Lincolnshire support team goes extra mile to keep spirits high
Determined to keep spirits high during the Covid-19 crisis, staff from Lincolnshire Housing Partnership have been a lifeline to hundreds of residents struggling under the strain of lockdown.
And their help has gone beyond the 500 daily telephone welfare calls they make.
Amongst their ideas to keep people entertained, they came up with ‘Sit Fit’, a series of chair-based dance and exercise routines to follow on You Tube, delivered by a former Skegness dance coach Cameron Hall, who now lives in Spain.
They even had a VE Day Sit Fit special, with wartime music to dance along to.
Very quickly after lockdown, the Warden and Telecare Teams at the housing association recognised the impact it was having, especially on residents with dementia, and their carers – many of whom relied on their weekly get-togethers at a Memory Lane club in Boston.
The much-loved club provided a safe place for people with low-level dementia to meet, be entertained and get involved in activities, arts and crafts. Plus, it gave their carers a vital break once a week.
Coronavirus closed the club and residents have found the isolation hard.
“We have had some people in tears over the phone,” said Business Development Manager Bev Chapman. “It has been so hard. It’s heartbreaking.
“One woman said she liked going to Memory Lane because she had friends there. She said she doesn’t have friends at home. Lockdown has been too much to bear for many people.”
So, along with a daily call, LHP has been posting out regular activity packs with quizzes, games and different activities to keep the residents occupied and entertained.
But Bev and the team didn’t stop there.
After getting in touch with friend and dance coach Cameron, together they developed the idea of ‘Sit Fit’.
“It’s just a bit of fun and great stimulus. Dance and music lifts the spirit and helps people reminisce. No matter how old you are, you can wiggle your feet and move along to the music. We’ve been encouraging everyone to give it a go,” added Bev.
The care and support of the team is extended to all the tenants who need extra support, plus over a thousand customers of Lifeline, a pendant alarm system administered by Lincolnshire Telecare Service.
When lockdown was first announced, everyone was called and offered a detailed information pack explaining how to get help with shopping and other essential services.
“You never know what difference one call can make to someone,” said Bev. “A 92-year-old woman said she was fine but we learned she had run out batteries for her hearing aid. We made sure she got some. I can’t imagine how awful it might’ve been for her had we not called when we did. One simple call, but what a massive impact it had.”
Anyone interested in the dementia support service or Lincolnshire Telecare Service should visit lincolnshirehp.co.uk or call 01205 318588.
Note to editors:
Lincolnshire Housing Partnerships provides 12,700 homes to rent across Boston, Horncastle, Grimsby, Cleethorpes, Immingham and surrounding villages.
In addition to homes, the support team provide vital help for residents who need it. They also run the Lincolnshire Telecare Service, which provides personal alarms, home monitoring systems and welfare checks.
You can see Cameron Hall’s Sit Fit videos on his YouTube channel ‘Baila con Cameron’. See his VE Day special here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjvPKHCEyx8
For any media enquiries or to arrange interviews, please contact Jonathan Byrne, PR and Communications Manager at LHP, on 07870 384711 or at jonathan.byrne@lincolnshirehp.com