10,000 Home Wellbeing Packs helping to support older residents as pandemic restrictions ease

Buckinghamshire Council and Leap, the Active Partnership for Buckinghamshire, have teamed up to make 10,000 free Home Wellbeing Packs available for older residents to help them recover their physical and emotional resilience as lockdown restrictions ease.

The last year has been extremely difficult for everyone, perhaps even more so for adults in later life. A recent Age UK national survey found that over a quarter of older adults can’t walk as far as they did, with one in five also saying they felt less steady on their feet. That loss of core strength, balance and general physical fitness increases the risk of frailty and falling, however, the good news is these risks can be reduced by simply sitting a bit less and moving more.

Each pack consists of a DVD, Audio CD and a Public Health England activity at home booklet providing a range of low intensity seated and non-seated exercises that can be done weekly. Packs also include details about local services and other guidance on improving emotional and physical wellbeing.

If you meet at least one of the following criteria: are over 70, living alone, shielding or on the Clinically Extremely Vulnerable list then you should receive a Home Wellbeing Pack. Since February, 70 Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) organisations and hundreds of volunteers have been helping with the distribution.

Jane O’Grady, Director of Public Health for Buckinghamshire Council says:

“As we’ve lived with the unprecedented effects of the pandemic for over a year now, it’s really important to recognise that some residents will have been more impacted than others, especially those who are older or have been shielding.

“The simple exercises included within the pack will help and encourage older residents to sit less, move more and take small steps to recovering some of the lost strength and balance to allow them to return to their normal activity levels, particularly with restrictions now easing.”

If you meet the criteria for a free pack but haven’t yet received one, packs can be collected from local libraries across the county. Opening times can be found online at www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/libraries

Alternatively, you can download a digital copy of the Home Wellbeing Pack by visiting www.activebucks.co.uk and clicking on the “Home Wellbeing Pack” link.