To look at Daryl Clark, you would never know he had suffered a stroke last September.
The 67-year-old Hoppers Crossing retiree has no mobility problems or signs of facial weakness, a feat he credits to his regular participation in a Heart Foundation exercise program.
“When I had the stroke, I had no feeling down my left side … now you wouldn’t know I’d had a stroke,” Mr Clark says.
“[Joining Heartmoves] is the best thing I’ve ever done, to be honest.”
Heartmoves classes have been running in Wyndham since 2012 as part of the state and federal governments’ Healthy Together Wyndham program.
The city is one of 14 “at-risk” municipalities in Victoria taking part in the initiative.
According to the Heart Foundation, residents in Wyndham are 1.4 times more likely than the rest of Victoria to be hospitalised due to heart attack.
Between 2007-08 and 2011-12, there were five heart attacks for every 10,000 people in Wyndham, compared to two in the City of Melbourne and three each in Yarra and Port Phillip.
The classes provide people who have had strokes, have been diagnosed with heart disease or type 2 diabetes, are battling arthritis or who are overweight with a gentle exercise program to help keep them active. Classes are run at nine locations across Wyndham by specially trained instructors.
“Heartmoves isn’t a hard thing to do, but it’s something that gets you going and you do feel good when you’re finished,” Mr Clark said.
“For anyone 60 and over, or people who’ve had a medical problem of some sort, it’s ideal.”
A new Heartmoves class starts this month at Werribee’s Kelly Park Community Centre, with an information session on Friday at 9am.
More details: experiencewyndham.com.au
