"I just can't
wait until I get to the nursing home... Not!"
Darlene Corkett is a registered shiatsu therapist and
acupuncturist.
For 12 years she's been in private practice near Craighurst. She has
a number of clients in their senior years and she loves their spirit.
As she said to me this week, "I haven't heard one of them say they
just can't wait until they get to the nursing home."
But health issues often take older people into long-term care.
Osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, arthritis take their toll on a body.
With over 50 per cent of Darlene's patients exceeding age 55, Darlene
is focussed on health, wellness and preventing the physical setbacks
that rob a person from independent living. She started one of her clients
on a weight-lifting program and was motivated by at her positive results.
"Because of the sheer numbers of older people, I thought if I taught
each person weight lifting and core strenghening, I wouldn't have time
to work. But, if I did it in groups, the benefits reaped would be enormous."
She put out the word and Dalston United Church put out the space. More
than 100 people, mostly seniors, turned out to learn how to fight the
effects of aging. She divided the interested folks into three groups
on two different days and she started teaching her students about exercise,
about core strengthening, about stretching.
Called the Bone Zone, Darlene's exercise classes have been pared down
to Tuesdays, three sessions about an hour each, to accommodate the 90
people who show up religiously. Ross Rodgers and his wife Joy are loyal
participants in this group.
They commented about how much they had learned from Darlene ... nutrition,
exercise, attitude shift that have changed the word "elderly"
to "experienced."
Ross says they regularly climb the eight floors of their apartment building,
walk everywhere they can, and pay attention to fruits and vegetables.
"She's taught us how to read the labels on food and what to select.
Did you know it's better for you to drink lukewarm or warm water than
ice cold?" he asks. "Darlene taught us that warm water is
absorbed by the body much more easily than cold water. And did you know
that an apple in the evening aids digestion?"
Darlene smiles as she comments on the past three years and 90 students
who are her die-hard exercise group. People have had positive bone density
tests; in fact doctors have taken people off their medicines after repeated
bone density tests.
Her oldest participant is 86 and her youngest is an osteoporosis sufferer
at age 48. There are 30 in each of her three classes and each participant
throws in a dollar or two per session, just to cover rent for the church.
No class fee? No. Darlene is doing this as her commitment to living
well.
"It's a day away from my businesses but it's great exercise for
my soul.
I'm having a blast. These folks are amazing ... it's my way of giving
back and they know they can have an accident and not hurt themselves."
Darlene is inspired. Her participants are eager and healthy. And their
Tuesday mornings have become precious.
Now, there's a positive health benefit in our community. No long wait
time.
No OHIP fees. No recovery period.
Thanks, Darlene!
For Bone Zone information
Darlene Corkett
705 722-7288
shiatsu@sympatico.ca
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