What Rides Do We Provide to Rest Homes?
- We currently provide rides to the residents of several rest homes in the Taradale, Greenmeadows, and Marewa areas.
- These rides occur on a morning or afternoon chosen by the Rest Home on a day that fits in with their activities.
- These rides become a regular feature of the residents’ week and they all look forward to the ride, which has a positive effect on their mood as well as the atmosphere of the Rest Home.
What Are the Benefits to the Residents?*
- Social interaction with others during the ride.
- The feel of “breaking out” and “freedom” from the rest home.
- Being invigorated by the fresh air and meeting new people.
- The intergenerational conversation between pilot and passenger.
- Having a fun time and something to look forward to.
- Mood and well-being changes when comparing no-ride days with ride days quantified in the table below show how stress level plummets on days when there is a bike ride, as well as how moods are lifted on the days of bike rides, even before the ride, in anticipation of the same.
| Mood | No ride day | Ride day |
|---|---|---|
| Pleasure | -0.1 | +3.9 |
| Tension/stress | +1.0 | -4.4 |
| Energy | +0.2 | +3.7 |
| Wellbeing | -0.1 | +4.1 |
- Gray, R & Gow, AJ 2020, ‘Cycling Without Age: Assessing the Impact of a Cycling-Based Initiative onMood and Wellbeing’, Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, vol. 6. https://doi.org/10.1177/2333721420946638
- Gow-2020-Cycling-Without-Age-Research-and-Evaluation-Report-2019-20.pdf
- Heriot Watt University CWA Evaluation Report 2018
Feedback
Feedback from the Activities Staff at Roseanne Retirement and Rest Home in Napier:
After the rides, those who participate are alert and engage easily in the afternoon’s activities. We are truly grateful to have this experience available to our residents for absolutely no fee
Neil Edmundson, son of one of our passengers wrote
I write in support of the work being done by the Cycling Without Age Napier Trust. The work the Trust does enriching the lives of the elderly who are otherwise immobile and restricted in their ability to get out in the community is absolutely fantastic.
During the last six months my elderly mother (who has just passed away) was the recipient of their service. The joy that the ride into the community and more importantly the interaction with the rider so enriched her life and made her weekly meetings with Alan, the highlight of her week. I can only reiterate that the work that this Trust is doing is providing major health and welfare benefits to all those who partake of their service.
Contact us to arrange one-on-one resident rides, or to organise care/rest home dedicated times or to reserve times for Agency activities/events in Anderson Park or on Marine Parade.
