A new fitness centre is designed to help people living with dementia workout in a safe environment.

Northwood's Pauline Potter Community Fitness Centre is the first of its kind in North America.

The Halifax fitness centre reopened last month after renovations.

Anyone of any age can use the gym, but it is designed specifically for those living with dementia.

“Colour and contrast are very important for people with vision issues as well, as Alzheimer's, so our walls are a different colour than our floor, our equipment is a different colour than the walls, different colour than our floors,” says Natasha Handspiker, fitness centre manager.

The gym is also laid out in a circle, making it easier to move from one piece of equipment to another.

Members say the centre has a great community atmosphere.

“A pleasant place to come, see Donna's cheerful smile every morning, makes my day,” says Gordon Seaman, gym member.

Seaman lives upstairs at Northwood Manor. He's been coming to this fitness centre for several years, using free weights and a variety of machines.

“The exercise is good, number one, to move around as much as you can, it's a secret to a lot of success and overcoming health problems,” says Seaman.

“It's just so great to see them come down, and provide a program for them,” says Donna Hyland, fitness consultant. “You know we do a lot of functional training with them, so this allows them to do their everyday living – they're able to go on bus trips, they're able to go to dances.”

Hyland says it’s about building confidence in her clients, whether they're just coming out of surgery or has been visiting the gym for some time.

“They love to work different parts of their bodies, they like to work on balance, and at no matter what age they are, even in their nineties, they want to work their abs,” says Hyland.

Hyland says strength training is important for seniors. It helps them maintain their muscles, which in turn protects their bones. She says gentle cardio is also on the program, working the heart and lungs.

“Just the fact that you're doing something, is you're conquering,” says Seaman. “Disability is something, you know, we're trying to conquer at least and it's, good for your morale, really.”