A new national Active at Home booklet will help older adults undertake physical activity at home to help them prevent physical deconditioning that increases their risk of falls, loss of physical capacity and increased need for care during Covid-19.
Public Health England, Sheffield Hallam University (SHU), the National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine (NCSEM) and Sport England developed the booklet to provide practical guidance to older adults on home-based activities to maintain their strength and balance. It follows concerns that low levels of physical activity in older adults will lead to reduced fitness resulting in loss of independence and need for care in the future, and the recent statement from the Chief Medical Officer, Prof Chris Whitty that "There is no situation, no age and no condition where exercise is not a good thing".
The UK Chief Medical Officers' Physical Activity Guidelines recommend adults should aim to be active every day and undertake activities to improve strength on at least two days each week. This particularly applies to older adults, as there is a natural decline in strength from the age of 40-50 and for those over 65 years muscle and bone strengthening exercises are essential.
How do I get a copy?
You can either download a copy below or order a hardcopy from the following places;
- Age UK North, South and West Dorset - 01305 269444
- Age UK Bournemouth, Poole and East Dorset - 01202 530530
- Help and Care - 0303 303 0153
- LiveWell Dorset - 0800 840 1628
Active at Home Guide (PDF, 4.4 Mb)This booklet has been developed to support older people to be active and healthy at home.
