ZUMBA GOLD WITH SANH

Zumba Gold is a high-intensity, low-impact Zumba training which caters specifically to older adults. While the dance moves are adjusted to account for the cognitive and physical fitness of the elderly participants, Zumba Gold retains the energetic party-like atmosphere that is characteristic of a typical Zumba workout. In June 2018, I had the immense pleasure of facilitating and co-leading these Zumba Gold workouts with the residents of St. Andrew’s Nursing Home (SANH).

It was very encouraging to see that, over the course of three weekly sessions, the residents of SANH became not only increasingly receptive to our programme but also increasingly adept at performing these dance moves with us. While most of them had appeared slightly tentative at the beginning of the first session, we constantly did our best to engage them throughout the workout – with lots of encouragement, lots of hi-fives and lots of great music (‘Macarena’ was the clear crowd favourite). When they came back on the second and third sessions, some of them were even dancing to our pre-workout music before the session had properly begun!

I look forward to returning to SANH, so that I can continue to befriend the residents and dance with them. Their energy is inspiring and infectious, and I am fortunate to have experienced that energy in a small but powerful way.