Our residents are benefiting from a new exercise programme

Ann Robinson, Health and Wellbeing Manager from Age UK Northumberland visited Charlotte Straker House to launch a brand new exercise programme for our residents. It’s called HowFit, has been created by doctors, physiotherapists and personal trainers, and encourages users to start a plan of very simple exercises, just for a few minutes every day. Ann carried out an initial assessment of our residents to measure their mobility and then led us all in a series of very simple exercises. We marched and stretched arms and legs and did some knee lifts and neck bends and pretended we were walking to Corbridge, all whilst sat in our chairs and wheelchairs. The idea is to improve our resident’s flexibility, strength and balance. Everyone agreed that they felt tired after the exercises but would practice them every day. “As long as we have a cup of coffee afterwards!” commented Muriel. After the exercises we had a cup of tea and a good chat and reminisced about the sports that everyone used to play: Margaret Y, Jessie and Margaret S played hockey and netball; John liked cricket and rugby and Colin and Muriel were both keen cyclists. Ann told us that she would do another assessment after a few weeks and the results would be sent to the NHS North Tyneside Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and NHS Newcastle Gateshead CCG, as part of a project to measure how simple, regular exercises can improve care home residents’ health and stability.