Game, set, match! Whitstable care home residents take unusual approach to getting fit

A care home in Whitstable has been taking part in an unusual type of exercise to keep active.

Residents and team members at Harrier Lodge, on Thanet Way, have been serving up their very own indoor tennis tournament as part of Care UK’s ‘Let’s Get Physical’ initiative – which aims to encourage residents to get up and active by trying something new. 

 

Residents now enjoy weekly tennis sessions delivered by Inclusive Sport, which is funded by Kent Sports. Inclusive Sports aim to promote and encourage a love for sport for children and adults with additional learning or physical needs. To ensure the sessions are accessible for all, the tennis classes take place in the comfort of the home’s lounge with soft balls and a tennis net designed to help catch the balls. 

The ‘Let’s Get Physical’ initiative sees Care UK homes across the country encourage residents to move more by trying something new and exciting – whether that be a seated ballet class, disco yoga or even ice skating. 

Diane Collins, Home Manager at Harrier Lodge, said: “Residents are having a fantastic time at our weekly tennis classes, kindly delivered by Inclusive Sport. 

“Here at Harrier Lodge, we are constantly looking for new and exciting ways to encourage residents to lead active and fulfilling lives, which is why an adapted tennis tournament seemed like the perfect activity.

“Tennis involves a certain amount of tactical thinking and coordination of the body, and in older people tennis can help to improve brain function to aid memory and learning, while tennis-based activities have even been shown to be beneficial to those with dementia*. 

“Judging by the smiles on everyone’s faces, our new tennis club is certainty proving to be a hit –who knows, we may have the next Roger Federer in our midst!"

Harrier Lodge is a purpose-built care home which has been designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilled lives, while also promoting independence. The home provides full-time residential, nursing and specialist dementia care for up to 65 older people in Whitstable, and incorporates space for hobby and leisure activities, including its own cinema, hairdressing salon and café. 

For more information about Harrier Lodge, please call Home Manager, Diane Collins, on 01227 808749, or email Diane.Collins@careuk.com.

For more general information on Harrier Lodge, please visit careuk.com/harrier-lodge. To find out more about Care UK’s Let’s Get Physical initiative, and for more top tips on how you and your loved ones can get involved at home, visit careuk.com/lets-get-physical.