Exercise Right this Week: Individualised Exercise Plans

EXERCISE RIGHT WEEK 2021 | 24-30 MAY

Exercise Right Week is an annual awareness campaign held in the last full week of May every year. Since it’s inception in 2014, the campaign has aimed to highlight the benefits of exercise for health and well-being, and to help Australians to understand where to get the “right” advice for their individual needs.

The campaign is brought to you by Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA). ESSA is the peak body for exercise and sports science professionals in Australia, and is dedicated to helping Australians live healthier and more active lives.

Altaira believe exercise for the health and well being throughout the aged care sector, is imperative. Engaging a physiotherapist is often the best solution to encourage this at a level which is safe and tailored to individual residents. To help meet the needs of our community, Altaira now offer physiotherapists throughout the aged care and community sector.

Individualised Exercise Plans

People come in all different shapes and sizes. There is not one gold standard of exercise therapy, and what works well for one person may not work for another

An individualised exercise plan catered specifically for the individual will consider:

• Goals of exercise (e.g. increase strength, restore mobility, lose weight, etc.)
• Current level of fitness
• Motivation for different forms of exercise (weights, walking, cycling, etc.) as this will influence an individual’s level of compliance

Here at Altaira, our physiotherapy team treat a lot of older Australians. As such, goals are often centered around maintaining independence and preserving dignity.

Regular compliance with an effective exercise plan can help older Australians to maintain or even improve their strength, mobility, and balance. This in turn reduces their associated falls risk and helps them to be able to live in their own home for longer, safely and independently.

As well as the obvious physical benefits, exercise also provides psychological and social benefits in terms of better mental health outcomes and community engagement.