Exercise Buddy for Seniors
Die Mitterfelder gGmbH
- Seniors
- Health Promotion
- Sports & Leisure Activities
About the volunteering opportunity
The "Movement Buddies" program helps older adults maintain stability in their daily lives through strength and balance training. The exercises improve balance, muscle strength, and flexibility. They also reduce the risk of falls. The goal is to maintain independence, mobility, and a love of movement so that participants can remain active in life.
Your Tasks
Volunteers receive comprehensive, free training in exercise techniques for their role. Afterward, they practice one-on-one with a senior during stimulating home visits in the neighborhood. The focus is on exercise, but also on interacting with older adults in their home environment. Before the training, there is a trial session for those interested to give it a try. Feedback meetings are held throughout the program.
What's needed
For this volunteering opportunity, advanced German skills are required.
You are physically fit and enjoy being active; you are outgoing and enthusiastic, and you have empathy for older adults.
Time required
Regularly
Discussed individually
2–4 times a month, about 1 hour,
plus a one-time training session lasting about 15 hours and a first-aid course (in the evening or on the weekend)
plus a one-time training session lasting about 15 hours and a first-aid course (in the evening or on the weekend)
Important notice
Serving as an exercise buddy is generally a long-term commitment. Initially, time is invested in training and a first-aid course. After that, it is rewarding to witness the seniors’ training successes and to support their active development process. Important to know: even a very elderly body is always capable of learning and improving within its own limits.
Location
Die Mitterfelder gGmbH
The nonprofit Mitterfelder gGmbH is built on three pillars: care, education, and support. It helps people live with dignity and age gracefully within a community and in familiar surroundings. To this end, we offer Mitterfelder residents a cultural, daily-life-supporting, and health-promoting program in the senior-friendly neighborhood ( SenQ). In addition, our community-based work includes professional services such as day care, outpatient nursing care, family care, the Mobile Social Service, and neighborhood housing (in cooperation with Münchner Wohnen). The Academy for Nursing Professions focuses on education and training the next generation of nursing professionals .