Norwood is launching an exciting new initiative to help people with learning disabilities learn about the importance of a healthy lifestyle, thanks to a £8,700 Healthy Heart grant from Heart Research UK. Under the Kickstart project, Norwood will be able to run regular ‘Healthy Heart‘ workshops to help the adults who use its services to make informed choices about their lifestyle and improve their heart health through diet and exercise.
Michelle Smith, Day Opportunities Manager for Norwood, said: “Many of our service users are clinically overweight or obese and are therefore at risk of health problems. The funding from Heart Research UK will help tackle the difficulty in motivating and educating people with learning disabilities to make healthy heart choices.”
Bea Dinsdale, Lifestyle Manager at Heart Research UK, added: “Our charity supports innovative projects designed to promote heart health across the UK. This is an exciting project that will make the Healthy Heart message accessible to adults with learning disabilities.”
The workshops, which begin in November, will be available to people who use Norwood’s residential services in London and the South East and will focus on diet and lifestyle, fats, portions, calories and exercise. Workshops will also be available for staff working in Norwood accommodation to ensure they have the correct information and guidance in order to help residents maintain their lifestyle changes.
The funding will also be used to introduce cardiovascular fitness sessions which are appropriate to the needs of each individual and will include: keep fit exercises, chair-based fitness for those with mobility difficulties, cycling, swimming, and fitness walking. These will provide the opportunity for people to benefit from a minimum of three 30-minute sessions of physical activity per week.
The initiative is expected to benefit around 140 people and will enable them to lead healthier independent lives.
www.heartresearch.org.uk
