Being more active

Oldham Community Leisure are fully committed to encouraging physical activity in the older generations. Jackie Hanley is OCLL’s Older persons Senior Physical Activity Development Officer.

Jackie’s keen to encourage everyone over the age of 50 to become more active. There’s so many benefits of exercise and age should be no barrier. Thirty minutes of exercise a day can make a big difference. Physical activity extends and improves quality of life and reduces the risk of many diseases.

Regular lifestyle activity is particularly important for older people. But although regular physical activity has been demonstrated to be critical for the promotion of health, people over the age of 50 represent the most sedentary segment of the adult population. This is particularly the case for people aged 75 and above.

The UK population is gradually becoming older, with the number of children aged under 14 projected to fall by around three-quarters of a million (9%) between 1996 and 2021 and the numbers of people aged 65 and over projected to increase by over 2 million (30%). In Oldham 32% of the residents are over 50 years old. 29,316 are aged between 50 and 60, 18,991 are aged 61-70 and 20,745 are 71 and over. Only one in four men and one in six women participate in enough physical activity to benefit their health.

Functional capacity declines with age (strength, endurance, bone density and flexibility are ‘lost’ at about 10% a decade, muscle power is lost even faster at around 30% a decade. The good news is that older people are just as likely to change their behaviour as young people and it is possible to reverse age and activity related decline relatively quickly. For example, among people over 75 years, 15 years’ rejuvenation of muscle strength (27%) can be regained in three months through strength training with one supervised class a week and some home sessions.

Barriers to exercise include:

· Embarrassment
· Fears about overdoing it.
· Practical safety concerns about the environment or exercise facilities.
· Lack of time is a real barrier for many caring for family or taking up voluntary employment
· Lack of interest
· Lack of confidence.

The health benefits of physical activity are:
· Reduction of coronary heart disease and stroke.
· Management of type II (late onset) diabetes
· Prevention and management of osteoporosis
· Weight Control and Management
· Relief of Arthritis
· Prevention and control of high blood pressure
· Improved quality of sleep
· Reduced risk of colon cancer
· Maintenance of independence and mobility.
· Reduction in blood pressure
· Reduction in depression
· Improvement of Cognitive function
· Reduction of loneliness and isolation


Activities are available for all ages. Even with limited movement, disabilities, minor conditions theirs no reason why anyone can’t take part in exercise. OCLL provide a large range of activities to suit all needs both within it’s facilities but also in the community of Oldham

Why not come along to our chair based exercise classes, try beginners tai chi, come along to our social dancing, or learn how to line dance. OCLL have a large programme of activities for the Over 50s, you will be made very welcome all classes are at affordable prices.

For further advice about over 50s activities please contact Jackie Hanley on 0161 621 3354 or E mail Jackie on:
jackie.hanley@ocll.co.uk or look at the web page on www.ocll.co.uk

Do you already take part in regular Over 50s activities. Tell us all about it in the comment box below.