In partnership with
Your Health Norfolk
Did you know making simple lifestyle changes can improve your physical health, manage your weight, prevent accidents, boost confidence and increase your independence at home?
With this in mind, we sat down with Ryan Chillingworth and Callum Harding from Your Health Norfolk to discover how their services can help with fall prevention, weight loss and home exercise.
They also reveal more about their new strength and balance exercise DVD, which makes it simple and convenient for you to stay in good health.
Q: Why are falls a severe health concern for older people?
A: Not all falls may cause serious injury, however, in worst cases they can lead to hospitalisation and have long-term health consequences. Falls can affect a person’s quality of life, confidence and sense of independence.
Q: What are the most common causes of falls?
A: Ageing is certainly a part of it. As we get older, our bodies no longer possess the strength, flexibility and resilience that they once used to. Other conditions such as vision and hearing loss, low blood pressure, dementia, Parkinson's and arthritis can impact movement, increasing the risk of a fall.
Q: What tips can you recommend to prevent a fall?
A: Booking regular eye tests and medication reviews can help ensure you remain in good shape. I would also recommend investing in good footwear and walking aids. We offer fall prevention talks throughout Norfolk to raise awareness of the issue and what preventative measures you can take.
One of the most effective things you can do is take part in regular strength and balance exercises. They can lower the need for hospital appointments and prevent a move to residential care.
Q: How are regular strength and balance exercises key to preventing falls?
A: It’s been shown that doing 30 minutes of exercise per day can lower the chance of a fall by up to 40 per cent.
Taking part in regular moderate physical activity can strengthen your ligaments and tendons, reduce stiffness, alleviate symptoms of arthritis, and ease lower back pain.
Exercising can also improve your balance and flexibility - ideal for those suffering from Parkinson's. Being active during the day helps your muscles to relax, allowing you to get a good night’s sleep and lessening the probability of dementia. It's also a great way to reduce anxiety, ease stress and boost your mood.
Q: Which exercises are best to help avert falls?
A: We teach group exercise classes throughout Norfolk for over 50s, that incorporate teachings from the Falls Management Exercise (FaME) programme. These are well-researched, evidence-based exercises proven to help protect individuals against falls.
We teach a combination of seated and standing exercises designed to improve your gait, endurance, flexibility, strength, and balance. The classes are great for beginners as we will demonstrate how to safely perform each exercise, tailor your workout to suit your fitness level and target specific problem areas. The first class is free, so you can try it for yourself and see if you like it.
Q: What if I cannot attend a community exercise class?
A: We recognise attending a group class may not be an option for everyone, which is why we also offer a one-to-one home exercise service. One of our advanced exercise professionals will devise a bespoke exercise plan catering to any medical conditions you may have. You can arrange appointments, once or twice a week, at a time that suits you.
You’ll learn exercises you can perform independently and we’ll recommend areas to focus on for improvement and set goals to lower the risk of a potential fall.
We’re also releasing a strength and balance exercise DVD that replicates what we teach in our group classes, that can be used from the comfort of your living room.
Q: How can Your Health Norfolk's new DVD help people reduce the risk of falls at home?
A: The DVD teaches a combination of warm-up, mobility, endurance, balance, strength and cool down exercises, as well as stretches and adapted Tai Chi.
You can use it to develop an effective, bespoke exercise plan that you can practice safely at home to increase your physical activity and reduce the risk of falls. By targeting three different levels of mobility, from chair-based exercise to intermediate and advanced, it's easy to find a routine that's best for you.
It’s the ideal gift for any elderly loved ones that are experiencing some difficulty with getting around and is available to purchase on our website.
Q: How can Your Health Norfolk's new weight management service also help?
A: Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is also important for fall prevention. Your Health Norfolk also offers a new adult weight management service run across the region. Our 12-week course will provide you with the tools to improve your lifestyle and achieve your weight loss goals.
These sessions are run face to face, helping individuals to lose weight through physical activity and providing support to adopt new lifestyle behaviours. There will also be an option to join our nutritional groups across Norfolk, which will cover a range of different topics to encourage and support healthy eating.
These include understanding a healthy balanced diet, behaviour change techniques, portion sizes and much more. We know how challenging losing weight can be, which is why Your Health Norfolk will be there to guide you onto a new path to achieve your goals.
Q: Am I eligible for the free adult weight management service?
A: You can check our eligibility criteria through our website. If you do not meet our eligibility criteria for the free 12-week course, then you are still able to secure a place on our exercise programme starting from £6 per person each time you attend a session.
We can offer support and advice to help you find peace of mind and the confidence you need to make the most of every moment.
Visit yourhealthnorfolk.co.uk to find out more and purchase the strength and balance exercise DVD.
Call 01603 339026 or email info@yourhealthnorfolk.co.uk.
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