Jane Gilliam, a 58-year-old registered nurse from England, found a path through her grief by taking up indoor climbing at The Climbing Hanger Plymouth following the death of her husband, Tony, on April 19, according to local accounts. Having nursed her husband through a long illness at their home, Gilliam took up the sport after a suggestion from her son, Jack, who climbs regularly at the facility.
How Indoor Climbing Helps Older Adults Process Grief
According to Gilliam, indoor climbing has provided both physical conditioning and mental respite following a difficult year of caregiving and bereavement. “It has been a hard year for both of us, but especially Mum with losing Dad,” Jack stated, noting that the gym environment has helped them maintain control over how they process their loss. Gilliam initially felt apprehensive about starting a new sport at age 58, noting, “I will be 59 years old in November and this ain’t tennis.” However, she quickly found a welcoming community among the staff and patrons.
She and her son always complete a dedicated ten-minute warm-up involving leg and arm stretches before hitting the climbing walls or attending specialized gym sessions.
Building Community Through Dedicated Ladies Climbing Sessions
Beyond climbing with her son once a week, Gilliam attends a coach-led Ladies Evening every Friday at the Plymouth facility. According to Gilliam, her peers in the group share encouragement, tips, and personal support. While she started out tackling the easier orange gym routes, she has steadily progressed to testing herself on more challenging blue routes. Her running background—which includes several Plymouth Half Marathons—provided a baseline of leg strength, though she balances her ambition with caution, opting to down-climb rather than risk unsafe falls from the top of the wall.
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