Age no barrier to cycling

WIND IN YOUR HAIR: Olive Tree Grove residents Hugh and Margaret Badger are taken for a ride by pilot Mike Walker. PHOTO: ALECIA ROUSSEAU

Redefining what it means to be retired is the mission of one company who is bringing cycling back to the elderly.

Cycling without Age is being rolled out across New Zealand thanks to Arvida, who is introducing trishaw bicycles into several of their retirement villages.

Olive Tree Grove officially launched their scheme in Palmerston North last Friday with a presentation by Cycling Without Age co-founder Dorthe Pedersen.

Ms Pedersen told the dolled-up crowd, cycling was a way of connecting with their community while giving them the freedom and mobility they once enjoyed.

"As you get older your eyes and legs might stop you cycling ... so, it's reluctantly given up. But now you can have access to all the places you enjoy."

Cycling Without Age was founded in Denmark three years ago and is now in 27 countries. Ms Pedersen shared many stories, detailing the magical experience enjoyed by each rider.

One such story was of a couple of women in Auckland. They were hesitant to give the trishaw a go but, after a little encouragement, the women took a long ride and "giggled like they were 17 years old", sharing their views and opinions on people's homes and the way their gardens were presented.

Arvida general manager marketing and sales Tristan Saunders said the bikes were a way of growing the retirement experience into something more.

"We hope to keep putting more bikes in and challenge they way people think retirement should be done. We've already seen many cases where the son-in-law puts his hand up to take his mother-in-law for a ride; it's a real bonding experience and gives people the time just to go for a cruise."

Ms Pedersen said the most important thing to remember when using the bikes was to take it slow.

"See, feel, hear, share and be present. Make new friends, create new witnesses to our life stories...and use it as a way to help diminish feelings of loneliness and isolation we can all experience as we age."

Olive Tree Grove resident Kathryn was the first to have a go when the trishaws arrived. She said the ride was lots of fun, especially when passers-by stopped to wave and toot.

"I can't go far in a wheelchair so this was something that allowed me to go further than usual ... it was good fun. There must be lots of people who aren't able to get out so this is cool, you can make new friends."

Olive Tree Grove manager Robyn Ballard said staff were on-board with the scheme, with many happy to take time away from their desk to shuttle the residents around.

"We want everyone to have a go and our staff are more than willing to take people. We were able to take some people to the Alzheimer's Walk; something they would not have been able to participate in otherwise."

The presentation was closed with a sausage sizzle cooked by students from Somerset School, and a few rides around the village for those brave enough.