NHS Physiotherapy Learning Disability Services in Stirling and Larbert have benefited from the expertise of Forth Valley College’s Department of Care, Health and Sport.
Forth Valley College’s Leisure Facility Co-ordinator Wai Mun Lee popped into the Loch View in Larbert and Stirling Council’s Riverbank Centre and Streets Ahead social care team to deliver two improvised physical activity workshops recently.
The workshops compliment the great work that both services are already doing in providing a positive physical wellbeing service for the wider community throughout Forth Valley. The classes provided new and innovative ideas on how to fully maximise in-house gym equipment and deliver different styles of physical activity to encourage participation, co-ordination, motivation, fitness and most importantly fun.
Wai Mun Lee FVC’s Leisure Facility Co-ordinator, said:
“It was a joy delivering these two workshops to such dedicated NHS staff and Stirling Council social carer staff. Their commitment and passion to get patients physically fit and healthy is a credit to them and the role they play in within the community. It’s great to see that the support and service that they provide for people with all kinds of learning disability throughout Forth Valley community will enhance the patients quality of life
“This working relationship has opened doors to assist the FVC Sports Department in providing future hands on experience for our “Health, Fitness and Exercise” (HFE) students working with specialised clientele. Most HFE students are familiar with working with main stream clientele but this will give them an opportunity to think out of the box and adapt exercises to meet the needs of the users.”
Lorna Dougans, Team Leader Physiotherapy Learning Disabilities Service, said:
"It has been a pleasure working with our partners in Forth Valley College and Riverbank and Streets Ahead. The workshop provided an invaluable opportunity to explore new ideas and innovations in addition to consolidating current staff skills and knowledge. Wai had obviously put a tremendous amount of time, effort and preparation into the training and fully met the expected outcomes identified by participants. As a result of the workshops we intend to put the training to good use by developing opportunities for our patients to improve their physical function as well as increase their confidence accessing activities which promote health and quality of life."
George Macmillian, Assistant Manager Riverbank Centre and Streets Ahead Service, said:
“Our social care staff teams here at the Riverbank Centre and Streets Ahead benefitted tremendously from Wai’s physical activity training workshop. It was clear that he had put a lot of thought into the kind of training and activities that would be beneficial for our service users, who are adults with a range of learning and physical disabilities. The training has given our staff much more confidence in being able to support our service users to increase their physical activity and therefore improve their overall health and well-being.”