Sporting Fun At Clifden House
The positive effects of ball based activities dementia is being assessed daily by leading Sussex dementia care centre, Clifden House.
Clifden House in Seaford has invested in table tennis and snooker facilities and residents are encouraged to take part in both on a regular basis.
Recent research from the NCBI found that coordination training, such as table tennis and snooker can lead to improvements in functions for dementia patients, particularly those who may be less physically active.
Wendy Suzuki, professor of neuroscience and psychology at New York University said: “Table tennis stimulates overall awareness and enhances player’s motor skills to effectively improve the function of the brain.”
Since introducing table tennis and snooker to the activities at Clifden House, staff have seen an improvement in some resident’s physical activity and engagement, which is particularly important when dealing with the debilitating effects of dementia.
Nial Joyce of Clifden House said: “Not only is it fantastic to see positive physical changes in the residents, it is great to see them connecting and having fun with each other, staff and visitors. It is also an activity that can be accessed by those who may be chair bound making them perfect for everyone to get involved”.
