Case Study
Healthy Lifestyle Interventions leading to Day Opportunities
Margaret House Extra Care Sheltered Housing Scheme, Uckfield
Through networking, I was introduced to a Community Group involved with supporting vulnerable
isolated older people from the rural areas of Wealden, some with mental health issues, not in receipt of
care services.
This Voluntary Group, Active Friends, run by Volunteers, had identified
a need to set up a regular opportunity for these people to take part in a
social, healthy, relaxing and interactive activity in comfortable ‘safe’
premises.
Previously, I had met Ruth Kensley, Activities Co-ordinator at Margaret
House, and was aware that she was looking to set up healthy lifestyle
activities for the benefit of both residents and people out in the wider
community.
I put in an application to Age UK West Sussex Fit as a Fiddle
Funding and was successful in receiving monies to support the
setting up of 8 Taster Sessions in different gentle forms of exercise
with a view to setting up a regular weekly group.
I identified 8 differentTutors and organised for weekly sessions from
the end of October to December 2011 which included Yoga, Pilates,
Chair based Exercise, Extend and Movement to Music.
After the first 5 sessions, I facilitated feedback from the people who had taken part which was up to 25
during any one session. These included about half being members of Active Friends who were
transported by volunteer drivers to Margaret House from the surrounding area including the rural areas
of Vines Cross, Maynards Green and Cross in Hand, as well as others living in the Uckfield area. These
people, one of whom has severe anxiety issues, are supported by a regular volunteer who liaises with
Ruth Kensley, oversees choices for lunch, transport and collects monies, all of which helps ensure that
they benefit from attending which they greatly enjoy and feel very welcomed by Margaret House.
16 people completed the evaluation, attached, which showed the
most popular sessions so that plans could be made for the future to
reflect choices and preferences.
Following this, I booked up two regular Tutors, Sara Magowan
(Yoga) and Samantha Carr (Movement to Music) to take alternate
weeks of Yoga and Movement to Music from January 2012 onwards
on Tuesday mornings.
To date, sessions have been successfully run every single week and about 20 people regularly attend
though numbers vary with illness, appointments, other commitments and preference between the two
activities.
Another popular aspect of this Project is that it was arranged
from the start and when the Taster Sessions begun for the
members of Active Friends to stay and join residents for lunch,
developing this from a Healthy Lifestyle Intervention to a
Day Opportunity.
Margaret House has wonderful comfortable facilities including
full catering facilities, activities room and dining room making it
a wonderful venue for people from the community to use.
This is all very successful and both Tutors bring something
different to the Group and the contrast in activities means that people have not tired of just one particular
activity.
At the same time, to celebrate Older Peoples’ Day on 1st October, an Active for Life Celebration was
planned, in partnership with Wealden District Council, to take place at the Luxford Centre on Wednesday
3rd October.
Samantha Guard, Movement to Music Tutor, also runs groups in Crowborough, Buxted, Wadhurst and
another in Uckfield and all the older people joined together with the Margaret House members to take
part in sequences together. The Yoga Tutor from a successful group in Westham also came along with
members of this group so that people could also take part in a Yoga session together.
I helped to co-ordinate transport for this and the Lions Minibus has already been booked and the Event
was published in the ESCC ‘Carry on Celebrating’ Booklet.
Other older people were encouraged to attend and several came along which has raised the profile of
the Active for Life Groups regularly up and running.
In January this year, a further Day Opportunity was developed at Margaret House for both residents and
older people from the community to enjoy together and I was involved in helping to create the links that
enabled this to happen.
The Housebound Club, which was run alternate Wednesdays as a Day Opportunity, for older people
who cannot regularly get out of their homes, was threatened with closure at the end of last year with the
main Volunteer Co-ordinator, Rose Wilcox, stepping down. This Club provided a vital social opportunity
for many who were at risk of becoming very isolated if it did not continue.
Graham Russell from Uckfield Lions, who were providing regularly door to door transport for the Club
was determined that it should continue.
I therefore supported Graham with ideas, funding, procedures and promotion and also forging the links
with Margaret House to create this regular Day Opportunity where residents join the numerous
Housebound Club – now called the Housebound and Friendship Club – members for refreshments and
an enjoyable activity.
Since meeting in the comfort of Margaret House where they are warmly welcomed, the Club has gone
from strength to strength this year and attracted new members as well as new wonderfully supportive
volunteers. Activities have included singing and music, movement to music, life & laughs at the theatre,
reminiscence, healthy eating & lifestyles and life on the farm and an ongoing programme has been
planned.
One man who joined the Club this year said:
‘My daughter arranged for me to come along and I so enjoy chatting to the other people. I spend a lot of
time on my own and really enjoy the opportunity to get out of the house’
Two regular members who have embraced the changes to the Club said:
‘Everyone is so kind and they have gone to so much trouble to ensure that the Club continues. We do
enjoy it and it is very important to us so we are very grateful.
We love coming up to Margaret House where we are entertained and enjoy such lovely food and a fun
time. Thank you so much’
For further details please contact Caroline Scotter
Action in rural Sussex Village Care Programme
Email: [email protected] or telephone 01424 775400
Date: June 2013