Age-Friendly City

Koryn McLaren

Exercise Physiologist, Fernwood Fitness Tuggeranong

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:24:10

Corinne McLaren

Yes. My name is Corinne McLaren, and I'm an exercise physiologist. My name is Corinne McLaren, and I'm an exercise physiologist at Fernwood Fitness in Tuggeranong. My name is Corinne McLaren and I am a great believer and as are Fernwood Fitness Tuggeranong a great believers in supporting older Canberrans, access our gym. We provide lots of opportunity for people of all ages to access our gym.

00:00:24:11 - 00:00:49:04

Corinne McLaren

We have lots of different classes that are designed for different levels of involvement. We have really good parking access, to, to the site. And we have really friendly and amazing staff who will welcome everybody within Canberra to our team. Here at Fernwood Fitness in Tuggeranong, we have, personal trainers who have a lot of experience and can provide independent exercises for people who come to our gym.

00:00:49:08 - 00:01:16:06

Corinne McLaren

But also we have exercise physiologist for anybody who might have chronic conditions or injuries that they need special, attention to for participating in exercise. Ageing well means to me, being independent as possible. And here at the gym we can provide people with the tools to improve their function, their strength, to be able to be as independent as they can be as they age.

00:01:16:08 - 00:01:47:11

Corinne McLaren

I don't believe so. I believe older people can do everything within the gym environment. They might need some support, but older people can lift heavy. Older people can participate in many of the classes that we have. And older people, are very welcome and can participate in everything at our gym. I believe that we provide a place for people to feel welcome and participate in social aspects, as well as strengthening themselves.

00:01:47:13 - 00:02:18:04

Corinne McLaren

The main focus of Fernwood Fitness is to empower women to shine, and I believe that we provide a really great place and opportunity for people to shine and be their best selves. I think being, friendly and open to everybody who wants to, access your business, providing ample, choice to people to be able to participate, and.

00:02:18:06 - 00:02:47:07

Corinne McLaren

I think businesses can welcome and treat older Canberrans like they would anybody coming to their business and provide lots of opportunity for them to participate without barriers. We have a lot of older employees in our business, and they bring a wealth of knowledge. Empathy and kindness and an amazing energy and I suppose I would I would just put it out there to older Canberrans.

00:02:47:07 - 00:03:16:06

Corinne McLaren

If you were looking to join, a gym that Fernwood Fitness Tuggeranong would be keen to have you come in, and, find a place where you belong. If there are any older, female Canberrans who, looking for a gym, please come on down to Fernwood Fitness in Tuggeranong and we would warmly welcome you. My name is Corinne McLaren and I'm an exercise physiologist at Fernwood Fitness in Tuggeranong.

00:03:16:08 - 00:03:27:16

Corinne McLaren

My name is Corinne McLaren and I'm a great believer in older people aging well. My name's Corinne McLaren and I'm a great believer in older Canberrans ageing well.

Amy Lutrell

Club Manager, Fernwood Fitness Tuggeranong

00:03:27:18 - 00:03:51:06

Amy Lutrell

My name is Amy Lutrell and I'm the club manager here at Fernwood Fitness in Tuggeranong. My name is Amy Luttrell and I'm a great believer in supporting older Canberrans. My name is Amy Luttrell and I'm a great believer in assisting Canberrans to age well. So we have multiple ways we love to support our older members. We offer age-appropriate classes.

00:03:51:06 - 00:04:15:17

Amy Lutrell

There's so much choice for everything from chair pilates to, classes like light pace, where members aren't even needing to get up and down off the floor. They can remain standing and supported the whole time, if they wish. And we also incredibly lucky because we have the most, brilliant team of professionals ranging from very qualified personal trainers through to exercise physiologist as well.

00:04:15:19 - 00:04:39:06

Amy Lutrell

I think aging well is not putting a number to yourself, so it's believing in yourself. It doesn't matter whether you're 20 or 70 believing that you can do what you want to do. Ageing well is, yeah, trying to keep that independence and really, take life by the horns and really own that. I believe, in attitudes.

00:04:39:06 - 00:05:07:08

Amy Lutrell

And I believe that we can do what we put our mind to do. Doesn't matter what the age is. I think, given the correct set of circumstances and the correct support that no there is nothing that older people can't do if they are given the right conditions. I think that we create that community for them. So we have, as I mentioned earlier, so many awesome classes and support for them when they do want to come in here and be active.

00:05:07:14 - 00:05:32:13

Amy Lutrell

But aside from that, we also create a space, space where they can form those friendships and where they can really enjoy that time. And that builds them so much more than just physically. It it's really emotional wellbeing, mental wellbeing. And also helps any of our beautiful older ones that might be a little bit lonely as well, I think showing our older ones just the utmost of respect.

00:05:32:13 - 00:05:58:10

Amy Lutrell

These people have lived life, they've got experience and I think just really, showing them that honor and that respect extra, is a really beautiful way. The businesses cannot dismiss them and really welcome them in. They bring so much. They bring so much, wisdom and knowledge and experience, but so many good stories as well. So it's really lovely to have that in our gym.

00:05:58:10 - 00:06:22:05

Amy Lutrell

It's it makes us grow as a team and it's very inspirational to work with. Older Canberrans have so much knowledge, so much wisdom, so much experience and great stories. They've lived a life and it's a real honor to be able to take the time to sit and listen to that, to their stories and to their life and to take their lessons on board.

