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Tina Higgins-Fischer from senior gymnastics demonstrated dance exercises while standing and sitting. © Dietsche
The Egelsbach Health Pilots have organized their first major event: At a health day in the community center, around 70 people find out about ways to improve physical and mental fitness.
Egelsbach – “Balancing is much easier for me with my eyes open,” says Sabine Spee. She is a visitor to the Egelsbach Health Guides’ first health day and is currently completing the balance and symmetry test. It is important to keep your balance sometimes on one leg and sometimes on the other. “And for more than ten seconds and blindfolded, I find it quite tricky.” Visitors can also optionally put on so-called intoxication glasses, which make the whole thing even more difficult because they simulate the influence of cannabis or alcohol on the body’s balance.
Caroline Haas, who organized the health day in the community center together with Stephanie Beyer and Monique Theuerkauf, explains the background to the test: “The movements are tracked with millimeter precision using a measuring device that is worn on the back. The laptop displays the measurement in a diagram and so we can give people tailor-made advice to take home with them which exercises are useful for training their sense of balance.”
It became clear to us relatively quickly that we didn’t want to create new offers in Egelsbach, but rather emphasize the existing ones.
The health day is the first major event of the Egelsbach health pilots. The approximately 70 guests are offered a varied program from exercise to nutrition to relaxation. The health pilot project was launched by the community about a year and a half ago. After an initial event in September 2022, a group of ten people came together and were trained to become community health guides in November. This didn’t cost the community anything: health insurance companies like IKK classic, which finances the project in Egelsbach, have been obliged by the Prevention Act to promote preventive measures since 2015. Egelsbach is the first municipality in Hesse to take part in the project.
“It became clear to us relatively quickly that we didn’t want to create new health offerings in Egelsbach, but rather emphasize the existing ones. So much is already happening and we want to make it more visible,” explains Theuerkauf. Beyer adds: “The idea of the health day was to show a selection of the existing offers.”
Singing keeps you mentally fit – and it’s just fun. The senior choir led by Michael Zöllner (left) gave a small sample. © Dietsche
For example, Cornelia Löffler, ballet teacher at the adult education center, will be there. “Dancing helps against Parkinson’s, against dementia and keeps you fit,” says Löffler. With their challenging dance exercises, those present can gain new experiences on the subject of coordination and posture. Tina Higgins-Fischer from senior gymnastics offers a sitting exercise program: under her guidance, visitors move while sitting to motivating music.
The senior choir led by Michael Zöllner provides variety. “Why do we sing? You could now explain a lot about the health-promoting effects, but first and foremost we sing because we enjoy it,” emphasizes Zöllner. As with other Health Day offerings, singing is also about mental health. Concentration, on the other hand, is required in a reaction test; keys that suddenly flash suddenly have to be pressed as quickly as possible. One participant is pleased with her good result: “I have been doing sport all my life, I think it has kept me fit.” The community representatives are also satisfied: “The health day is a great success, I am pleased that so many people came,” says Mayor Tobias Wilbrand. If you would like to find out more about Egelsbach’s health offerings, you can on the community homepage inform. And if you want to get active yourself, you can send an email to [email protected].