Michael finds a new lease of life at the gym

Michael from Park House in Great Yarmouth is finding a new lease of life by joining the gym at the Marina Centre in the town.

Michael moved into Black Swan’s Park House care home in March 2020 during the early months of the COVID pandemic to combat the risk of loneliness on the elderly during lockdown. He is an active and caring man who takes great pride in helping those around him. He is often found keeping himself busy at the home, maintaining the home’s garden area, often visiting garden centres to buy new plants and helping Clive, the home’s Maintenance Operative to keep the home presentable. He also helps to set the dining room tables for his fellow residents for their mealtimes. He is a very popular resident at the home, making friendships wherever he goes.

 

After a deterioration in his physical health and the loss of his wife, Michael expressed to Juliana, the home’s Activities Coordinator, how he wanted to do something to get himself fit again. Juliana described how the newly opened Marina Centre on the sea front, a short distance from the care home, had helped her with different classes and invited him to join her at her weekly gym sessions.

 

The team at the Marina Centre welcomed him with open arms and he now takes part in exercise classes, gentle weight exercises and mobility sessions, supported by Rachel Lacey from the Marina Centre gym.

 

Michael explained his new lease of life: “Since joining the gym, I feel like I’ve become physically fitter, but also have gained many new friendships from other adults in the local community. They don’t believe me when I say I live at a care home, so I like to recommend Park House as a place to stay to everyone I meet!”

 

As well as his weekly sessions at the Marina Centre, Michael likes to practice his exercises at the care home. The team at Park House have supported Michael in purchasing a foot pedal system and some weights, and even created a chart to track his progress.

 

The combination of person-centred care and setting realistic and achievable goals with continued support from the extended team at Park House has had amazing benefits to Michael both physically, mentally and socially. This has really helped him to regain his fitness, become more content and to gain friendships and continue to be a part of the wider community; the very things that brought Michael to the care home in the first place.