Staff at sheltered accommodation are being trained to organise and lead their own strength and balance sessions for residents, as part of a project to get those living in assisted housing more physically active.

Leisure trust Sport Aberdeen and Paths for All – a charity aiming to increase the number of people who choose to walk in Scotland – are running a training programme for Bon Accord Care staff working at housing complexes in Aberdeen, Scotland.

The First Steps programme will provide staff with the skills to promote and provide regular physical activity sessions for their residents.

Run by Sport Aberdeen’s Healthy Communities team, with funding from Paths for All, the project aims to increase functional fitness and daily walking among people not currently able to take part in walking groups.

“The training sessions have already proved to be a powerful tool in enabling those living in sheltered housing to improve their mobility and access a better quality of life through regular activity and we are looking forward to helping bring this training to even more staff in the coming sessions," said Jill Franks, Sport Aberdeen director of performance and planning.

“By encouraging regular strength and balance exercises and going for short, low level walks, these sessions enable people to be more active and able to undertake the tasks of daily living such as walking in and around the home and to the shops”

Louise McCann, Bon Accord care reablement facilitator, added: “We've arranged the training for the staff team at Quarryhill Court as part of the Bon Accord Care Falls Management Quality Improvement Group.

"The group made up of support staff, supervisors and Occupational Therapists were keen to focus on engaging tenants in early intervention and promoting self-management.

“It is our intention that these sessions will be provided across all buildings supported by Bon Accord Care staff."