Residents at Brunswick House Nursing & Residential Home near Gloucester are proving that boxing isn’t just for the young, with regular sessions helping to keep them active, engaged and having plenty of fun along the way.
The home regularly welcomes boxing instructor Holly, who puts residents through their paces with sessions specially adapted so everyone can get involved, whatever their mobility or ability.
The sessions offer benefits for both physical and mental wellbeing. Punching the pads encourages movement, coordination and upper-body strength, while following different combinations helps residents with concentration, memory and reaction skills.
During the latest session, residents began with a gentle warm-up before practising a series of punches on the pads, starting with simple movements and gradually building up to more challenging combinations.
Holly then put their minds to work too, introducing different coloured targets and calling out colour sequences for residents to follow.
Karen, Home Manager at Brunswick House, said: “The boxing sessions have become a regular favourite here. They’re great fun, but there’s so much more going on than simply throwing a few punches.
“Residents are moving their bodies, working on their coordination and having to really concentrate on the different combinations. It’s lovely to see how engaged everyone becomes, and there’s always plenty of laughter and encouragement too.
“Activities like this are really important to us. We want residents to have opportunities to keep trying different things, challenging themselves and, most importantly, enjoying themselves.”
After a well-earned cool-down, residents tucked into another Friday favourite – fish for lunch – before swapping boxing gloves for dancing shoes for an afternoon of live music with popular singer Chris.
Chris spent time singing with residents individually and encouraging everyone to join in, before Brunswick House’s resident dancing duo, David and Georgina – affectionately known as the home’s ‘Dancing King’ and ‘Dancing Queen’ – took to the floor.
Karen added: “From boxing in the morning to singing and dancing in the afternoon, it was a brilliant Friday. Or, as we like to call it, a FUNday!”