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Royal Life Saving NSW is one of 21 organisations across the state to receive funding under the $600,000 Connecting Seniors grants program which aims to help older people stay connected.

Royal Life Saving NSW Active Adults campaign provides opportunities for older Australians to make the most of the health, fitness, social and safety benefits of structured water activities.

The Royal Life Saving Active Adults program has been running in Lake Macquarie during the Seniors Festival (11th -24th March) and new programs have been released for Maitland, Central Coast and Bateman’s Bay.

Participants in Lake Macquarie enjoyed their final session today with NSW Minister for Seniors, the Jodie Harrison and MP for Hunter Yasmin Catley wrapping up the NSW Seniors Festival with a visit to the Royal Life Saving program.

The Lake Macquarie program is one of 10 short courses being delivered around the state, designed for over 65s with funding from the NSW Government’s Connecting Seniors program. The courses consist of three, one-hour sessions – a CPR demonstration and review of health factors to consider when exercising, an in-pool water-safety session, and a swimming or water activity such as aqua aerobics.

Royal Life Saving NSW Manager for Hunter, Tanya Brunckhorst, said as physical health and mobility limitations are contributing factors to 21% of drownings in older adults, building strength and fitness through regular activity can play a major role in drowning prevention.

Brunckhorst notes “building your fitness and confidence around the water is as important as it was when you first learned to swim as a child, and we are calling all older adults to seek out new ways to become active adults.

“Last year, the leading contributing factors in drownings among Australians over 65 included low levels of fitness, trips or falls, lack of swimming and survival skills and underlying health conditions.  The 65 to 74 year age group is one of our most vulnerable populations, representing 30% of those who drowned last year.

“Any regular, structured activity helps build fitness, improves your ability to manage in the water and offers fantastic social community benefits.”

NSW Minister for Seniors Jodie Harrison said participation rates show older Australians are highly motivated to stay connected with their communities however 60% of over 65s are under-active, reporting only four sessions of physical activity per week compared with 10 sessions per week for active adults.

Minister Harrison shared “The NSW Government is pleased to be partnering with Royal Life Saving NSW in this program, which not only provides seniors with a refresher in water safety to help them stay active, it also contributes to their wellbeing as they connect with others in and out of the pool.

“No matter your age or ability, there are plenty of opportunities to participate in an aquatic activity that suits you: swimming at your local pool, attending an aqua aerobics class, yoga or Tai chi by the lake, enjoying a walk along our inland and coastal waterways, kayaking or boating with friends and family.

“Local pools and aquatic centres are also fantastic social hubs for people to stay connected with their community.”

Beyond this month’s NSW Seniors’ Festival, Royal Life Saving NSW is encouraging people to seek out new challenges, support their local pool or aquatic centre and enjoy new ways to have fun, keep active and stay safe in, on and around the water.

The Connecting Seniors grant program builds on previous grants, which have been proven to reduce social isolation for thousands of seniors in NSW.

The recipients include 16 not-for-profit organisations and five local councils organising a variety of activities to cater to all interests. More than half of the projects will support seniors living in regional NSW and about one-third will assist Aboriginal people over 50 and seniors with disability.

The grants deliver on the Ageing Well in NSW: Seniors Strategy 2021-2031, with the Government committed to creating a more inclusive community and addressing isolation and loneliness.

Upcoming Connecting Seniors courses:

• Maitland - 4th April to 18th April
• Tenterfield - 24th March to 8th April
• Gosford - 7th,14th and 21st May

To find out more about the Royal Life Saving program, visit www.drowningprevention.org.au/campaigns/active-adults

For more information about the NSW Government grants program and the full list of recipients, visit www.nsw.gov.au/grants-and-funding/connecting-seniors-grant-program

Image. Seniors aquatic fitness. Credit: Royal Life Saving.

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