Keeping vulnerable adults active through fun games and activity packs
Yawn Life is based in Luton and work with adults with learning disabilities, many of whom have additional health needs and fall into the extremely vulnerable category. Maintaining social distance requirements amongst members of this group is exceptionally hard, due to the lack of capacity to understand, process and retain information.
Clients have not been able to access the community safely for many months and lockdown has taken away most forms of exercise that have been available to their group, causing lack of motivation and exercise leading to lethargy and weight gain.
As a result Yawn Life was given funding of just over £2000 to issue activity bags for all the adults with learning disabilities that they meet, to take home. These bags had a variety of small sports equipment in, skipping ropes, football, pedometer and activity cards to explain what can be done.
Bags were kept on site to demonstrate the activities to the individuals as they attend their service and create a positive desire to take part. Activities were then completed on the days when they were not with them.
As of June 2021, over 40 activity bags are being well used by Yawn Life's clients and their families. The balls have been particularly popular amongst the participants with one client stating:
"I loved my ball, it smelt lovely"
There are plans to use the activity bags more by making regular visits to the park once lockdown restrictions have been eased, but feedback regarding the activity bags has been extremely positive:
"It's great, gave me something to do."
"I can't skip but I am going to try."
"I like playing with the bean bags with my nephew and niece, they like them too."
"I beat my mum in how many steps I could do."
Clients particularly enjoyed the competitive element the activity bags brought to their lives during what was for many, a period of shielding. The combination of daily Zoom sessions, phone calls from staff and doorstep activities really contributed positively to the wellbeing of the clients during an extraordinarily difficult time for them and their families.
AREAS INVOLVED
- LUTON
PRIORITY GROUPS:
- Disabled People
- Diverse Ethnic Communities
FUNDING AWARDED:
£2038.58
The results - in images
