Its now coming to the end of 2013 and I thought I would do a round up of the year.
Back in January I had a vision of using the skills I had learnt in sports massage to aid people rehabilitate and prevent injuries from daily living and leisure activities. But what it also included was helping the older generation with the positive touch side of massage. The people who forget what its like to have some quality time spent on them being pampered and who have their well being increased through the positive touch and the chat that comes with it.
The clients that I have talked to over the year have been some of the funniest and honest people I have known. Who though in severe ill health still had a sparkle in their eye and a smile on their face,(also some of them had a very naughty sense of humour!)
Sadly, quite a few of them have passed away along the line, which has upset me as I have never been one to witness death well. But I am so glad to have met and known them while they were here. They have all left an impression on me that will stay forever.
Really, that's what it is about. Leaving a memory of you behind. Letting people in, to know you and you to know them.
A large part of improving your social well being is talking and sharing time with others. In Older Peoples Week we decided to create an event that would get the local population together to talk and share ideas. We had the support to run this with a grant from the council and from another local project called DIY Porters Lodge which is a community led street redesign project with Sustrans and the local council.
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| Playing hangman and everyone is concentrating |
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| Carrot Cake! |
This was a great first event for us where we put on a large spread for the locals to enjoy, games to interact with, and information at hand about local activities. The safer neighbourhood team also attended to share their knowledge with the residents and the event was shown in the Barking and Dagenham Post.
Everyone had a good time and it was very noisy! Which is good because that meant everyone was getting to know each other, talking, listening, laughing!
So, over the year Whole Body Therapy has decided to widen its services to meet the communities needs. In the new year we will be setting up a new exercise class which aids in retraining balance and improving the strength of the older population, but will also be facilitating a community session which other than talking about how to reduce falls in your home, we will chat over tea and biscuits, discuss community events and ideas and be on hand to direct people to services which will help them. But it is also to create a sense of community, to build friendships, share smiles and laughter and to let people know that they are not alone in the world. There are people who care and want to share their time with you.
I will talk more about the details of the project soon, but just wanted you to have an insight of how life experiences can change your perspective, alter your goals and aid your personal growth. as it has done for me this year. How building friendships with others can improve your overall well being and how taking that small step into the unknown or uncertainty can lead to greater rewards.
So for 2014, I would say this, if you have wanted to try a new activity or hobby ( something healthy of course) then give it a go! Keep an open mind and an open heart as life has a funny way of whizzing by very quickly. Look after your mind, body and soul but also your loved ones too.
From all of us at Whole Body Therapy we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
