Healthy Habits Programme

About the person:

Susan is aged 68 and lives with her partner in North Shields. Susan is fairly new to the area but does have a son who lives locally.

What was the situation?

When Susan self-referred to Healthy Habits she was interested in meeting new people but was also interested in the healthy eating and exercise side of the programme. She has always enjoyed walking and swimming and was keen to get back in to those activities.

What did Age UK North Tyneside do to make a difference?

As well as joining Healthy Habits, Susan was directed to the strength and balance classes provided by Age UK North Tyneside and she also received a ‘Get Up and Go’ exercise booklet to do at home as well as the ‘How Fit’ DVD which Susan has enjoyed and has continued to use throughout lockdown. She has said that she felt fitter from the exercise but unfortunately contracted COVID-19, which set her back. She has recovered from COVID-19 and Tom has advised her to steadily ease back and not push exercise to hard just to be on the safe side until she is definitely 100% better and cleared by the doctor. In her one to one sessions with our Healthy Habits Coordinator, she has been provided with diet related advice to help with weight management as well as advice and guidance in general. Susan engages in fortnightly one to one sessions to address her personal health goals as well as weekly cohort sessions which has provided support and social contact through lockdown as well as educational sessions such as cookery demonstrations.

What outcomes were achieved?

Susan has been motivated and engaged throughout her time on the programme, taking part in strength and balance classes, Q fit and carrying out exercise at home which have increased her fitness. She also took up swimming again before going back in to lockdown in November. Susan has regularly attended the cooking sessions and fed back that she has tried and successfully cooked several of the recipes and that they have added to her repertoire. The programme also involves intergenerational sessions with the YMCA. Although this part of the programme has only just opened up, Susan has agreed to take part and is designing questions for our upcoming quiz, even finding out information from her son about gaming to make the questions teenage friendly. Feedback from the customer

“One-to-one and group support with Healthy Habits has helped me make positive changes to my diet, health and exercise as I get older and I’m looking forward to social interaction in group settings when circumstances allow.”

About the person:
Leon is 78 and lives with his wife in North Shields. Leon retired 10 years ago but continued as lead singer in a band with his brother. He is also a radio presenter on an Irish radio station and has a country music show.

What was the situation?
Due to COVID-19 the band had to stop playing and Leon also found the lockdown impacted on enjoying other activities. He also found his mental health began to deteriorate.

What did Age UK North Tyneside do to make a difference?
Tom, our Healthy Habits coordinator offers Leon weekly one to one sessions, on top of the group sessions, to provide social contact as well as various advice. Just the act of listening and chatting helps Leon feel valued and he appreciates the guidance, advice and support that Tom gives him. Tom has had chats with both Leon and his wife together and individually to assess and guide the direction of advice needed.

What outcomes were achieved?
With advice from the Healthy Habits coordinator, Leon has managed to reduce the sugar in his diet. Despite not being a cook, Leon has agreed to attend our Healthy Habits cooking sessions with his wife and since then has cooked for them both. Since starting the programme Leon has gone from being very negative and defeatist to being much more positive in his language, approach and his engagement in general and in the sessions has increased. He has also agreed to take part in intergenerational sessions and writing questions for our up and coming quiz.

Feedback from the customer
“Being involved in Healthy Habits, with Tom’s positive attitude, gives me something to look forward to every week”

Pia is aged 57 and when she joined the Health Habits programme was living at home with her daughter who had moved in to be with her during the pandemic. Pia had herself moved to North Tyneside just before lockdown but has another daughter and her granddaughter nearby.

She teaches English to a variety of students virtually, some of whom she began teaching when living in France. She works very long hours and also looks after her granddaughter twice each week so has a busy schedule.

Pia was struggling with her weight and as a result had problems with her back and ankle and felt that losing weight would potentially help her situation. Sadly her dog had recently passed away and as she worked from home this along with Covid restrictions, meant she had little reason to leave the house.
Pia said she had lost motivation and had gained weight because of her circumstances. Pia also lives with depression. She hadn’t had time to establish herself in North Tyneside before the lock down and so felt lonely.

She wasn’t sure where to start and wanted some help and guidance. Pia wanted to join something to hold her accountable and was very was happy to commit to the long term programme.

Having signed up for the programme Pia was enrolled as part of the February cohort and offered information on the ‘Winter Warmers’ Zoom programme. There were potentially many others active and social activities she could join online.

Once inducted, our trainer Tom Shaw gave Pia advice and guidance regarding her diet as well as recipes to try to motivate her and change her relationship with food.

As Pia’s daughter was eating poorly and wanted to lose weight Tom also gave her advice to make things easier and to support Pia on the programme. The group also provided a social group for Pia that she’d felt she was lacking as she was new to the area.

Pia continues to be an active member of the cohort. She has been provided with ongoing diet and exercise advice as well as recipes and supported with newsletters and materials. Her daughter has moved out and as the summer is upon her Pia is able to exercise more, maintain her positive relationship with food and as a result of healthier lifestyle choices is both happier and less stressed.

Pia said “The Healthy Habits project has opened my eyes to lots of health issues that I need to consider now, rather than when it is too late - prevention is much better than cure!”