It's Dementia Action Week, and Millwall Community Trust (MCT) wants to show their support by highlighting their walking sports that can aid someone living with Dementia.
The Millwall Walking Sports and Walking Football Clubs have been running for over four years in the London boroughs of Southwark and Lewisham. They have been successfully delivered in many different settings and locations such as TRA halls, community, leisure centres, estate ball courts, parks, and Guys Hospital.
The programme helps bring older people from different backgrounds together through taking part in fun walking sports activities which also helps reduce stress, isolation, and loneliness.
The activities help support older people who are currently inactive, and those with two or three limiting long-term health conditions, including dementia, mental health, limited mobility to stay fit and healthy. 30 minutes before each activity, refreshments are provided along with local newspapers to encourage individual and open table conversations. The structured sports activities include throwing, catching, rolling, and striking the ball techniques, which allow participants to have fun, stimulate the mind, develop balance and hand-eye coordination. The weekly sessions help take away the stress for those living with someone who has dementia for the time they are at the programme, which is often all they might normally get. Weekly telephone conversations also help regular communication going, which reduces people feeling lonely away from the sessions.
The beneficiaries of the Millwall Walking Sports and Walking Football Clubs are older people, which brings people from different backgrounds in the local area together. The weekly sports activities are provided for to up to 48 weeks of the year. The sessions are open to any older person wishing to take part. The programme will cater to those who require additional support, such as limited mobility, mental health, or dementia.
For more information, please contact Richard White rwhite@millwallcommunity.org.uk or Dean Palmer dpalmer@millwallcommunity.org.uk
