or to book your place on 01284 754967 or email:  communityhub@gatehouse.org.uk

Dementia UK have created an essential guide to living with dementia, which includes reliable expert advise and practical tips. Click on the image below to view.

The Silver Line is a confidential, free helpline for older people across the UK that’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year. They also offer telephone friendship, matching volunteers with older people based on their interests,  plus facilitated group calls, and helping to connect people with local services in their area. Call Silver Line on 0800 4 70 80 90.

Silversurfers Community. A website aimed at the over 50s, at the heart of Silversurfers community is a philosophy of Trust, Honesty, Friendship and Enjoyment. After registering on the site you can start a chat & create a group chat with other members; you can voice your opinion in polls and current affairs; showcase your creativity in their exhibition section; visit the forum to find posts to engage with. Elsewhere on the site are a variety of articles such as food, lifestyle, culture, books, technology and nostalgia; advice on health issues, finance, insurance and more, and a dating section.

Free singing groups Singing together helps people to connect with each other and brings a shared sense of joy. Stirring memories, helping to improve breathing and and reducing stress.  Singing sessions are being run by experienced community singing leaders Jill Jennings, Mark Coburn & Tracy Sharp. The group aims to support people with differing needs. The classes are free to attend as they have been funded by Suffolk Community Foundation, The Big Lottery community fund .

Positive Ageing – Christine Webber writes a fortnightly column for East Anglian newspapers all about positive ageing: a positive guide about ageing and how to stay as young as possible for as long as possible. Too Young to Get Old is her series of video podcasts on the subject.