Having a personal trainer at the gym used to be the
exclusive preserve of the rich and famous, but now the
NHS is deploying health trainers across the region to
help ordinary people turn their health around.
JOSIE is a shy, partly disabled woman who, by her own
admission, has spent the last ten years of her life
living a severely restricted existence. Overweight and
lacking in confidence, she felt like a prisoner in her
own home.
That was until NHS health trainer Elaine Glendenning
knocked on her door. Elaine is one of seven health
trainers who began working in some of the most deprived
areas of Newcastle earlier this year.
The trainers are drawn from local communities and are
given basic training in nutrition, exercise and other
aspects of healthy living, such as smoking cessation.
Their job is to identify individuals and groups who
might benefit from support and encourage them to improve
their lifestyles.
Elaine answered the call in Newcastle and after a basic
healthy living training course she began working in
Cruddas Park, an area of the city she knows very well.
In line with the thinking behind the NHS healthy
trainers scheme, Elaine used her knowledge of the area
to network and meet people. Within a few weeks she had
organized a walking group for local people called
Stepping Out. A healthy living group for men and an arts
and craft group followed.
Through her contacts, Elaine heard about Josie's plight.
A sufferer from ataxia, a little-known condition which
affects the brain, Josie found it difficult to speak or
walk easily. Elaine linked up with Josie and
within a few months her progress was remarkable.
A few weeks ago Josie
volunteered to speak at an event to launch NHS health
trainers in Newcastle, which was attended by the woman
in charge of the program, Maggie Rae from the Department
of Health.
Despite being in front of an audience of around 100
people, Josie was able to speak about her experiences.
"Before I met Elaine I had spent ten years stuck in the
house. I hardly ever saw anyone and I couldn't get out
and about," she says.
Through a question and answer session with Elaine it
emerged that Josie had made a great deal of progress.
After joining an exercise class and a swimming club, her
confidence has grown in leaps and bounds.
Josie has also benefited from healthy eating advice,
losing almost three stones since the summer. "She
now has much more confidence and gets about with a
stroller walking aid. Really, she has had a new lease of
life," says Elaine. "She really doesn't need me any
more."
By BARRY NELSON, Health Editor, RedOrbit
In Training for a Healthier Life
Submit Links
Link Factory 
Bingo Links