subject: Practical Activity Session for Elderly People [print this page]
Activity information
The activity is aimed & designed to help improve quality of life through exercise
It has to be fun & enjoyable
The session will be health based and not specifically for a sport
There will be approximately 8-12 participants
Half a basketball court to carry out the session
Time limit must be 1 hour maximum
Equipment
Stopwatch
Cones/Markers/Hoops
Tennis balls
Whistle
Health & Safety
First Aid Kit
Aware of who the nearest available qualified person is for first aid treatment
Keep tops, bags etc away from activity area encase anybody trips or injures themselves.
Ensure bags and items are kept well away from fire exit
Make sure all participants have the correct clothing & footwear on, and are not wearing any jewellery
WARM UP -
Pulse raiser a small square will be marked out for the participants to jog around for 1 minute, walk for 30 seconds and finally jog again for another minute.
Static stretching (lower & upper body) in a line on the floor with plenty of space, participants start by lightly swinging legs from side to side to stretch both the hamstrings & quadriceps. Then move into lying on their back and tucking their knees up to the chest, this will once again stretch the quadriceps, hip flexors and lower abdomens.
For the upper body, stretching the deltoids, triceps, shoulders & lower back.
Coaching Points:
Technique is not a concerning point as they are elderly and their flexibility will be limited.
Nice slow stretches to fully work the muscles & no bouncing' as this can cause injury especially as elderly people will suffer from conditions such as osteoporosis, which can put serious risks to their health if exercise is performed incorrectly.
Time: 5mins pulse raiser & 5mins stretching
Equipment: Cones (to mark out the square) & Whistle
MAIN ACTIVITY
Activity 1 two lines will be set up in line with one another. These will be team A & B. The aim of the activity is from standing shoulder to shoulder, with elbows tucked in; the participants must get a set of balls from one end of the line to the other and score in a marked goal area at the end, by rolling the ball into the goal. This activity will help stimulate the participants through a competitive game, works their body core, communication and judgement (when shooting for goal).
Activity 2 (Bowls) keeping in the two teams, each team member will get a tennis ball. From marked positions both teams will attempt to bowl their balls into a plastic hoop. Each team will have one each, and the team with the highest amount in the goal area wins. The first few games will be for fun, and after the participants have gotten used to it, a competitive element will be put in place between the two teams. Such as best out of 3 etc
Activity 3 (relay races) this activity is to help improve mobility, balance, co-ordination and speed. Once again in their two teams, from a starting point they have to make their way around a set of cones marked out, it's the team who gets all the way around with all members first who wins. However each participant has to wear a cone on top of their head while balancing a tennis ball on it. This adds difficultly to the task and is where balance and co-ordination comes into play. After a few rounds the task can be altered to make it more difficult by changing the route, balancing tennis balls on the tops of the hands while walking, walking backwards etc
Coaching Points:
Activity 1 keeping the elbows tucked into the body. This activity is aimed to the use of the core & stability muscles, this will also help to improve flexibility through continuous passive stretching.
When bowling the ball the participant must have a good long lunge into the bowl. The front foot knee at full stride must be around 90 degrees, and when the ball is released it mustn't bounce. Looking for the release of the ball to be as close to the ground as possible, this makes for a smooth bowl.
In this activity it's important that that participants use their arms to help with their balance, and that they keep their back straight when walking. This will help with the balance of the tennis ball and should help with the pace of the participant.
Cones mark out the starting lines & routes (maybe goals areas as well)
Hoops to be used as the goal area
Tennis balls to perform the activities
Stopwatch so the activity can run smoothly and when to change activities.
COOL DOWN
Light jog just a light jog around the outside of the court, to loosen off muscles and rid any lactic acid build up.
Static stretches once again in a circle however participants can stretch whatever they feel is tight and at the end just a quick shake off.
Coaching Points:
Not too much force exerted.
Still correct techniques performed, if participants start to struggle show alternative stretches which can be done on the floor.
Ask the participants what they think needs stretching and how that muscle has been used during the activities.
Time: Light Jog = 5 mins, Static Stretches = 5mins
Equipment: Stopwatch & Whistle
Contingency plan
Both the warm up and cool down's will not be affected by the amount of numbers because they are all individual activities.
The main concern is whether the participants are able to perform the activities due to possible conditions. If so then alternative exercises or stretches must be shown to any participants who feel uncomfortable or who are struggling to perform the tasks.
If the participants cannot perform the competition based activities, then the main session can be health stretches such as group work dances, which are light exercises however do stimulate the participants. Not only is it beneficial for the individual's health but also it helps to build their cognitive state such as self-esteem, confidence and social skills.
