Exercise
They have a good understanding of anatomy, physiology, nutrition, and health conditions affecting older people, including completing the Level 3 GP referral course. These could involve exercise in the gym, household exercise programmes, one- to-one sessions, group or seated exercise classes. Just as with all other services in the village hubs, being open to the public has the effect of creating a vibrant community. The best place to start to embed exercise in the care environment is to include fitness within initial assessment and care planning. This begins with a thorough assessment, which lasts up to three hours and involves other healthcare professionals to develop a programme of exercise that is personalised to individual customers and appropriate to their health and fitness level. Conversations with customers and their family will also inform the personalised exercise programme, based on capability and personal preferences. It is also invaluable to find out their interests and any past hobbies. For example, we have a gentleman who used to enjoy boxing, so his exercise specialist has included this in his weekly sessions. With the assistance of support workers, a holistic approach can be taken to support overall wellbeing.
Exercise for everyone While we may think of gyms and classes as the places where exercise takes place – and at Belong we are privileged to work in settings with state-of-the-art gym facilities and dedicated exercise specialists facilitating their use – this is only part of the
picture, and it is important to think beyond the scope of any one place when it comes to promoting exercise. In fact, fitness can be woven seamlessly
into everyday life outside the exercise studio through small, easily implementable actions, the cumulative results of which can prove to be life changing. This is good news for care environments without on-site exercise facilities, and it is equally favourable for customers who are not keen on working out in a designated gym setting.
Everyday exercise
In terms of ideas, it is a case of figuring out what works for individuals, often with some trial and error.
Making a cup of tea is a great example
of light exercise with the potential for tremendous benefits. Having to navigate a kitchen, moving in different directions, achieves a full range of movement. Twisting the tea bag jar, pulling open the cutlery drawer, lifting the kettle – there are many different movements serving to help fine motor skills and dexterity. Building this into a care plan could come in the form of aiming to make one cup of tea per day, for example. Stairs are another valuable tool that many
will have access to. A form of body weight resistance training, stair walking can be done at a person’s own pace and engages all the major muscles in the lower body, while supporting centre of balance. It also assists with ankle, knee, and hip stability and proprioception (the brain’s awareness of where the body is in space and time). Other ideas are drawn from housework activities: making the bed, folding clothes, and washing vegetables all offer fitness benefits, plus the sense of fulfilment that
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www.thecarehomeenvironment.com January 2025
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