Stay active
Activities for people with dementia: Dementia Actif Gwynedd
All of us benefit from activity for our physical health, mood, and through socialising with other people. Dementia Actif Gwynedd is a local service in North Wales which has been running a range of activities for people affected by dementia for the last 5 years.
On this page we
- introduce you to the work of Dementia Actif Gwynedd
- offer top tips for dementia-friendly exercising
- link you to Dementia Actif Gwynedd’s online resources
I do a lot of exercise such as Zumba and Pilates at home. I also go out for walks.
A person with dementia talking to our researchers about life during the COVID-19 pandemic
See inside a Dementia Actif class
In the bilingual video below, we see inside a class and hear what people get out of the classes. They talk about:
- being able to enjoy things together, as a person with dementia and carer
- the joy of seeing happy people (and exercising without realising you're exercising!)
- the importance of being able to speak Welsh at the sessions
In this video, some people speak English and some speak Welsh. The video has English and Welsh subtitles. To change the language of the subtitles, click the 'Settings' button. It looks like this:
You will then have the option of choosing which language you want the subtitles in.
Click on the image below to watch the video. It is 6 minutes long.
Meet the team
In this series of videos you’ll hear from Emma, Clare and Lia who are part of the Dementia Actif Gwynedd team. Emma introduces the team before you get to sit in on a post-class Staff Meeting!
In their catch-up Emma, Clare and Lia discuss:
- the many different activities Dementia Actif Gwynedd run
- the benefits they’ve seen activities have for people affected by dementia
- things which have surprised them or others about people with dementia’s abilities and enthusiasm
- advice for people with dementia who want to get active
Dementia Actif Gwynedd is a bilingual organisation and they run classes in English and Welsh. In parts of the video, Emma, Clare and Lia speak Welsh. There are English subtitles throughout. If you would like to download a full Welsh transcript of the post-class catch-up you can do so below.
Click on the image below to watch the video. It is 1 1/2 minutes long.
Click on the image below to watch the video. It is 28 minutes long.
Dementia Actif Gwynedd’s top tips for staying active with dementia
- Do a physical activity you enjoy doing: you’re much more likely to stick to it.
- Do ‘bite-size’ physical activity sessions e.g. 10 minutes 2 or 3 times a day. This will feel much more achievable.
- Find a ‘buddy’ to enjoy the activities with. You can motivate each other.
- Join a group for social and physical activity opportunities. Look out for dementia friendly communities.
- Make the decision to just give it a go!
Find out more
While we can’t all move to Wales, you can explore Dementia Actif Gwynedd’s activities online. As well as activity sessions, they run a gardening club, facilitate a DEEP group and much more!
Dementia Actif Gwynedd have also been hosting half-hour Keep Agile classes over Zoom. Some of these classes have been filmed so that you can join in at home! The classes are low impact and can be done seated or standing.
Click here to watch Dementia Actif Gwynedd’s Keep Agile classes.
[We need] some sort of class or get together where it's not a mental thing (e.g. crafts, chatting to each other), more like a physical activity or exercise class where not being at the same level is OK, so he doesn't have to prove anything or sit there talking to people.
A carer talking to our researchers about the benefits of an exercise class
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Activities for people with dementia: Dementia Actif Gwynedd
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