Of the 574 people that Healthy Options is currently supporting, about 50% are in the shielding category due to being over 70, overweight, diabetic, or falling into another high-risk category. Lorn and Oban Healthy Options (LOHO) have redeployed resources as best as they currently can to support clients via online resources. This includes daily messages to the WhatsApp group (which has over 200 members) and uploads of bespoke exercise and education sessions to our YouTube channel and Facebook page.
More information can be found on their website here: https://lornhealthyoptions.co.uk/online-resources/
Additionally, staff are supporting clients on a one to one basis through individual phone calls and Facetime sessions. Home programmes are designed collaboratively through this process, and progress is monitored. Capacity to manage this workload has been significantly impacted due to the difficult decision made to furlough 2 of the staff. This was an essential decision made in an attempt to ensure the ongoing ability of the organisation to deliver its services to meet the demand of referrals anticipated as a result of the COVID 19 crisis.
Moving to a ‘new normal’
The effect of lock down on people’s mental and physical health and well-being is obvious, indeed the feedback that LOHO have already receiving from clients highlights the significant role they have to play in educating, supporting and motivating people to utilise skills and tools to self-manage exacerbations in their health.
It is also apparent that many of their clients will have to remain in self isolation for longer than the general population due to their health conditions. LOHO are therefore preparing to restructure the model of their delivery through:
- Remote caseload management, intervention planning and review in the form of phone/Zoom one to one sessions, live interactive Zoom education classes, move well and Pilates sessions and tailored self-management peer support groups.
- Re-triage the current waiting list (72 waiting) – liaison with GPs regarding risk of the exercise professionals not being able to complete the full PAR-Q screening assessment (e.g. take BP etc) prior to commencing the LOHO programme has taken place. Advice is to progress with remote screening and closer one to one monitoring of individuals on caseloads.
Additionally, LOHO are exploring safe sustainable ways to reach clients who are unable to use these remote methods to access services.