Supporting the most isolated to access physical activity sessions through technology
North East Lincolnshire
Who did the Tackling Inequalities Fund (TIF) help?
Friendship at Home are a charity operating in North East Lincolnshire providing a range of services to older people to combat loneliness and isolation. Many of the older people they engage with have a range of life limiting conditions, and long-term health conditions which impact on their social isolation
Why was the project needed?
Friendship at Home have always valued the importance of the use of physical activity across their service and prior to COVID ran a wide range of sessions including tai chi, chair-based exercise and kurling across different parts of North East Lincolnshire. Unfortunately, all of the activity came to a stop with COVID, however Friendship at Home responded to the unprecedented situation by introducing a series of Virtual Groups for its members to enjoy. This was no easy task as many older people faced multiple barriers when it comes to accessing and using computers/IT equipment.
How did TIF help?
With the support of Active Humber, and the Tackling Inequalities Funding Friendship at Home were able to purchase some additional tablets for those service users who didn’t otherwise have access to them.
Xxxx is an 83 year old lady who lives alone since her husband passed away many years ago. She remains active and enjoys being sociable, going out and seeing friends and family. Xxxx has been attending one of our weekly social clubs for many years now where she enjoys the company and social aspect of meeting others and making friends.
Unfortunately due to the Covid-19 pandemic this all came to an abrupt end for Xxxx with the closure of the Social Clubs and Social Distancing restrictions on our daily lives. Like many others, during the first wave of the National Lockdown, Xxxx found herself isolated, scared and extremely lonely as she shielded within her home.
Since receiving her tablet, Xxxx has been able to reconnect with some of her friends that she used to see at the social clubs and has also been introduced to many new faces too. She engages with several virtual zoom groups each week, enjoying games of bingo, quizzes, other fun games and chat.
She also very much enjoys taking part in the Daily exercises on the App and tells everyone in the groups about what she has been doing that morning and about how helpful she finds them as they not only keep her mobile and fit but it helps to lift her mood also. She has now encouraged other members of the group to join in with her doing the exercise tutorials as she says they are great fun and it doesn’t feel like exercise.
Xxxx states that since using the tablet, she feels more confident about her ability to use technology and also much more independent in that she doesn’t have to rely on someone else to help her to access the internet. She also states that being able to join the zoom sessions gives her something to look forward to and in the event of a future national lockdown/restrictions she will not feel as lonely knowing that she will have face to face contact with others in the form of a virtual group.
