Reinach rollator group helps seniors stay active and connected
Saturday 3rd October 2026 on 16:15 in
Switzerland
A weekly rollator walking group in Reinach, a municipality in Basel-Landschaft, is helping older residents stay active and social, SRF reports.
About a dozen seniors meet every Tuesday morning for a walk, with no registration required. The group follows flat, well-surfaced routes and takes several breaks. Volunteers wearing high-visibility vests help participants cross roads safely.
Beatrice Schuler, 94, said the group helped people overcome embarrassment about walking with a rollator. Theo Schaller, 79, said the exercise was valuable, but so was the laughter. Participants also value the chance to talk as they walk.
The group was started by René Fasnacht, 81, after some people found an existing walking group too fast. Fasnacht, who previously held senior roles in healthcare in Basel-Stadt, offered to develop activities for people over 75 after moving to Reinach. “Walking is the best medicine in old age,” he said.
Reinach council member Peter Meier said exercise programmes could help some people remain in their own homes for longer. The municipality also supports preventive activities, including rhythm classes intended to reduce falls. It spends almost half a million francs a month on senior-centre residents with low care needs, Meier said, and estimated costs could be much lower if people needing little support could stay at home.
Since the beginning of the year, Reinach has also provided grants to people who need help to continue living alone. Examples include support for delivered meals or installing a door in a bathtub to make bathing easier. Basel-Landschaft has more residents over 65 than all but three Swiss cantons, according to the report.
The municipality says it has received positive feedback on its programmes, although it does not yet know how many people they have helped to stay at home longer. Another walking group is planned for a different part of Reinach. The existing group finishes its weekly walk at the Aumatt senior centre for refreshments.