Maintaining health and vitality as people age can be even harder if English isn’t your first language.

AQ Health physiotherapists Felicity and Vanessa are now offering exercises in Cantonese and Mandarin, after several existing clients expressed an interest.

“We have a few clients who speak Cantonese and Mandarin, and those are languages that we speak as well,” Vanessa said.

“It started with one client who felt more comfortable communicating with us in her mother tongue, and then we started getting more inquiries – it was word of mouth really.”

AQ Health strongly believe in tapping into the skills that staff already have, and support staff to develop programs based on their individual backgrounds.

“Some clients might be nervous to come to exercise classes, or the gym because it’s in English and they might be worried about not understanding all the instructions,” Felicity said.

“And it’s important for clients to understand instructions, they must have their technique right.

“People who don’t speak English as their first language might feel self-conscious, it’s new for them and they’re out of their comfort zone.”

Vanessa added the multi-lingual classes had benefits for the physiotherapists as well.

“We have obviously done all our training in Australia in English, but for us, they can share their stories about their past and share that cultural connection – we get to hear all the stories about old Hong Kong or wherever they spent their life,” she said.

“It’s a cultural connection, and it’s about diversity.”

Brisbane’s southside has a growing population of people with an Asian background, and AQ Health allied health staff are keen to meet the needs of that community and encourage clients to build a socially supportive environment.

“There’s not a lot of Chinese-language based classes out there, and we want people to feel included when they come here,” Felicity said.

To find out more about AQ Health’s Exercise Classes email aqhealth@alzqld.org.au or call 1800 692 743.