With their innovative Silver Gym concept, the KÖRPERWERK Südbaden team is revolu­tio­nising physiotherapy in care facilities – creating a more systematic, effective and so­cially in­te­grated expe­rience. Active movement trai­ning takes centre stage, featuring specialised me­dical training equ­ipment including the THERA-Trainer tigo for endurance training, the THERA-Trainer balo for standing ability, and a cable machine for strength training.

An example of successful implementation can be found at the Max-Josef-Metzger-Haus in Umkirch where seniors regularly exercise on the equipment as part of their prescribed physiotherapy – some­times training together in pairs. This not only doubles therapy time to up to 40 minutes, but also creates space for social interaction. This solution simultaneously reduces the workload for healthcare staff while enabling targeted everyday mobility – such as maintaining the ability to stand, balance or walk.

“We’re seeing a significant improvement in both therapy quality and patients’ zest for life – along with optimised staffing levels,” says Armin Brucker, the creative mind behind KÖRPERWERK Südbaden. The service is now available not only at Max-Josef-Metzger-Haus but also at four other care facilities, with plans for further expansion. In our interview with Armin Brucker, we discover the story behind this concept and his plans for the future.

Jakob Tiebel: How did the idea for the Silver Gym come about? Was there a specific problem you wanted to solve?

Armin Brucker: The starting point was purely practical: care facilities contacted our practice because they needed on-site physiotherapy services. I handled their requests in a very traditional way at first. Over time, however, more and more questions began to surface, especially about the quality of care provided. Objectively speaking, the care was solid, but a vision emerged within me: how could we rethink physiotherapy for elderly people in a completely new way – more holistic, more systemic, more sustainable? That was our cue to broaden the scope of the entire project. I wanted to move away from simply “working through things” towards a truly transformative approach – both physically and socially. We know from the evidence that people need significantly more movement than they get in daily care. And that’s the key element in the Silver Gym. Crucially, it had to be simple – for the therapists, for the staff, for the residents. It shouldn’t add further complexity but should provide relief.

Jakob Tiebel: What was particularly important to you when developing the concept?

Armin Brucker: We aimed to create a concept that maintains and enhances the fundamental abilities of older people. So we carefully selected equipment designed specifically for cardiovascular health, stre­ngth and standing ability. And this equipment needs to serve a purpose and form part of a structured concept. In practice, we use THERA-Trainer equipment – movement exercisers to build strength and endurance, plus balance trainers to enhance stability and coordi­nation while standing. These medical training devices are not an end in themselves but are integrated into a holistic therapeutic approach. The various devices are connected to software. This provides targeted control, while incorporating entertainment and motivation through gamification elements. It was also important that the entire system integrates seamlessly into daily life – requiring minimal additional effort while deli­vering genuine value.

Jakob Tiebel: What sets the Silver Gym apart from traditional one-on-one therapy?

Armin Brucker: The major difference lies in the conceptual approach. The Silver Gym is not simply a training room with equipment, but a clearly defined therapeutic framework. This framework fosters the development of structures, commitment and, above all, a vibrant social plat­form. In tradi­tional phy­siotherapy, individual treatment is often isolated. In the Silver Gym, two or sometimes more people train together. This creates interaction and motivation. The social component is a key aspect of the concept. Each patient is individually cared for – at least for the prescribed time of their one-on-one therapy session. But because the residents arrive in groups, they actually stay at least twice as long. And as a result, they are usually active for much longer, because they have the opportunity to move around and actively participate during the whole session. In this way, we often achieve a doubling of the therapy time for individual residents – without any extra effort. A conceptual approach that benefits everyone and achieves more than traditional one-on-one therapy.

Jakob Tiebel: What does a typical training day at the Silver Gym look like? Who is involved and how?

Armin Brucker: Our staff typically work half a day in a care home. The residents benefit from personalised support in small groups – this is our standard setting. The therapist on site always decides which exercises are done. This sometimes depends on daily fitness levels, which need to be checked regularly and adjusted if necessary. But ideally, at least two exercises and tra­ining goals are always combined. This might include cardio­vascular and strength, or strength and standing ability. It’s important to note that not all residents can be supe­rvised in the Silver Gym. We check carefully beforehand to determine whether there are any motor or cognitive contraindications, or if someone is bedridden. Certain inclusion criteria are needed. Once these are met, we can start allocating exercises. We then assess what makes functional sense and what seems achievable on an individual basis. There are no rigid plans, but rather a flexible combination of therapeutic judgement and practical assessment.

Jakob Tiebel: What advantages does the equipment offer from a therapeutic perspective? Are there examples of tangible progress among residents?

