Positive Points: Senior World Championships

24Oct 2019 by Gill

You may be aware that the UCI (Union Internationale de Cyclistes) World Championships took place in Yorkshire last month; the 22nd – 29^thSeptember, to be exact.

The event had a lot of media coverage and consisted of several different races that started at locations around Yorkshire and finished in Harrogate.

Now that the excitement is subsiding it is worth remembering a parallel event: The UCI Senior World Championships. This is an indoor cycling programme that is designed to combat dementia and improve physical and mental well-being:

https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/senior-road-world-championships-brings-virtual-racing-care-homes-436344

https://motitech.co.uk/road-worlds-for-seniors

The UCI Senior World Championships is an annual event that takes place in September, running concurrently to the UCI World Championships. Care homes in many different countries take part and are encouraged to get their residents involved.

At the end of the event male, female and team competitors are crowned as overall winners. A well-deserved honour considering that the event is worldwide!

There is also a ‘support crew’ prize for the team who best supports their senior athletes to get involved and maintain their enthusiasm.

“Through the Road Worlds for Seniors, Motitech want to emphasise that physical activity and sport is not only for the young and strong – it is for everybody and to change the focus on abilities instead of disabilities when it comes to older people living in care homes and people with dementia.” https://www.nationalcareforum.org.uk/uncategorized/ncf-supports-the-road-worlds-for-seniors-2019/

Unfortunately, many age-related disorders are caused by physical inactivity rather than age itself. Theequipment supplied by Motitech is designed to improve mobility and self-efficacy, to build strength and balance to help protect against falls. It can also aid in controlling weight and increasing appetite, as well as helping to improve sleep, sociability and mental wellbeing.

Athletes who take part pedal on adapted indoor bikes whilst watching the virtual world on a screen; just like many cyclists do on the training platform Zwift. The virtual world can include well known streets, places that bring back childhood memories or anywhere from the worldwide library. This can be especially motivating for people living with dementia as they may be prompted to talk about people they have known and places they have visited in their lives.

When the event started in 2017, 1150 people participated and rode a combined 30,000km. In 2018 that number grew to 2400 care home residents from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, United Kingdom, and Canada. Together they covered 52,000km.

The statistics from 2019 have yet to be released, but it is expected that the number of participants and kilometres will have grown again https://motitech.co.uk/news-roadworlds/world-champions-in-the-last-hour

The event is backed by British Cycling and Sport England. They have also committed to a further 5 years through the Places to Ride scheme.

A lot of people will know someone who has dementia or who lives in a care home. They will be aware of how vital it is for their friends or family members to engage in exercise to keep their minds active. This is a wonderful way of providing that engagement for care home residents and brings together new technology with a traditional sport in safe, familiar and supportive environments.
If you want to know more of what goes on, have a look at this video: https://vimeo.com/304781046/f015235a9e

Let us know what you think about this exercise programme.

Demi, Oldham

"The service I have received from Gill has been amazing. She is a very knowledgeable person and very caring and wants only best for the person she is helping. She shows compassion and strives to help improve a persons quality of life. I would highly recommend as she is brilliant at the job she does!"

Neil Stirk

I've been working with Positive Positioning for circa 4 years now to improve my physical and general wellbeing and I highly recommend their services. I reached the stage where I desperately needed help, although I was initially very weary as previous errors in my treatment by other medical professionals led to my conditions worsening, I was immediately put at ease on meeting Gill.

She spoke to me with professionalism, was genuinely interested in my problems, and more importantly, treated me like the person I am, not just a patient. During this conversation, seemingly little things had been picked up on, even without physical examination, such as my pelvic positioning, that was contributing to my pain. Gill contacted the relevant ppl to get my wheelchair adjusted to sort this problem and it made a massive difference. It was this expertise and eye for detail that was used to improve many areas of my life, often with only small adjustments turning out to be life changing.

When products from external companies were required to improve my conditions, Gill and Positive Positioning were on hand to liaise and attend appointments with suppliers, to ensure the correct equipment was supplied for my needs and prevent me from becoming a victim of the 'hard sell'. Gill and Positive Positioning are always willing to go the extra mile to help out and with my issues being degenerative, it is great to know I can contact them when needed and be confident I will receive the help required.

Coincidentally, I undergo hydrotherapy on a regular basis, where I see Gill and many of her other clients, and the working relationship, and humour that accompanies it, which means so much to me, is apparent with all under her care. I would like to thank Gill and her team for all the support I have received so far and am confident I will continue to receive the help I need in the future. Thank you Positive Positioning.

Caroline Poskitt

"Thank you so much for making a difference to our clients wellbeing. I Can honestly say that I have noticed a difference in the last two weeks, not only the service users looking and acting more healthy but our staff are in high spirits and getting a lot out of your sessions. You have really made a difference for the better and we look forward to the future of helping more of our clients to achieve a higher level of fitness and more durability in their joints."
Deputy Manager, Mental Health & Physical Impairment, Leeds Adult Social Care

Ian, Leeds

"Following a stroke in Nov 2012 which resulted in the loss of use of my left side, I had the statutory ten weeks NHS physio. Not wanting to regress, I went on-line to find a neuro physio. Gill had excellent reviews and has worked with me now for seventeen months with great improvement in my ability. Gill also helped to obtain a stand aid which has been a great bonus. I strongly recommend Gill Arnett as an excellent and very friendly professional."

Chris Wainmann, LLB

"Gill is very approachable and immediately gives you the confidence to know that any problem with posture will be solved. Having Cerebral Palsy and therefore sitting in a powered wheelchair all the time, I was constantly leaning to one side. Gill visited me at home, did a thorough assessment and concluded that my pelvis needed more support. I now have a specially designed and purpose made pressure cushion. I sit more evenly which means more comfortably and I also have much less of a problem with pressure sores. Gill is happy to come back in the future and check that all is well. I have no hesitation in recommending her to anyone with a posture problem. She has made such a difference to my life."

MS of Leeds 2016

"When Louise Haigh (Stroke Co-ordinator) visited me she recommended Positive Positioning for some neuro-physiotherapy. I spoke to Gill who was very helpful, and then to Jan, who said the treatment would be in my own home — this made all the difference to me. And what a difference it has all made!

From the start Jan has been professional, efficient, friendly, encouraging and totally reliable. For ages I felt ‘in limbo’, but having a plan of action led to motivation to do the exercises which were hard, but I persevered, and was encouraged to realise I was improving. I was ‘stretched’ by an increase in repetitions, more exercises, less support. We talked about other things happening in my life, and worked on holistic coping strategies. I feel my confidence has improved and to a large extent have ‘got my life back’. My posture has certainly improved: friends have commented on it.

It doesn’t all come to a sudden halt after the visits. I'm working on my ‘maintenance programme’ of daily exercises to keep up the work Jan started. I'll be forever grateful for Jan’s amazing teaching, reasoning, good communication, wide knowledge of physiotherapy applied to my situation - all with her positive outlook."

E in Normanton

"I always have a fantastic experience at my physiotherapy sessions. I've had sessions with my therapists Gill and Jan for many months now. They are knowledgeable and took the time to understand and be attentive to my needs. I have always felt at ease with them, supported and encouraged throughout my treatment, and I am steadily making progress with them. They will ensure they work you hard to challenge you and get the most out of the time during the sessions. Thanks to their expertise, I've regained some mobility and confidence in my body. I highly recommend their services to anyone seeking top-notch physiotherapy care!"