Connecting socially in the Hauraki Coromandel isn’t always easy. With sprawling territory of 3,411 sq km, it can take over an hour and a half to reach Thames – home to Age Concern Hauraki-Coromandel. But distance hasn’t stopped Dr. Francine Hills from bringing the joy and health benefits of dance to the community.
If you happened to be in the area last October, you might have stumbled upon a great surprise: a flash mob dancing through the streets, starting at a local café and ending at the art gallery. The occasion? International Day of Older Persons, celebrated with a photo exhibition honoring the value and vibrancy of older adults.
Now, Age Concern is taking a step further – right into people’s homes. They have launched a video series on YouTube called Movement for Parkinson’s, designed to offer a gentle, rhythmic movement approach for people with Parkinson’s. The videos serve as both homework for participants of the weekly Wednesday dance with Parkinson’s classes (held 11am-12.15pm at Thames Hauraki Dance Theatre school) and an alternative for those who can’t attend in person.
“We recognised there was no movement support for people living with Parkinson’s disease in the region,” says Jo Sanderson, Leader & Community Engagement Coordinator at Age Concern Hauraki Coromandel. “We wanted to give everyone access to dance, even if they can’t make it every week. But when they can, we love having them join us in person for the classes and the social time.”
The video series builds on the success of the in-person classes and acknowledges the challenges of regular attendance in such a geographically spread-out region. Already, the videos have been viewed multiple times, and Age Concern hopes they’ll be shared widely across Aotearoa New Zealand’s Parkinson’s network to support ease of movement and promote confidence and wellbeing.
The Movement with Parkinson’s is a free pilot programme created by Dr. Francine Hills, Age Concern’s dedicated health promoter. With over 20 years of experience using dance to support health and wellbeing, Francine has worked internationally with all sorts of community groups. Including people living with Parkinson’s and is part of the global Dance for Parkinson’s network.
As such, this new pilot programme is expert-led, drawing on Francine’s academic and professional background, including her experience as a Postural Stability Instructor. It integrates strength, balance, and coordination with creativity in a three-tiered approach designed specifically to support people living with Parkinson’s.
The three-tiered structure allows participants to build confidence gradually over time, with each video designed to build on the last. The sessions are released in groups of three, forming progressive weekly sequences. Currently, two themed playlists (each with three videos) are available, and over time more playlists will be added to support ongoing engagement and development.
While the focus is on cultivating ease, awareness, and freedom through dance, the programme is firmly grounded in evidence-based principles explored in Francine’s doctoral research — specifically targeting postural awareness, gait, coordination, and other key areas commonly affected by Parkinsonian symptoms. The Movement with Parkinson’s project was made possible through funding from Age Concern New Zealand’s Innovation Fund, which supports creative solutions to improve the lives of older people.
“I hunted them down, “she laughs, when asked how she came to work for Age Concern Hauraki Coromandel. “I really wanted to work for Age Concern.”
She began as a consultant in 2023 and later stepped into her current full-time role as a health promoter. Now based in the Coromandel with her family, Francine delivers several health and social programmes for Age Concern, including @Steady as You Go, Aligned to Go, Co-lab movement and other initiatives (including dance resources on their YouTube channel) that foster connection and wellbeing through movement.
According to Statistics NZ, the Thames-Coromandel District has a very high proportion of people aged 65 and it continues to grow. Combined with rising rates of Parkinson’s — affecting 1 in 100 over 60 and 2 in 100 over 80 — and high fall rates (1 in 3 older adults, 1 in 2 with Parkinson’s), there’s a clear need for accessible, low-cost health initiatives that support healthy ageing.
In many rural areas, in-person classes aren’t viable.
“We’re looking to the future and finding long-term, sustainable solutions. This is our first step into online resources — we still have much to learn, but we’re already hearing how far and wide the videos are being accessed.”
Age Concern Hauraki-Coromandel wants every older New Zealander living with Parkinson’s to have access to resources that support their own version of ageing well. We know how important it is to keep moving, and we also recognise that movement looks different for everyone. That’s why their movement video library will offer a variety of options — some sessions are more dance-based, others are gentle, functional exercises.
As the programme grows, Age Concern Hauraki Coromandel invites older adults, whānau, and health professionals to explore the video library, share it with others, and get moving — in whatever way feels right. The team is keen to hear feedback on how the videos are being used — especially around accessibility and usability. For further enquiries or to share your experience, please email support@achc.org.nz.
