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Strong and Steady Info

Strong and Steady programme

If you are aged 65+, live in Derbyshire and have some difficulty moving and walking, our new Strong and Steady programme is for you!

A free 24 week programme of postural stability exercise with falls awareness activities, social contact and peer support, supported free transport for 12 weeks and ongoing transport support for remaining 12 weeks and referral to income maximisation support and wellbeing support as required. The programme is 2.5 hours per week including 1 hour exercise class delivered by a PSI Instructor supported by a Class Assistant. Clients completing the programme progress to an appropriate Community LSFL class. Clients must be aged 65+ and resident in Derbyshire.

The benefits to patients/clients:

  • Strong and Steady works. It is an evidence-based highly effective postural stability programme which improves mobility, confidence, capacity, and resilience to falls including getting up off the floor following a fall.
  • Behaviour change works. Our Strong and Steady programme will combine exercise with behaviour change activities to address factors such as medication (medication reviews, regular medicating), falls prevention measures (falls free home, nutrition and hydration, foot health and footwear, winter weather), confidence and motivation. The 24-week cycle offers time for behaviour change to become permanent.
  • Support works. Our wraparound support will address the barriers to participation and ongoing exercise including transport, income, signposting, brain-health and loneliness awareness and action and activity sessions will re-engage older people in social activity.

The benefits to referrers:

  • Live Stronger for Longer provides a safe, appropriate and simple route to improving  strength and balance and confidence and therefore improving capacity to self-care, exercise and socialise.
  • The Strong and Steady programme offers a much needed ‘missing piece of the jigsaw’ between clinical services and community classes enabling older people to start improving their strength and balance instead of or while waiting for other interventions. Unless physical exercise would be damaging (and every PSI session is individual and paced at the individual’s level), a Strong and Steady  referral is a positive intervention.
  • Completing a Strong and Steady programme can help develop positive approaches to therapy, medication and motivation to address barriers to independence.

Strong and Steady will increase independent living skills, confidence, social contact and physical activity levels

We have Strong and Steady classes around Derbyshire including Ashbourne, Bakewell, Bolsover, Buxton, Chesterfield, Glossop, Ilkeston, Ripley and Swadlincote.

For more information go to https://www.ageuk.org.uk/derbyandderbyshire/lsfl/