Gloucestershire ‘active in older age’ project in the spotlight

28/01/2010

STAFF, residents and members of the community who attend a Tewkesbury retirement complex will be stars for the day this weekend when they appear on BBC1’s Countryfile.

Presenter John Craven visited Marina Court off Bredon Road last week to see how it is leading the way in older persons’ care.

In a special report to be screened on Sunday, which explores how Britain will cope with its ageing population, John and his team met two women from Tirley and followed them in their daily lives.

This included visiting Lesley Gilmour’s Healthy Hearts class at Marina Court, an extra care retirement development designed and developed through a partnership between NHS Gloucestershire, Gloucestershire County Council and Hanover Housing.

The classes are part of a varied programme of events run at the facility, which includes therapeutic, holistic and physical activities as well as a lifelong learning programme.

Lesley who is the Therapy and Wellbeing Co-ordinator based at the centre said she was looking forward to seeing Sunday’s show.

She said: “It will be great for the people of Tewkesbury and the other millions of people who watch Countryfile to see the work we do here at Marina Court.

“John Craven was very chatty and it wasn’t a fleeting visit, they spent a lot of time looking around the therapy suite. The classes we hold are open to members of the public over the age of 55 as well as Marina Court residents so it is a good chance to show what we have on offer.”

Lesley’s role, a joint appointment between NHS Gloucestershire and Gloucestershire County Council, involves helping residents at Marina Court play a full role in the wider community.

Jill Kearsley, Programme Director of the Transformation Team, part of the Clinical Change Directorate at NHS Gloucestershire added: “Marina Court is an exciting and successful partnership venture, that supports people to live independently, putting people more in control of their own health and well being and it is great that it this has be recognised by Countryfile”

Cllr Tony Hicks, Gloucestershire County Council Cabinet Member for Community and Adult Care, said: “Marina Court and our Village Agents do such a fabulous job of supporting older people and helping them to interact with the local community.

“Staff at this impressive development in Tewkesbury work so hard to promote active ageing and do everything possible to ensure the residents’ wellbeing. I’m delighted to see their good work and that of our Village Agents being highlighted by the BBC’s Countryfile.”

Countryfile featuring Marina Court will air on Sunday, January 31st at 6pm on BBC1. It also looks at the work of the Village Agents, who provide support, information and advice to the Over-55s in the Tewkesbury area, particularly to rural communities.