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An 82 year old has turned to power-assisted exercise at the I Can Therapy Centre to regain her independence after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Helen Morgan has enjoyed a lifetime of walking, swimming, cycling and gardening, but her health took a downturn during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lockdowns and social restrictions led to reduced activity and she developed painful osteoarthritis in her knee, eventually requiring replacement surgery. After moving to a retirement flat in Andover, Hampshire to be closer to family, Helen was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in October 2022.

“I was very poorly. It was virtually impossible to do anything. My voice was weak and people had to cut up my food for me. I was a total mess,” she says.

Helen started taking medication for the disease in January 2023. The results were dramatic. 

“Within 24 hours, my family could see a change. My voice was stronger and everything started to improve,” she says.

Discovering the I Can Therapy Centre, home to Innerva’s power-assisted exercise equipment, also helped Helen to manage her condition. Operated by charitable trust Valley Leisure Ltd, the centre in Andover offers a space for social exercise, with nine of Innerva’s exercise machines accompanied by three additional upper and lower body cycle. The equipment, specifically designed for older adults and those with health conditions, offered Helen a safe, supportive and engaging way to stay active.

Now a regular at the centre, Helen attends weekly sessions using Innerva’s equipment and also takes part in the centre’s Steady and Strong class. She also cycles daily on a stationary bike at home. 

“The I Can Centre is an important part of my week. However dreadful I feel, the machines help me to move so I can exercise. It’s fun and everyone is so friendly and sociable. It’s a very pleasant place to be,” she says.

“I always come away feeling better than I did. I know it’s doing me good. I can breathe more deeply, stretch further and walk quite a long way with my stick.”

One of her favourite machines is Innerva’s Rotary Torso. “It’s great fun. We’re told to imagine we’re doing the tango!”

Helen continues to successfully manage her Parkinson’s symptoms thanks to her medication and regular activity at the I Can Therapy Centre.