Gairloch Aid & Mobility Support
Therapy Centre
What is a Therapy Centre?
A Therapy Centre is a place where people of all ages would come and use state of the art facilities in order to keep active, independent and healthy.
Why do we need a Therapy Centre?
In our communities we have a high percentage of older people. On one hand the local population is ageing, and on the other hand people coming here to retire. This creates problems with home care and also places in the care homes.
It is a well-known fact that keeping people active, helps keep them independent for longer.
There are also problems with the distance to most health facilities, most being somewhere at the east coast. People for example in order to get heart rehabilitation have to drive to Dingwall.
What facilities would be provided and what could we offer?
1. Classes
We are planning to provide a wide range of classes:
Classes for hip, knee, shoulder, back, neck
Heart & lung rehabilitation
Weight loss, Diabetes & Osteoporosis
Pelvic floor exercises
Back classes for children
Fall Prevention Class
2. Studio
A studio used solely for exercises can be equipped especially for this purpose. The Gym will contain special machines for prevention and rehabilitation. It is highly beneficial to have wall mirrors, wall bars and underfloor heating. Moreover, all the equipment could be stored directly in the studio.
3. Activity Centre
We are planning to offer a wide range of activities:
Gardening in our therapy garden
Cooking classes e.g. for overweight people, people with diabetes and food intolerances. We would also like to teach older men to cook. This would help them if their wives were getting ill, or they were on their own.
Cross Generation Events and seniors only activities like flower arrangements, moth trapping etc. will find a new home in the Centre.
4. Support Groups
Most support groups are too far away to be of use to our residents. We are planning to set up all kinds of support groups and invite speakers to attend in person or over Skype.
5. Disabled accessible shower
Sometimes there is a problem when people come home from hospital or when they might
become weak. This is due to their bathrooms not being disabled accessible. They will be able to use the shower in the Therapy Centre until changes in their own bathrooms are made.
6. Sensory Room
A sensory room is a room equipped with lights, sounds and smells. Studies show that ½ hour sessions 3 times per week in the sensory room, reduce sleeping problems and anxiety in people with dementia. The room can also be used to just relax.
7. Computer room
People can use this room to talk to the Citizen Advice Bureau, to order things over the Internet with assistance or even have a chat over Skype to family.
8. Storage for Aids
There will be the possibility for the public to come and look at aids, test them and get training in their use. Our aids at presents are stored in 3 different places. They never seem to be where they are needed. Moreover we don’t have a place to service aids, charge batteries etc..
9. Cooperation with other Charities
Other charities will be able to use the Therapy Centre as base to advice people, e.g. Connecting Carers.
10. Parking of the Minibus
We don’t have a safe place to park our minibus in Gairloch at the moment, which means extra driving from South Erradale to Gairloch. If it is permanently on standby at the Centre, it will make the picking up of people joining activities at the Centre much easier than it is just now.
11. Renting a Treatment Room and the Studio
Therapists of all kinds will be able to rent a room for treatments or the studio for classes. This will create income to help with the running of the Centre.
Where are we at the moment?
First of all we are busy with the business plan to make sure that the Therapy Centre will be sustainable.
A ground survey has been carried out and preparation of architectural plans is in progress.
Petition
We are asking the community to show their support by signing our petition. We will be able to use this to demonstrate the value and support of the Therapy Centre with the Church, the Community Council, the Planning Authority and ultimately any funders when we apply for financial support.