Armin Brucker: The equipment helps us to provide clear guidelines, such as targeted leg or arm training. This reduces the workload for therapists because they no longer need to continuously provide manual guidance or safety monitoring. Another often underestimated aspect is that older people find the interactive component enormously motivating. They gladly accept the challenge and automatically train with greater intensity and for longer periods. There are numerous examples of progress. Particularly impressive are the short-term care success stories, where residents returned home fitter after just a few weeks of training. According to one healthcare worker: “You’ve given a renewed desire for life to one resident who just wanted to die.” Whether this success was solely due to our concept is certainly open to debate – but it definitely made a vital contribution to the overall picture, as mobility plays a key role in maintaining independence and autonomy in daily life.

Jakob Tiebel: How do new residents respond? Are there any challenges in terms of acceptance or usability?

Armin Brucker: We don’t see any fundamental obsta­cles – neither in terms of usability nor acceptance. We occasionally encounter resistance, mainly due to a persistent stigma that reinforces the notion that technology and old people don’t mix. But that doesn’t reflect reality. Equally false is the widespread perception that geriatrics is a deadly boring field – quite literally – where nothing meaningful can be accomplished. That is simply wrong – and it’s a shame that this image is so prevalent in the public eye. The ageing patient with multimorbidity is an extremely fascinating subject in therapeutic practice. The objectives may differ from other specialties – here it’s more often about maintaining abilities rather than complete recovery. But that doesn’t make our work any less meaningful. I recognise first hand how our approach makes a meaningful difference in the lives of older people. I’m completely behind our approach and see how effective it is on a daily basis. Of course, there are moments of uncertainty – for example, when someone stands in the balance trainer for the first time. This anxiety doesn’t come from the equipment, but from the unfamiliar situation and the lack of confidence in being able to stand securely for extended periods. In most cases, this anxiety vanishes very quickly.

Jakob Tiebel: How do care staff respond to the collaboration and integration of the movement sessions?

Armin Brucker: Acceptance rates are highest when we provide information early on and actively engage care staff. We present the concept, explain our working method, and then the collaboration works smoothly. Crucially, the facility must understand from the outset that the Silver Gym is not a gimmick, but a clearly structured, therapeutically sound concept. Where this understanding exists and institutions cooperate, every­thing runs smoothly. The feedback can be non-
committal at times. It’s often just things like “It works”. And that’s widely regarded as high praise (laughs). But seriously, if the concept didn’t provide added value, the care facilities wouldn’t give it their backing.

Jakob Tiebel: Are there measurable effects or qualitative observations that highlight the effecti­veness of the concept?

Armin Brucker: Currently, we aren’t conducting any comprehensive measurements. Instead, we’re working with simple, practical assessments and documenting qualitative changes. It’s important to adopt a realistic perspective: not all residents objectively “improve” through training. But the rate of decline is slower – and that is often the real success. This form of stability is difficult to measure, but we can make it visible using straightforward methods. Of course, evaluation is an important topic for the future. At the same time, we must ensure that the concept doesn’t lose its practicality by becoming excessively complex. The strength of Silver Gym is its simplicity. If we overcomplicate this approach, it will increase the effort and resources, making the model less attractive and harder to imple­ment. There is a clear balancing act between the legitimate demand for proof of effectiveness and the need to remain practical. We’re constantly working to critically assess and strike the right balance.

Jakob Tiebel: What’s next on the horizon for Silver Gym? Are there plans for expansion?

Armin Brucker: Yes, we would like to develop and scale up the concept in a targeted way. From a conceptual standpoint, we’ve established a strong position, and our experience to date validates the direction we’ve taken. The potential is still great – not to overstate it: almost unlimited. The real limitations aren’t therapeutic or conceptual but systemic in nature – particularly in terms of staffing or finances. At the same time, we are operating in an almost crisis-proof growth market. Demographic trends and the gradual transition to an ageing society will see an increasing demand for what we’ve pioneered today and are now gradually rolling out.

Jakob Tiebel: What advice would you give to colleagues who want to establish a similar concept?

Armin Brucker: Stick with it, be brave, try out your ideas – and then implement them consistently. Find people who believe in the concept, and partners who support it. The most important thing is to get started. I meet so many people with brilliant ideas – but in the end, the world belongs to those brave enough to turn their ideas into reality. This is my advice to anyone who is toying with the idea of implementing a similar concept.

Jakob Tiebel: When you reflect on your most memorable moments at Silver Gym, which one stands out?

Armin Brucker: There are many. But one particularly stands out, not because of its emotionality but because of its authenticity. A blind resident took my hand and kissed it. No words were spoken. Just a spontaneous, heartfelt thank-you. It was a silent, yet powerful moment. For me, it reaffirms what we are doing for people.