Active 4 Health exercise referral
Due to the latest lockdown in England, Dorset Councils Health & Activity Team have temporarily paused their services from Thursday 5 November to Wednesday 2 December 2020.
If you have any queries or concerns with regards to the Active 4 Health programme please contact us.
About Active 4 Health
The Active 4 Health partnership supports local people who have been referred by a health professional to get more active. We aim to encourage local people to get and keep active through a wide range of activities to suit location, interest and health need. With hundreds of weekly opportunities both indoors and out, help is at hand to help you make the first steps.
The Active 4 Health Lifestyle Coordinator (Qualified Exercise Referral Instructor) connects people living with a health condition who have been referred by a Health Professional into an active pathway. The Lifestyle Coordinator also supports inactive people and those who are unsure of how to start their active journey.
Who it's for
Exercise can help manage, improve or reduce the chance of developing many health conditions. Active 4 Health provides support for those living with a health condition, for which a formal health professional referral is required, or those who are in active.
Activities and choices
There are a huge range of activities on offer to support people. Although a structured 12 week exercise referral programme within a leisure centre setting may suit some, entry level activities including Health Walks and Aqua classes may be more appealing to others. To help support and encourage you to become and stay active, the Active 4 Health Lifestyle Coordinator will carry out a lifestyle screening to identify your activity interests alongside health needs. Here are some of the options which are considered:
- 12 week exercise referral programme
- gym sessions
- fitness classes
- swimming
- aqua fit classes
- hydrotherapy (gentle exercises in a swimming pool)
- free health walks/health cycle rides
- Nordic Walking
- walking football/netball
- mindfulness
- yoga
- health circuits
- referral walks
- accessible circuits
- Otago (chair based exercises aimed to improve balance)
- specialist classes for COPD, cardiac, stroke and back rehabilitation
- and much more!
The 12 week exercise referral programme
The 12 week exercise referral programme includes regular one to one consultations with the most suitable exercise referral instructor. The exercise referral instructor will design a personalised, safe and suitable exercise programme for you. Throughout the 12 week programme, you will have access to the leisure centre facilities at a reduced price including the gym, swimming and classes. If appropriate, outdoor physical activities such as free Health Walks and Health Cycle rides will be incorporated into the your programme.
How to sign up
If you are living with a health condition, an Active 4 Health referral form needs to be completed by a health professional e.g. GP, physiotherapist and practice nurse, who will then contact the lifestyle coordinator. For those who are not living with a health condition but are inactive, you can contact the lifestyle coordinator directly
- You will be invited to an initial consultation with a suitable exercise referral instructor or start suitable physical activity
- There will be consultations to review progress every 4, 8 and 12 weeks
- The lifestyle coordinator will be in touch again at 12 weeks, 6 months and 12 months to evaluate and support you as required
Active 4 Health centres
The scheme is available at the following leisure centres:
Cost
The cost of the Active 4 Health exercise referral programme and entry level activities vary between sites. The Active 4 Health Lifestyle Coordinator can provide more information.
Contact us
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