Steady minds and steady hearts

WOMEN over sixty are keeping active both physically and socially with Bannockburn YMCA’s Steady Feet program held weekly at Meredith.

For nearly 20 years, people have met at the town’s community centre to take part in an hour of exercises and catch ups as part of the program.

Developed for people with health issues or pre-existing injuries, Leah Phillips, manager of the Meredith Community Centre, said the social component is integral for most of the participants.

“They come for the exercise, but they really do stay for the social aspect,” she said. “They’re a lovely group of ladies and they just adore coming in each week.”

The sessions are led by accredited YMCA instructors, and make up personally targeted aerobics, light weightlifting, and resistance exercises alongside mental activities.

Each session ends with a offee and a chat.

Nancy O’Brien has been taking part in the program since it first started, and said the physical benefits and the friendships made along the way have kept her coming back.

“It’s terrific for us older ladies because it allows us to do so much in that we can try to keep supple and not have any falls,” she said.

“It’s a day that I hate missing. Whenever I’ve got clashing appointments, I get angry because I just love coming here. A lot of the others feel the same.”

Ms O’Brien said Steady Feet has been instrumental in maintaining a semblance of structure in their social lives.

The program continued through the pandemic, and Ms Phillips said it was in part due to the dedication of the women who wanted to keep it going.

“This group has never stopped coming, even with all the fears of COVID,” she said.

“It’s more important for them to show up and see each other, regardless of whether any exercise actually happens.”

Ms Phillips said the centre is seeking for more people to join the program.

Steady Feet sessions take place weekly on Wednesdays at 10am at Meredith Community Centre.