Sports for the elderly may sound boring, but it is anything but boring, according to Ingrid van Vugt (67). She has been a teacher of More Exercise for the Elderly for more than twenty years. However, like many of her colleagues, she is about to retire. But her successors have not yet been found quickly.
That is why the Sports and Exercise Leader training for seniors was created by the province of Drenthe, all municipalities, Buurtsportcoach Academie Noord and SportDrenthe.
Sports have many benefits for the elderly, Vugt indicates. “People coming into contact with each other is important and it is important that they remain independent for as long as possible. You notice because they exercise a lot that recovery after an operation is faster and it also saves healthcare costs,” says Van Vugt about the benefits of exercising parents.
According to her, the work is also a pleasure to do. “Unfortunately, I’m stopping next year. Yes, I think it’s a shame, but I have to make choices, there’s no other way. But I really hope that new people will come.”
According to Esther Witte, coordinator at SportDrenthe, the group of elderly people who exercise is increasing because they want to keep moving after a fall prevention course. Add to that the retiring exercise coaches and you have a twice as big problem.
“We have eight registrations on paper and we are going to start the training in Emmen anyway, but we hope that a lot more will join us. And if they don’t want to enroll now, they might be able to enroll in Groningen next year. We just need that influx.”
The new class of sports and exercise leaders can work throughout Drenthe. Because this is a specialization, a teaching qualification is required.
A prejudice that Esther and Ingrid know about elderly people who exercise is that not much happens. But nothing could be further from the truth, older people also play games and are still very fanatic. “The only important thing is that the game is adapted for them,” explains Ingrid van Vugt.
Witte: “Senior sports is just such a gift. If you give it, you have a great profession, you also have a smile on your face all week. Register and just participate.”
Participating in the training is not free, but the final work is paid. See below how such a sports lesson works.