Impact of grant funding Keeping seniors moving
A recent grant from the NORTH Foundation provided funding for an Outdoor Seniors Gym, an innovative project that expands current rehabilitation programs and promotes community wellbeing at Mona Vale Hospital (MVH).
Older people are at a higher risk for hospitalised falls due to lower bone density, reduced muscle tone and conditions affecting balance and eyesight. These factors can also impact the ability to recover from a fall and quality of life after a fall. The Australian population is ageing rapidly, and more Australian’s are at risk of frailty which is associated with poor health outcomes, additional cost to the health service, and mortality. One way to prevent falls and reverse frailty is to stay physically active with a targeted exercise program which includes a progressive strengthening program, as well as challenging balance activities. The outdoor gym is used by inpatient rehabilitation and community patients under the supervision of physiotherapists and is a fresh air alternative to the existing rehabilitation gym within the hospital complex. The aim of the outdoor gym is to assist with improving mental alertness, strength, mobility, coordination and balance. Exercises as part of the Fresh Air Fitness Classes are designed to help with everyday activities such as walking on uneven surfaces, up and down stairs and getting up from a chair. The classes are a novel way to provide a fun but physically stimulating environment. Exercising outdoors has many positive effects on the life of the elderly both physically and mentally. Social interaction, fresh air and observing the change of the seasons helps relieve anxiety and brings a rhythm to the day. Lorna suffers from severe arthritis in her knee which would buckle randomly and collapse beneath her. Within the past year, 86-year-old Lorna has gradually lost her confidence after suffering a few falls and she was referred to Mona Vale Hospital Rehabilitation & Aged Care Service (RACS) to help improve her mobility and strength.
Physiotherapist Tina who works in the Rehabilitation and Aged Care unit at MVH says that Lorna has shown significant improvement in her balance outcomes. She has been doing exercises to improve the strength of her arthritic knee and she has not experienced any further buckling of the knee, thus reducing her falls risk. Since his stroke two years ago, 75-year-old Stan suffered from reduced balance and loss of confidence. While he was very active prior to his stroke, he has had a few falls and many near misses, so his GP referred him to the Falls Prevention Program at RACS.
The exercises are challenging. It offers a greater variety of exercises than those in the indoor gym. Stan, Outdoor Seniors Gym Participant
Stan is gaining the knowledge and confidence to continue exercising at home every day for an hour. He is seeing improvements in getting in and out of a chair with ease, in addition to confidence with his walking and balance when he is out and about within his community. The staff at RACS enjoy seeing the benefits the Outdoor Seniors Gym continues to bring to patients by helping to improve their balance and in turn, their quality of life.
18
Made with FlippingBook Digital Proposal Creator