A Macclesfield care home has gone digital to ensure its elderly residents and clients in the community are keeping active during the lockdown.

Belong Macclesfield care village have launched a YouTube channel in which their lead fitness instructor, Anthony Harley, creates exercise routines geared towards that demographic.

New videos are still being created, but the channel already includes exercises for those with limited mobility and have to do it from their beds or chair.

Mr Harley told Nub News: "We've got exercise instructors in all of our villages delivering the exercise programmes, but as things are changing on a daily basis. We've seen others get into online fitness, so we thought we'd take that leap as well.

"There are going to be a lot more people feeling more isolated than they normally are and they won't be able to get out and about as much. So we thought we'd start the channel and dedicate it for activities for older people, making the instructions easy to follow and practical."

For those who don't have internet access, Mr Harley said they have created a print version of the workouts with pictures and written instructions.

While the fitness instructors are still able to operate within the care village, they hope that their clients in who they support at home and the wider community in Macclesfield can make use of the videos during their self-isolation

"The importance of exercise is well documented, so we want to have positive mental health and wellbeing, increase muscle mass, all of the usual stuff. What that translates to for older people is it helps them live longer, prevent falls, give them more independence and maintain dignity and self-esteem," Mr Harley said.

advertisement

He stressed the importance of this particularly during the lockdown when older people in particular are out of their normal routines and possibly not getting the same stimulation.

One piece of advice Mr Harley has for people who are trying to keep active or trying to keep a relative active is to "plan a day".

"If you're planning on doing exercise, make it a planned activity as part of you daily schedule, just to give you something to get up for in the morning and look forward to," he said.

"Keep things sensible," was another piece of advice. Mr Harley said to keep within your practical abilities.

His final piece of advice for people during the lockdown is to "do things you enjoy".

"You're more likely to do it if you enjoy it. Put some nice music on that will get you motivated and up and about. If you're not so mobile, there are plenty of seated exercises too," Mr Harley said.

You can find the 'Belong Active' YouTube channel here