Genki Gumi Coquitlam:
Energize and Educate!
Genki Gumi’s class at the Coquitlam Centre Public Library has become very popular and was nearly at capacity on Friday, March 15th. Lovely Emily Mustard got our engines revving with 45 minutes of movement based on Radio Taiso exercises. Of course, because she is a professional dance instructor, it ultimately turned into a simple choreographed routine.
Following a break with tea and snacks, there was a very informative presentation by a group of UBC nursing students on fall prevention. Their talk addressed subjects such as eliminating hazards in the home (declutter, everyone!), improving lighting and sightlines and the installation of appropriate flooring, handrails and guardrails. They also discussed protective devices such as fall sensors and what to do if you fall (i.e. how to get back up).
Our very own Mika Nakajima provided translation into Japanese, including a very entertaining skit of someone trying to reach a person who has fallen in a bathroom. Her reenactment of pounding on a closed bathroom door was so realistic that even the nursing students knew when she was translating the message: do not lock the bathroom door! Seminar participants were sent home with a printout of resources for further information and a sheet of exercises to try at home.
The next Genki Gumi class in Coquitlam will be on Friday, April 19th. To register, please contact Mika at 604-687-2172 or by email: coordinator@tonarigumi.ca
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