VITAL seated exercise sessions for people with dementia in Keighley have moved online.

Dementia Friendly Keighley resumed the sessions after hearing that class members were losing their fitness because they were not able to attend.

The charity has for several years encouraged people to take part in seated exercise because it believes physical activity is important for people living with dementia.

DFK trustee Maggie Marsden said a physically active lifestyle was essential to maintain good physical and mental health.

She said: "The exercises are aimed at maintaining muscle strength and balance and stimulating neural pathways. There exercise the brain and the body, and are accompanied by uplifting and familiar music.

"Unfortunately during this period of lockdown we haven’t been able to run our regular Monday morning sessions, and recently a lot of our participants have been telling us that they feel they are losing strength, co-ordination and balance as a result."

DFK's health and fitness consultant Janice Bairstow, who has many years' experience working with people with cognitive impairment, leads the usual classes at the charity's Scott Street base.

She has set up an online alternative using Internet platform Zoom, which like the usual class takes place on Monday mornings at 11am, featuring Janice's usual exercises plus some interesting new ones.

Anyone interested will need access to a laptop, tablet or smartphone, and to have downloaded the Zoom app.

Call Maggie on 07971 527525 for more details.