00:06:22:08 - 00:06:46:05

Amy Lutrell

And they really just have this way of lifting everybody up. I think having a variety of ages is so important, and we feel very fortunate in our club to have that because of what they can bring and what they can teach us as a whole. So I think all businesses in Canberra should welcome their expertise and everything else that comes with it.

00:06:46:05 - 00:07:13:18

Amy Lutrell

So we we absolutely love our older aged, Canberrans. I think it's really important that businesses embrace and welcome older Canberrans into their business. We feel like it's done so much for our business. We love having them in the club and they bring such an element of community and, have taught us so much. So my name is Amy Luttrell and I'm the club manager here at Fernwood Fitness Tuggeranong.

00:07:13:20 - 00:07:21:03

Amy Lutrell

My name is Amy Luttrell, and I'm a great believer in helping older Canberrans to age well here in Canberra.

Fleur Balmain

Director, Positive Motion Rehabilitation

00:07:21:03 - 00:07:51:07

Fleur Balmain

I am Fleur Balmain, I'm the director of Positive Motion Rehabilitation and Kingston Physio and more recently positive motion Tuggeranong, out there with a team of three of us. I am Fleur Balmain, one of the directors from Positive Motion Rehabilitation, part of Kingston Physio and Tuggeranong. And we have two other clinicians, Liz and Caitlin. I am Fleur Balmain one of the directors of Positive Motion Rehabilitation, Kingston Physio and Tuggeranong.

00:07:51:09 - 00:08:23:19

Fleur Balmain

We have a couple of things that we provide the older generations. Sorry start again. As a business we provide lovely small group classes, both core stability and rehabilitation to suit anyone of any age and in particular people with ongoing health conditions. So we like to have something that brings people as a community in, an exercise with people who are of like mind, which are happy and healthy, but maybe the bodies are a little broken and maybe they need a little extra attention. To age

00:08:23:19 - 00:08:54:02

Fleur Balmain

well, all you really need to do is to continue to try to to take risks that are generally out there being with other people, being in a community, and to explore your body's capacity. Ageing well is continuing to learn. Ageing well is continuing to expose your mind and your body to new things. So we like to bring people into an environment where they can have challenges on a daily basis or a weekly basis.

00:08:54:04 - 00:09:21:10

Fleur Balmain

That way, they can know that they're still safe, that they're skilled. And remember that they're capable. We bring people into our little mini class groups and provide challenges for them so that they can leave here feeling very capable and skilled and worthwhile on a day to day basis. Every new challenge that they do proves to them that they're still capable of everything.

00:09:21:12 - 00:09:40:14

Fleur Balmain

If you ask me the question around if someone can't do something at any age, my answer would be no. But that might be what their expectations are and how to get there. So I think if you say, I want to run a marathon and you haven't even walked 100m, I would say we might need to adjust your goals until you achieve the smaller ones.

00:09:40:20 - 00:10:05:24

Fleur Balmain

But if you truly want to run that marathon, baby, we put you in a bike. Or maybe we put you in something else so we can still achieve it, but it looks different to how you thought it would. I think we provide accessibility to people who have all sorts of health conditions to still achieve. So if you believe that your life is limited to the four square rooms of your house, we would disagree.

00:10:06:11 - 00:10:35:05

Fleur Balmain

We're happy to come to you to provide a service to help you expand it, or we are also willing to go out and about and bring you into our environment. For the older generation. Older people like. For older Canberrans, our business is here to provide you with a community of support, both from the clinician's point of view, who are interested in looking after people to age well, as well as from the patient's point of view, giving them small challenges on a day to day basis.

00:10:35:07 - 00:11:00:01

Fleur Balmain

Canberra is probably one of the best cities in terms of supporting the ageing population. Older people in Canberra have access to all sorts of community groups. You have, the Arthritis Foundation who provides community events and exercise classes, strength training, hydro. You just need to know where to look. And you've got the seniors booklet, which has all sorts of vouchers and values which you can always access.

00:11:00:03 - 00:11:21:01

Fleur Balmain

I think the thing that is missing to help the older people is the knowledge of what services are available. I think a lot of people are aware in one community and then a lot of people aren't. And so people who aren't who miss out, and those people who aren't conscious of what access they have are the ones who are perhaps a little bit more isolated and alone.

00:11:22:03 - 00:11:48:19

Fleur Balmain

Older people bring wisdom and experience to every interaction that we happen to have. Both from an employee perspective. Their skill set and communication is something that the younger generation is slowly losing. So the older generation provides wisdom and experience. And I would have to say, the one thing we need to do is continue to ask them for advice and realise the value of what they bring.

00:11:48:20 - 00:12:08:20

Fleur Balmain

They might not always have the technical skills, although some of them are far more advanced than mine, but they certainly have the wisdom. We have a couple of individuals over 60 working for us. One is a health professional and another is an admin assistant doing an amazing job. Both bringing community and cohesion to the team.

00:12:14:06 - 00:12:37:14

Fleur Balmain

I would say that one of my favourite clientele are those in the older population. Purely because I get to learn. Not only do I give something to them, I get something back every interaction. My name is Fleur Balmain and one of the directors of Positive Motion Rehab and Kingston Physio in Tuggeranong. One of our main goals in our business is to help people age well.

00:12:37:16 - 00:12:56:21

Fleur Balmain

Our motto is live well, feel well, be well and that's including everyone. And that's including older people. Our motto is be well, feel well, live well. And that, of course, includes all the Canberrans.