Health and Wellbeing Package of Support for Older People Sheltering from Covid-19

Active Black Country, the Active Partnership for the region, have developed a package of support for Housing Association residential care homes, and Local Authority care sites, which provide information, advice and support services to vulnerable older aged people and focuses on promoting wellbeing, in direct response to the current pandemic.

Older aged adults are amongst the most vulnerable to experiencing a deterioration in both their mental and physical health as a result of self-isolating and social distancing. This includes disabled people and people with a long-term health condition, people with a learning disability, people living with dementia and anyone who experiences poor mental health.

The Health and Wellbeing Package of support provides the older aged with a care pack featuring some low impact exercises to aid mobility.

The pack comprises of equipment, activities and instructions that are simple and straightforward to follow and in the majority of cases mitigate the need for any 3rd party to be there.

Active Black Country Director, Ian Carey, said of the packs:

The response from our Black Country partners and communities to the impact of COVID-19 and how we work together to keep people active has been hugely positive. Working with our partners we have been able to develop a pack specifically aimed at keeping older aged people active both physically and mentally, crucial at this time of self-isolation and social distance. We hope the packs provide a meaningful intervention for older age groups during this extraordinary period.”

Martin Andrews, Trainer at Black Country Housing Group, whose residents are in receipt of the packs said:

Black Country Housing Group are delighted to have worked with Active Black Country to get the activity packs into our residential care homes. They have provided some fun and enjoyment for our residents during this really difficult time and played an important role in keeping them active.”

Residents of Sandwell Council also received some of the packs. Katie Deeley, Physical Activity Project Manager for Sandwell Council Public Health said:

The packs have been really well received by 2 of our housing 21 extra care sites. The activity coordinators have said that this will make a huge difference to residents who are missing out on their weekly exercise sessions, due to the impact of Covid-19.”

Active Black Country are committed to developing learnings into physical activity habits across all cohorts at every opportunity, and will look to carry out a future light-touch evaluation, once social restrictions have been lifted, into the effectiveness of these packs from the perspective of their contribution to improving physical and mental wellbeing during the period of enforced isolation.

For further information on the work of Active Black Country and the support being provided to the community during the Covid-19 pandemic, please visit: www.activeblackcountry.co.uk

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