The Katherine Low Settlement has been running chair-based exercise classes for frail older people for three years. We identified that a barrier to attendance at these classes for local people was lack of transport. Although the Dial-A-Ride service exists, people have to be attending an activity for a while before they are accepted onto the scheme, and also often need support to fill in the application form. The Big Local funding provided a pilot scheme to enable transport for older people to be funded whilst we provided support with Dial-A-Ride applications. The aim was that this encouraged very inactive local people to take up some form of exercise and in a way that would be sustainable through the Dial-A-Ride scheme.
Trailer of the KLS Chair exercise program
This was a very challenging project and we are grateful for the opportunity to pilot a way to enable some of the most inactive and isolated people in the local area to get out and get active.
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As a result of the project we have been able to take what we have learned to the Wandsworth Mobility Forum and share our concerns with Dial-A-Ride. We hope this will lead to better ways of working which will enable very elderly people be more active.
Key successes and achievements (300 words) What went well? Was there a significant impact? What did participants tell you? |
One of the attendees said ‘I feel extremely grateful. Without the transport I couldn’t come to chair based exercise. I feel that the classes are doing me some good – it is a form of physiotherapy and I have more ‘get and go’ after the class. At first I wasn’t sure about the classes and viewed them from afar, but having tried it I’m getting into it and I’m going to carry on doing them.’ |
Click here If you want to learn more or watch the chair exercises videos to do them in your home.
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