Five ways we’re supporting people to stay happy and healthy during lockdown

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has been challenging for many of our residents and colleagues. Below are just a few of the ways that Exemplar Health Care is supporting our people to stay happy and healthy during this lockdown.

1. Connect with people

It’s important to keep in touch with friends and family and there are lots of ways that you can do this. Facetime, Zoom and Skype on a phone or tablet are some of the really quick ways of connecting with loved ones.

We know that families, friends and carers are often a vital part of our resident’s lives. That’s why we purchased additional iPads for each of our homes at the beginning of the pandemic. 

Our Kingfisher View home in Castleford also introduced a new Family Liaison role to support people to stay in touch.

2. Eat well and keep hydrated

Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet can have a positive impact on your health and wellbeing. It's a good idea to try and plan your meals for the week ahead, rather than deciding what to eat each day.

During the pandemic, meal times have become a big part of life in our care homes. Many of our residents have taken up baking and cooking, which not only supports good nutrition, but also helps them to develop their independent living skills.

And during times of lockdown, we have offered all of our care home colleagues free meals on shift, so that they don’t need to worry about bringing meals to work.

Some of our homes have even found innovative ways to ensure that everyone stays hydrated – for example, our Havenmere home in Immingham make healthy mocktails to get their eight glasses of liquid a day.

3. Get outdoors

Getting outdoors helps to improve mood and reduce stress. If you're able to, make sure that you get some fresh air every day. A walk in the garden, even just for a few minutes, will make all the difference. If the sun is shining then why not grab a book or the paper, make yourself a drink and soak up some vitamin D.

During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, our care homes have made full use of outdoor spaces. St Andrew’s Court in Hull turned an unused corner of its garden into a beach for residents and colleagues, and our Parkside home in Tipton built an outdoor bar for small groups to socialise and enjoy the outdoor space.

4. Exercise

It’s well known that exercise releases endorphins which trigger a positive feeling in your body and can increase self-esteem. There are lots of online exercise classes available including chair exercises and yoga, all of which can easily be completed within the home. But simply by standing up and walking around the house every so often will help.

Our Ravensdale home in Leeds have joined Joe Wickes on his daily morning YouTube workouts, and some of our homes took part in the Exemplar Elite Games in summer, with challenges such as swing ball, egg and spoon race and bean bag toss – a great way to have fun whilst staying active.

5. Hobbies, both old and new

Lockdown is the perfect opportunity to take up a new hobby or rekindle a pastime that you’ve been promising yourself but never had the time, such as learning to play an instrument or learning a new language.

At Exemplar Health Care, we support people to pursue their interests and hobbies, and this has been ever important during the past year. Residents at our Longley Park View home in Sheffield have enjoyed doing puzzles and jigsaws to keep their minds active during lockdown.