FAMILY
don a flat cap for his ride, but the owners insisted on a helmet and fingerless gloves just in case he did fall.
heave myself up. Usually there is a step on the back which this one didn’t have. Instead, there was a little horseshoe piece of metal just big enough to put the end of your toe on.
“I think I had such a big audience as they were hoping I’d fall off.” Fortunately, he didn’t. Although
Peter says this was his most dangerous feat yet due to the five-foot drop and not being strapped in. He put his trust in the bicycle’s owner, Tony, to hold him tightly. Dressed in a snazzy waistcoat, Peter was hoping to
“I had about four or five goes and each time I did get better. You have to keep your back straight and not stoop or look down, all the while going downhill with the wind behind you. On the last ride, Tony let go and I did the few hundred metres unaided.” It could be said action and determination is in his blood; his father Henry was a Rotherham Wheeler who rode 195.5miles in 12 hours back in 1934. But what’s next for this sprightly senior?
“I’d love to drive a 44-tonne truck or be a fireman on a steam train.” Well, why not? Peter’s quests might not seem like the most relaxing way to spend retirement, but he wants to shun stereotypes about getting older. As full-time carer for wife Wendy who has Alzheimer’s disease, these new challenges are his ‘me-time’ away from his responsibilities.
Busy keeping at
Staff at a Sheffield care home realise the importance of a busy and varied activities programme to keep their residents’ minds active and healthy.
At The Porterbrook,
Crosspool, staff have developed a calendar bursting with relevant and meaningful activities that encourage residents to have fun and stay young at heart, whilst also boosting brain function and improving mental well-being.
Many activities on offer involve learning a new skill, using an element of hand-eye coordination or keeping active in the varied range of exercise classes on offer
Green-fingered residents can join the popular gardening club where they can grow their own produce and create seasonal floral displays in The Porterbrook’s safe and secure gardens. For those more musically inclined, The Porterbrook works with dementia charity, Lost Chord, to provide monthly music sing-along sessions to bring back memories of days gone by. The wide selection of musical and dance entertainment available each week also brings brain health benefits to residents as listening to music is proven to boost cognitive behaviour.
There is also a real focus on social activities at the care home,
young heart
with frequent visits to a local pub to enjoy home-cooked food, along with a monthly visit to a local church to feel part of the wider community. The Porterbrook care home manager Sheilagh Sweeney said: “In the same way our bodies need regular exercise to stay in good health, our brains also need a good work out to stay in shape, boosting memory and cognitive function. Social activities and learning new skills are great ways to get the brain exercise needed to feel the benefits. “Day to day, we make sure that there is always something going on and the team base activities on the lifestyle preferences and abilities of the residents. With a hugely diverse mix of activities on offer, there’s something for everyone at The Porterbrook.”
For more information about The Porterbrook, call Sheilagh on 0114 266 0808, email
info@theporterbrookcare.com or visit
www.theporterbrookcare.com
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