Countdown to Big Health Day for adults with learning disabilities

August 25, 2015 by Southend Borough Council

Countdown to Big Health Day for adults with learning disabilities

Wednesday 26th August 2015

Adults with learning disabilities are invited to a special free event on Thursday 17th September to help boost their health and wellbeing.

The Big Health Day 2015 from 10am until 3pm at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre, Garon Park, off Eastern Avenue, Southend, has been organised by Project 49 Day Centre and SEPT - South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust.

It will include exercise taster sessions, information on annual health checks, and even a hospital gown fashion show.

This day aims to bring together professionals, local services and the community, to give easily accessible information, health and wellbeing advice and opportunities for people with learning disabilities, their family and carers.

Executive Councillor for Health and Adult Social Care, Councillor James Moyies said: “This is a very important event which builds on the success of two previous Health and Wellbeing exhibitions we have held for adults with learning disabilities.

“It is well known people with learning disabilities have poorer health than the general population. On average men die 13 years earlier and women die 20 years earlier.

“There is evidence that with the help of education, exercise, and people taking steps to manage their own health, many admissions to acute hospitals can be avoided.

“Every adult with a learning disability is entitled to an annual health check from their GP surgery to help detect, treat and prevent new health conditions.

“Last year 68 per cent of people with Learning Disabilities in Southend had their annual health check - a great improvement from the previous year of just 27 per cent.”

Project 49, based in Alexandra Street, Southend, encourages and supports its 140 service users to live fit and healthy lives.

They achieve this with varied activities including promoting healthy eating, effective portion control and making informed choices in life skills sessions.

Service users also take part in active sports sessions, have individual weight loss goals, increase their overall fitness and improve their mobility, which all help to enhance positive emotional wellbeing.

Project 49 has organised activities such as: Capoeira, Yoga, Just Ride cycling and Golf as well as more traditional ones like: Swimming, Gym, Team sports and Walking groups.

There are 600 people with learning disabilities known to Social Services, and many not known to services in Southend.

The Big Health Day aims to give everyone in Southend with a learning disability the same opportunities as the service users of Project 49.

Participants at the Big Health Day are advised to bring a packed lunch.

Programme of activities for the day:

Active Session area:
10:45am Yoga (floor)
11:15am Fusion exercise session
11:45 Active Life – seated aerobics session
12:15pm Capoeira display of Brazilian Martial Arts
1:45pm Yoga (seated)

Performance stage:
11:15am Jump Up and Join in – live performance with the Project 49 Music Group plus a poem written and performed by Gill West
12 noon Project 49 Ladies Dance Show
1:15pm Hospital Gown Fashion Show

External sessions:
10:45am; 11:45am and 1:15am Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre tours
11:15 am Therapeutic walking with Simply Stride
1:30am Active Life – Nordic walking

All day there will be ‘Just Ride’ cycling challenges for all
There will also be free healthy snack bags for the first 150 people to complete the Health Passport Challenge
To book on to any of these free sessions, please call 01702 215770 or email: Seema.Kanani@sept.nhs.uk.

For more details about the Big Health Day, please contact Pete Shrimplin or Paula Pearl on 01702 212434