Cairns Wellness Centre Reopens
When the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic hit, one of the things that 68-year-old Towah Pearson missed most during isolation, was his regular gym sessions at the Cairns Wellness Centre by integratedliving®.
For Towah and his wife Maree, the opportunity to socialise with people their own age whilst improving their health and fitness, was something they looked forward to each week before COVID-19. Fortunately, integratedliving has announced the centre will reopen on 29 June, meaning they can once again return to their fitness routine.
“Since joining the Wellness Centre in January 2019, I’ve learnt a lot and got my health back on track which I’m very proud of. I was feeling sluggish for a long time and had a lot of health issues, but since joining the centre I’ve felt much better,” said Towah.
After a year of regularly attending the gym with twice weekly sessions, Towah was starting to see dramatic improvements to his knee and core strength and flexibility, as well as losing some unwanted kilos.
“COVID-19 can really get you down and unfortunately I’ve piled on a few extra kilos too. I’ve missed our friends at the centre a lot. The group classes gave us the social interaction we needed to feel connected. Its not only a place to get fit and healthy, but also a place to meet people. Its something different that nowhere else offers. It’s the best thing to ever happen to our age group.”
After being forced to close their Wellness Centres in March, integratedliving is thrilled to be able to respond to the easing of restrictions by opening the centres in a staged approach, taking into consideration federal and state government recommendations.
Catherine Daley, integratedliving’s Chief Executive Officer said: “We’re excited to slowly re-open our Wellness Centres over the next few months. The health and safety of our clients and staff is always our highest priority and rather than returning to normal, we will be creating a new normal with clear guidelines in place for the safe practice of all centres.”
The Wellness Centres provide a hub for older people where they can be supported by health professionals to live a healthier and independent life. The programs are created by experienced exercise physiologists and focus on improving strength, balance, fitness and general wellbeing.
“The centres are a welcoming environment that allow people to establish social connections and form new friendships. Stories like Towah’s are not uncommon and we often hear of older Australian’s experiencing dramatic improvements to their health and wellbeing by visiting the centres on a weekly basis. We really can’t wait to welcome people back,” said Catherine.
The Cairns Wellness Centre is one of eight that are proposed to reopen over the next three months as restrictions begin to ease across the country. The centres feature state-of-the-art wellness gyms featuring specialised HUR equipment and a range of services to help older people live an active and independent life.
For more information on the services offered at the Cairns Wellness Centre, please call the Customer Service Centre on 1300 782 896.