Preventative health classes reducing frailty
Bolton Clarke’s preventative health education sessions have been helping older people make positive lifestyle changes for a decade now.
Investment in preventative health has been noted as an essential national health focus in the Productivity Commission’s Delivering Quality Care More Efficiently interim report, and 10 years into its positive ageing program Bolton Clarke is celebrating its success.
One of the recommendations in the interim report is to establish a National Prevention Investment Framework to improve outcomes and slow growth in government care expenditure.
The Be Healthy and Active education sessions from Bolton Clarke are a suite of preventative health interventions – backed by the Bolton Clarke Research Institute – tackling frailty with the aim of boosting intergenerational collaborations and social connection.
The sessions have been delivered to more than 38,000 people across retirement villages and community venues, with the latest results showing up to 90 per cent of participants reported making positive lifestyle changes within three months of attending a Healthy Brain Healthy Body Session.
A further 74 per cent of attendees made changes to reduce falls risks after attending a session on falls prevention, 70 per cent made changes to reduce their dementia risk and 80 per cent reported improving their diet after attending a bowel health session.
Bolton Clarke also delivers the Be Healthy and Active sessions for community organisations like Probus Clubs, U3A, Men’s Sheds and other seniors’ groups, in bowls clubs, libraries and community centres, and in partnership with retirement villages. There are also video resources and translated resources.
Bolton Clarke community programs manager Kerry Rendell said the sessions made it easier for people to access information.
“Research shows living a healthy lifestyle improves chances of ageing well,” Ms Rendell said. “Bolton Clarke’s Be Healthy and Active program aims to give people practical information that will help them stay independent at home for longer.”
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