RESIDENTS at a North East care home are about to start an exercise class with a difference – instead of lifting weights they will be lifting babies.
Belle Vue House, Gray Road, Sunderland, has joined forces with former staff member turned yoga teacher, Jessica Jolly, to introduce special, intergenerational classes.
And the aim is to boost mental and physical health by bridging the age gap between the elderly, the infants and their mums.
Jessica, who joined the team at Belle Vue House as a school leaver 14 years ago, now runs KalmaBaby Sunderland, which regularly holds yoga sessions for parents and babies in and around the city.
And she believes that bringing the generations together for gentle, yoga-inspired exercise will not only boost everyone’s health but will also prevent feelings of isolation and loneliness.
“Older adults and young mums have a lot in common,” she said, “in that both can feel quite cut off from society.
“Mums can miss interaction with other adults and very often they don’t have an older person they can turn to for advice and support. In addition, older people often feel they have no one to share their memories and experiences with.
“Bringing these groups together – with the babies – provides everyone with the chance to learn new skills, increase their social circle and just make friends.”
Belle Vue House is run by Prestwick Care, a division of Malhotra Group plc and provides residential and dementia care.
Alison Oliver, deputy manager of the 27-bed home, said she believes the yoga classes “will bring so much joy to everyone.
“Our residents’ faces just light up when they see young children and even though the classes haven’t even started yet, there has been such a feeling of positivity and excitement here.
“This home is like a family and, with having Jessica back, with the parents and their babies – we will be making that family bigger. We just can’t wait.”
The first class will take place on Monday 12 August at 2pm and the classes will be held weekly from September.
Parents wishing to attend should contact jessica@sunderland.kalmababy.co.uk. For more information about Belle Vue House, call Prestwick Care on 0191 233 0387 or visit www.prestwickcare.co.uk/our-homes/belle-vue-sunderland/.