Ellen’s Story: How Be Active has supported her health and wellbeing

Ellen Carter, a resident at Hanover Court in Penzance shares her experience of using our Be Active programme. 

Be Active is our health and wellness programme that provides resources for Anchor residents to take care of their health and wellbeing.

I’m a 77-year-old widow living with Anchor in Penzance at Hanover Court, where I have been living since the summer of 2023. I have a few health issues that impact my daily life and require medication and medical intervention, including hypertension, osteoarthritis, cancer and coronary artery disease. I decided to join the virtual exercise classes offered through Be Active to improve my health and wellbeing.

I have been participating in the classes for about two years, recently I have found myself really enjoying the weekly yoga/dance fit class with Ella and Louise and tai chi with Alan. While all the classes I have tried have been helpful, I have found the yoga/dance and tai chi more suited to my needs and likes. The good thing about Be Active is that we can give a few things a try and find something that you enjoy and that works for you.

The convenience and long-term benefits of Be Active 

The classes I have attended have had a positive effect upon my daily routine and wellbeing and my energy levels are boosted. My joints and muscles are taken through their range of movement, and it gives me a mental lift. I can practise moves and poses or stances in between the classes and this helps to maintain the improvement. I also enjoy the social side of attending the classes and receiving useful hints for self-help. The instructors try to help foster a sense of connection even though the classes are virtual, and I find they adapt movement where appropriate to ensure inclusion.

I‘ve continued with the classes because I can feel the benefit when I attend, and it is very convenient being able to do them in my own home.

Encouraging neighbours and fellow Anchor residents to try Be Active 

I would advise other Anchor residents to learn about the variety of classes that are available. It’s very easy to access them once you have the required meeting IDs and passcodes. There is something for everyone and they shouldn’t be reluctant to try a class if they need to do so in a chair such as yoga dance.

I’ve been so pleased with what Be Active offered me that I’ve shared my experience with other residents and had a brief report published in a recent resident newsletter to raise awareness. 

I also try to encourage my neighbours at Hanover Court to join me when I'm doing a Be Active class. Recently another resident saw me participating through a window and I asked her if she’d like to join me. I try to be encouraging and answer people’s questions to build their confidence to get involved. 

We have an interactive screen in our residents’ lounge and I’m going to suggest to a few neighbours that we could participate as a group and perhaps have coffee and a chat afterward. Sometimes the biggest hurdle is the unknown and once you have done one class and know what it involves, you’re more likely to keep at it or have a go at others. 

Find out more about our Be Active programme

Be Active is our wellness and movement programme that supports residents living with us to take care of their overall health and wellbeing. In addition to exercise videos and weekly live demonstrations, we also offer podcasts and booklets offering tips on how to stay active.

Be Active is open to all Anchor residents, to find out more please visit our Be Active page.