Looking after the residents during the lockdown
Keeping fit is one of the most powerful tools we have to improve our mood during the lockdown. Warkworth Oaks favourite exercise class is the “boogie” lesson. When Alert Level 4 was implemented mid-August, the staff came up with an original way to keep the lessons going. The residents can shake their bodies in the car park, with compulsory masks and respecting the 2m social distance.
Dancing not only improves our heart health and overall muscle strength, but it can also lift our mood and ease anxiety. Warkworth Oaks residents also enjoy the sense of connection they feel when exercising with their peers.
Social distanced exercise lessons is only one of the multiple ways Real Living is looking after the residents during these challenging times. At Remuera Gardens staff are making sure to mark the special occasions as they would do outside of lockdown. The residents got a special gift for Father’s Day this month, a yummy bag of chocolates for all the extraordinary Dads and Granddads at the village.
Visits are not allowed during Level 4 and the residents can’t see their families. That’s why fostering connection and belonging is so important at Real Living, specially with a prolonged lockdown. This month, Epsom Village organised a fun Happy Hour with the theme “Bubbles in your Bubble”. The residents dressed up for the occasion while the Village Manager Lillian Fletcher and the Office Administrator Anna McDonald delivered drinks and other goodies door-to-door.
At Epsom Village, the staff calls the residents three times per week to make sure they’re coping with the challenges of the lockdown. The other villages have similar protocols to regularly check on the residents’ wellbeing.
It’s not a coincidence that this year’s theme for Mental Health Awareness Week (27 September -3 October) is "A little chat can go a long way". Real Living knows that these little conversations are a very helpful tool at the villages: they allow the staff to provide vital assistance and they reassure the residents that help is only a phone call away.
