SHARE stands for Self Health Action Responsibility and Enrichment. The award-winning non-profit organisation that is partly funded by the local health district delivers caring, targeted and affordable exercise programs for over 4000 seniors in St George and Sutherland Shire every year, and has been doing so for the past 35 years.
During this unprecedented time, SHARE is offering free weekly classes to support seniors of the Nepalese community to stay socially connected and maintain health and fitness levels during COVID-19 restrictions. SHARE’s classes include their Online Yoga Class each Friday and Computer Support Group each Wednesday, which covers helpful skills such as understanding video call technology.
Prior to COVID-19, SHARE organized free Yoga classes at Olds Parkin Penshurst every Tuesday and Saturday. However physical distancing rules during COVID-19 have not affected the enthusiasm of SHARE’s participants or qualified yoga Instructor, Mr Acharya Rajan Sharma, with seniors continuing to reap the positive health benefits of yoga via Zoom.
“These classes made my restriction period very useful and active,” comments one keen participant, “I want to thank you very much for the services.”
Another expresses how the online classes have boosted their health, saying “I am thoroughly enjoying the classes and have found that it has helped me both physically and mentally during our lockdown period.”
Bringing together regular exercise and social connection with a healthy diet is crucial for maintaining peak wellbeing. That is why SHARE has also been actively present in the Nepalese community each week providing free healthy food hampers to those who are hit hard by the financial and social impacts of COVID-19. “It’s a privilege to help community people in need and we are doing to best to reach out to more families so that they can have access to free food hampers’’, Adrian Prakash, General Manager at SHARE.
SHARE aims to empower older residents of the community to be active and healthy. Some of SHARE’s specialised evidence-based programs include falls prevention and preventative health programs for chronic conditions such as Type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Other popular classes include Tai Chi, Zumba, aqua aerobics, hydrotherapy, and strength-boosting programs. SHARE’s whole of wellbeing, multidisciplinary approach shines through in its work for health advocacy, mental health education, and free virtual seminars on essential topics such as dementia prevention.
The organization is supported by South Eastern Local Health District and Sydney South West Local Health District. For class locations or details phone 85800628.
