Aikido instructor John Daniel stood on a blue mat in the middle of a circle of kids from the YMCA’s summer camp and seniors with dementia, dressed in an aikidogi uniform of billowy black pants and a loose white shirt.
“We’re going to do a breathing exercise,” he told the participants before lifting his arms and yelling, “Banzai!”
More than 30 kids and seniors shouted and waved their arms around Tuesday morning in Little’s Creek Park in Littleton during Anthem Memory Care’s first aikido class for their residents, taught by Denver Ki-Aikido instructors. Each of Anthem’s four Denver-area communities bused in participants. It may not be the most intuitive thing in the world to have seniors with dementia striking, throwing and grabbing (all aikido moves), but the sport offers them a number of health benefits.
“Alzheimer’s affects spacial recognition,” head instructor Susan Chandler said. “Aikido emphasizes mind-body awareness. When we do exercises, we’re helping them improve their understanding of space and movement. They’re bettering their coordination and balance.”
The fresh air, sunshine and laughter with the kids, who were ages 10 through 12, didn’t hurt either. Even the most reluctant participants got to their feet for a little bit to pass an exercise ball around and try some of the poses.
“We find that multi-generational interaction is stimulating for both age groups,” said Elle Fore, the life enrichment director at Anthem.
The idea for the class came from 59-year-old Daniel, whose wife stays at Anthem’s Highline Place next to the park after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. She was doing well at home until last winter, when she started walking away. Now, Daniel visits her every day at Highline Place. Eventually he began working with Anthem’s staff to develop an aikido program for the seniors.
Fore said she is trying to make the class a regular physical activity available to residents at Anthem’s communities because repetition is good for memory care. The program will be called “Better Together.” Denver Ki-Aikido already offers an aikido class for people ages 55 and above to help them improve coordination and balance.
“We’re pretty adventurous with our residents. My job is to bring the outside world to them,” Fore said. “I don’t want to be limited by stereotypes of what they should be doing, like playing bingo or watching PBS. I’d rather try a new activity and fail.”
For Anthem resident Tom Crow, the aikido class was a morning well spent. It was his first time trying the martial art and he did so with great gusto.
“This was excellent. I like getting active and this stood out,” he said. “It was fun to have the kids here and I would do something like this again for sure.”
