{"id":535,"date":"2025-11-11T15:13:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T15:13:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/services.nhslothian.scot\/carehomes\/services\/services-physical-activity\/"},"modified":"2025-11-11T15:23:21","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T15:23:21","slug":"services-physical-activity","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/services.nhslothian.scot\/carehomes\/services-physical-activity\/","title":{"rendered":"Physical Activity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Physical activity is important for everyone, including people who live care homes.  We are all recommended to get 150 minutes of activity per week<\/a>, and for older adults this should include twice weekly strength and balance exercises.  For people who live in care homes, there can be benefits, but also challenges to achieving this target. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The benefits<\/a> are the same as all older adults, including reducing falls, improving mood and well-being, and reducing the likelihood of many long term conditions.  However it can also help with maintaining independence around and out with the home, and reducing care needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The challenges may include things like mobility or the need for assistance or supervision, equipment or technology.  Things like dementia or difficulties with hearing, vision, balance, pain or movement do not need to stop people being active.  These are all things that care homes and the services that support them can help with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As well as everyday activities, like washing, dressing, and getting around, it helps if physical activity is something the person enjoys.  If a person enjoys walking, dancing, gardening, exercise classes or bowling for example, there are often ways the care home can help the person to take part. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

NHS approved exercise programmes<\/a> suitable for different ability levels can be accessed online and where needed care home staff can provide supervision to do them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Care Inspectorate promotes meaningful activity for residents. A guide on resources can be found here, on the Care About Physical Activity (CAPA)<\/a> page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indoor activities can be great, but if the weather and temperature is okay, there can be many health and social benefits to going outdoors and enjoying nature.  Care homes can help with people going outdoors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walking Scotland<\/a> is a walking and wheeling charity which runs local Health Walks<\/a>, which can provide residents with a range of benefits, from improved physical health and mood to better connections with other people and the local area. Find out how to join a Health Walk in Edinburgh on Walking Scotland’s page<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Walking Scotland also has several Care About Walking resources<\/a> which can be used to improve the health and wellbeing of care home residents, patients and clients:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Walking Scotland also has a number of freely available digital resources for care homes:<\/h2>
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