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Active ageing

For many of the challenges of modern life, physical activity is a miracle drug. It's a powerful solution to prevent and treat over 20 major conditions and diseases. Physical activity can lower your risk of developing or help you manage many chronic health conditions. These include coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, some types of cancer, obesity and arthritis.

It's important to remember:

  • Something is better than nothing.
  • Build up your physical activity gradually– every minutes counts.
  • Add activities that will help you be stronger and steadier on your feet.
  • Limit and break up the amount of time you spend sitting still.
  • The health benefits of physical activity outweigh the risk.
  • It’s never too late to start.

 

 

Older couple doing yoga at home

Age Friendly Activities

There's lots to get involved in across Barnsley and even things you can do at home.

Age Friendly Barnsley

Age Friendly Barnsley works together to support people in Barnsley to enjoy healthy and active ageing. 

Barnsley Age UK

Barnsley Age UK has lots of activities organised across the borough.  

Barnsley Green Spaces

Barnsley Green Spaces are a great place to walk and visit. The Age-Friendly Barnsley Partnership have recently increased the number of benches in many of our local parks. This is so that older people have somewhere to sit and rest while out walking.

LiveWell Barnsley

Live Well Barnsley allows you to search for activities, groups and support that are near to where you live.

Barnsley U3A

Barnsley U3A is a great way of finding like-minded people to socialise and do activities with.

Walk Well Barnsley

Walk Well Barnsley is a Walking for Health scheme. It has a programme of led walks throughout Barnsley to suit people of all ages and abilities. They're a great way to be more active, improve your health and make new friends. 

Barnsley Older People Physical Activity Alliance (BOPPAA)

BOPPAA offers a wide range of fun activities across the borough to help get older people moving. It's funded by Barnsley Council and led by Age UK Barnsley. You can find fun and social ways to stay active and improve your strength and balance in your community.

Around the house

Being physically active can have a big impact on your quality of life. It can help you to maintain your independence in later life by:

  • giving you more energy
  • keeping you strong, steady and mobile
  • making every day tasks easier to do

Research from the British Heart Foundation shows Brits spend around 67 hours a week either seated or sedentary. If you tend to sit a lot during the day just breaking up that time by standing up for a short period regularly can improve leg strength.

Mental wellbeing

Exercise can also reduce the risk of depression, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.  

It is also good for your mental wellbeing. 

Read more about the benefits of being active and find out about mental health support services.

Being active for mental wellbeing