Residents at Millway House care home in Andover have been exploring new ways to get fit with regular exercises classes.
Staying active and keeping strong is important for both mind and body, particularly as we get older. That’s why Care Home Manager Claire Lousteau decided to call in the experts at Gfitness to offer the home’s residents exercise classes designed just for them.
“Gfitness specialises in health and fitness classes for adults in residential care homes and supported living settings,” said Claire. “We wanted a fitness instructor who would understand that our residents have a range of needs and could tailor the workouts to people who might have more complex physical, visual or cognitive requirements.
“Our wonderful instructor, Faye, visited us for the first time in September. Everyone loved her warm personality and the way she made each resident feel included. Now her classes are a regular feature of life at Millway House that everyone looks forward to.”
Simon Grodentz established Gfitness in 2008. He began his career in fitness as a personal trainer and, through his experience in working with vulnerable adults, decided to turn his focus towards helping people stay well and happy within the care setting.
“Gfitness is the largest provider of exercise classes in this sector, currently working with 3,500 care homes across the UK,” he said. “We believe exercise is for everyone, but it has to be proportionate to people’s requirements and abilities. Our instructors are trained to work with people with a complex mix of needs and our screening process ensures we are aware of any health conditions that participants may have. We want to make sure everyone enjoys their Gfitness workout – we’re looking for smiles.”
Faye has been introducing a range of fun activities to Millway House residents, including warm-up exercises for mobility, movement to music and the use of resistance bands and exercise balls to improve muscular strength. Classes also include adapted Tai Chi and Yoga to help everyone relax at the end of their workout.
“We aim to ensure that the format of our classes matches people’s daily living needs, whether that’s better strength in the hands and fingers, which helps with using cutlery, or improving people’s strength and confidence when on their feet,” said Simon.
Faye will be returning regularly to encourage residents to enjoy some gentle movement that helps support their independence and improve their quality of life.
Courtesy of Love Andover.
