AN EVENT aimed at getting people “moving more” to promote a healthy lifestyle was held at an Andover therapy centre last month.

In celebration of a month of promoting active ageing, the I Can Therapy Centre team were joined by special guests Dr Paul O’Halloran, senior clinical GP at Adelaide Medical Centre, trustee of Energise Me and diabetes lead for HIOW CCG; Dr Samantha Jane Meredith, research fellow in Geriatric Medicine at the University of Southampton and trustee of Energise Me; Adi Phillips, registered nurse and falls prevention lead for Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust; and Iris Anderson, Valley Leisure’s charity champion for I Can Therapy Centre to raise awareness and spread the word about the use of exercise as medicine.

The event on October 21 made up part of a month of activities from I Can Therapy Centre, run by charity Valley Leisure, which began on October 1, the International Day of Older Persons.

Jacob Webb, I Can’s exercise therapist hosted a Falls Friends Awareness Training session for the Andover branch of Nurseplus UK on October 5.

The team then took over the Time Ring on Andover High Street on Thursday, October 14 with an I Can information stand at which they encouraged passers-by to try the Sit-to-Stand challenge – how many times you can sit to stand in 30 seconds, a recognised measure of leg strength and function.

The ‘Moving More, the Miracle Cure’ learning event on October 21 was aimed at health and social care professionals keen to find out more about the benefits of movement and how we can all incorporate more movement into our daily lives to benefit our health and wellbeing

Dr Paul O’Halloran spoke passionately about the role of sport, exercise, and movement as medicine and highlighted that movement is the most powerful drug available to everyone with a clear dosage of 150 minutes moderate intensity per week and many positive side effects. The key message being some physical activity is good, more is better.

Dr Samantha Jane Meredith spoke compassionately about the role of movement and the role that centres such as the I Can Therapy have to create a sense of belonging, togetherness, improve physical capacity and increase confidence.

Adi Phillips spoke energetically about the key ‘F’ words relative to physical activity and falls prevention – fear, frailty, fitness, function, FRAX, falling blood pressure, fluids, food, footwear, feet, family, finance, ferrule.

I Can’s month of positively promoting active ageing culminated on Saturday, October 30 by opening the doors of the I Can Therapy Centre for people to pop-in, meet the team and have a go on the kit and equipment.

For further information about the I Can Therapy Centre, call 01264 568241, email info@icantherapycentre.co.uk, or visit: www.icantherapycentre.co.uk.