Ngaio Agile turns five

By Morris Robertson

Statistics from ACC show a propensity for the elderly to suffer falls with often serious consequences.

Regular and simple exercises can play a part in maintaining strength and balance, which would help to avoid falls.

With gym memberships generally physically and financially out of reach for this age group a more appropriate alternative –Ngaio Agile – celebrated its fifth birthday in style on 7 August with 70 attendees.

In 1918 Ngaio resident Alyson Howell, a former ACC employee, was aware of the problem and its potential solutions.

She was determined to do something about it, but how to get started.

A fortuitous meeting on a Johnsonville train with another local resident, Mary Perkins, set in train the process for a community solution in the form of chairbased exercises with fellowship to follow. The next step was to recruit a leader.

The obvious choice was local retired Ngaio Union Church Min- ister and half marathon runner, Lionel Nunns.

With the core of the group in place a team of eight, mostly from the local community, were recruited as volunteer leaders.

While some of the eight no longer play a part due to other commitments, they have been replaced by new people, two of whom were originally participants of the programme.

Ngaio Union Church, as part of its community outreach, was happy to provide the facilities.

Ngaio Agile, now affectionately referred to as Nigel, delivers the services of the ACC and Ministry of Health sponsored ‘Live Stronger for Longer’ programme of exercises to help older people with strength and balance to help avoid falls.

It is supported and resourced by Nuku Ora, the regional agency for the programme.

The 60 minutes of exercises, weekly on a Monday morning, are designed to be mostly undertaken while sitting in a chair.

The props used are therrabands and small bean bags for some of the exercises, supplied by Nuka Ora.

Appropriately refreshed by an hour of exercises, the participants are then treated to tea or coffee with biscuits and sometimes cake with conversations lasting a half hour or more. The cost for the morning is a koha.

In August 2018, following local promotion, the team gathered to welcome the first participants while wondering if anyone would names on the score sheet once more for a very convincing win.

In a sight not often seen in women’s football, Vic Uni lost a player to a red card, 16 minutes into the game.

Mana Coach Services North Wellington did not travel well to Palmerston North and were turn up.

Seatoun won a tight affair at home to Taradale, coming out with a 1-0 victory.

Waterside Karori are top of the table on 34 points with one game to play. Wellington United have two matches to go and sit on 32 points.

Thirty-two did and Nigel was launched.

In the five years since there has been an average of 40 attendees and, over these years, 175 different people have attended.

Regrettably, the spacing required for the exercises, has dictated a maximum of 48, which has sometimes been reached and a waiting list has had to be introduced to manage the demand. Ideas for accommodating growth in demand are being investigated.

Those interested to know more should contact Lionel on lionel. nunns@gmail.com

To find other Wellington providers of these programmes go to www.nukuora.org.nz.