The first pensioners to benefit from the latest round of Big Lottery Funding to improve health in Wirral took their seats for a lesson in chair based exercise this week – to help protect them from falls, a major cause of hospital admission in the over 60s.
Flo Murphy (seated left) from Bebington and Anne Thomas (right) from Birkenhead were among the first through the doors of The Lauries Centre in Birkenhead. They were there for the inaugural chair based exercise session hosted by Wirral Elders Lunch Club, which is able to offer classes free thanks to a successful bid for £250,000 Big Lottery Funding by Wirral Primary Care Trust’s Health and Wellbeing Team.
The funding is being used to improve the health, wellbeing and lifestyles of thousands of people in Wirral through a range of initiatives including chair based exercise for the older, frailer person, and the special training needed for those taking the classes.
It also means that organisations such as luncheon clubs and residential homes – or individuals who work with older people - can host the exercise classes, using fully qualified trainers to deliver sessions for the first six weeks.
Any Wirral organisation interested in hosting lottery-funded chair based exercise sessions with qualified instructors should contact Community Health Worker Chris McGovern on 0151 630 8489.
“Preventing falls is vital in keeping older people mobile and independent,� said Chris who is pictured presenting certificates to the latest group of instructors, Pamela Sands from Noctorum and two Live Wirral Wardens Joseph Lee from Wallasey and Mark King from Oxton - in The Lauries Centre. The three, with others, have achieved their CYQ award in Chair Based Exercise for the Frailer Older Person (Level 2).
Last year more than 4,500 people aged 60 and over were taken to Arrowe Park Hospital A & E Department because of a fall. Improving strength and balance can help prevent falls, which is why part of the latest funding is paying for more instructors and professionals to work with older people to deliver safe and effective chair-based exercise through accredited training.
Added Chris: “Wirral Council recently had several instructors qualified in the new award and will shortly be delivering classes at various locations across Wirral. Following the development of Weight Wise Exercise Classes, this is another excellent example of the Council working in partnership with the Primary Care Trust and other organisations to deliver health opportunities to Wirral residents.
"The Live Wirral Wardens are in a great position to promote healthy lifestyles through chair based exercises and are looking forward to working with more groups in the future.�
In addition to helping older people stay fall-free, the £250,000 Big Lottery Funding is also being used to extend existing work in the other key areas of healthy eating and mental health, by:
1.Improving access to and support for people with mild to moderate conditions of anxiety and depression;
2.Supporting individuals and groups to eat more healthily through schemes such as the Food Education Awareness; Staff Training (FEAST).
3.The grant is part of a £7 million five-year wellbeing programme supporting 27 Healthy Living Initiatives across the North West.
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