Exercise classes offer ‘a remedy to loneliness’ in Edenhope
It’s Wednesday morning and a group of friends, coffee or tea in hand, are belting out ‘Happy Birthday’ at the Elsie Bennett Community Centre.
They’ve just completed a suite of exercises designed for prevention and recovery from chronic diseases.
The weekly class is well-attended, by up to 20 people, but community health nurse Cath McDonald is under no illusion about their motivations.
“The exercise is a by-product of the conversation,” she said.
“Whether it’s solving the world’s problems, or telling the worst jokes, or empathising with someone that’s got a problem at home – exercise gets done, mostly, during the conversations.”
Participants describe the class as a ‘social club’, which also happens to strengthen their physical health.
“I really only came to meet people,” participant, John Bee said.
“My wife died in March last year and … I find it very hard to meet people.
“There’s a lot of humour involved, it’s just good fellowship really.”
For instructor Cath McDonald, the mental and social health benefits are just as important as the physical.
“There’s a lot of loneliness in older people, and this is a remedy to loneliness,” she said.
“I get all participants to complete surveys and even though these are people that are connected, through this group, they’re still feeling slightly isolated.
“So, people who aren’t coming to anything are feeling really isolated.”
After their post-class coffee, a group of about 15 members congregate in the main street for lunch.
It might not be the focus, but the physical benefits are also transformative.
“When I first came, I couldn’t get up from the seat or the toilet; it was terrifying to go into a public toilet and be sitting there thinking, ‘I can’t get up’,” Kath Atwell said.
“I can get up quite easily now, it’s good.”
Several participants attend additional Grampians Health Edenhope classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays or Fridays.
The Friday morning ‘Men Only’ class has been running for more than two decades.
“Twenty or thirty years ago, the only exercise men took was getting into the pub and out again,” participant, Chris Simpson, said.
“Many many men, I’m sure, have lived a lot longer and a lot more comfortably because of Cath."
New members are always welcome! For class details, contact community health nurse Cath McDonald: 5585 9843.
