The initiative in the spirit of dedicating 67 minutes of service on Mandela Day reflected the Department's commitment to promoting healthy ageing, community engagement and health promotion by providing residents with evidence-based physical activity and health screening services.
It also reinforced the University's values of social responsibility, compassion and active citizenship.
The outreach followed an earlier meeting with the Age in Action Group where the need for structured physical activity programmes at the home was identified to enhance residents' functional independence, mobility and overall quality of life.
The collaboration, initiated through the support of Loyiso Siswana and Esmerelda Daniels from the Age in Action Group, sought to bridge academic expertise with the health needs of the local community.
A total of 16 student volunteers, together with departmental staff, participated in the programme conducting clinical assessments for the home's 17 residents.
Students worked in teams to complete basic health screenings, including vital signs, flexibility and functional movement assessments, under the supervision of staff members Kamvalethu Kele, Nomvuyo Nyoni and Mteteleli Biko, who ensured clinical safety and operational efficiency throughout the day.
Thereafter the residents participated in an age-appropriate exercise session incorporating dance-based movements to encourage physical activity, improve mobility and promote overall wellbeing. These interactive activities created opportunities for engagement with the residents.
In addition, the initiative provided valuable service-learning opportunities for students, enabling them to apply classroom knowledge in a real-world community setting, as well as gain practical experience in health promotion and exercise prescription for older adults.
The project also included a practical knowledge-sharing component for caregivers, focusing on safe, low-impact exercise techniques suitable for older adults with chronic health conditions, such as hypertension.
To encourage the sustainability of the programme, the Department will also develop practical resources, including weekly physical activity guides informed by the screening outcomes, to support ongoing exercise participation at the facility.
The outreach concluded with a debriefing session where observations from the clinical screenings were discussed. The data collected will inform a sustainable physical activity programme, as well as provide the Department with valuable information to guide future community partnerships and potential work-integrated learning opportunities.