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Fit as a Fiddle: Holistic Elderly Health Initiative

A holistic approach to improving older people's health and well-being through physical activity, funded by Big Lottery. Interim evaluation shows increased physical activity, better nutrition, and enhanced independence. Real impacts include improved health and confidence. Contact Jackie Hayhoe for more information.

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Fit as a Fiddle: Holistic Elderly Health Initiative

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  1. Fit as a Fiddlea Holistic Approach to Physical Activity and ExerciseJackie Hayhoefit as a fiddle Portfolio Manager

  2. Why is Fit as a Fiddle Needed The older you are the less you participate. (A vision for 2020, Sport England 2004) Among people older than 65, 12% cannot manage walking outside on their own and 9% cannot manage the stairs unaided. 25% of women and 7 % of men do not have sufficient leg strength to get out of a chair without using their arms. 20% of women and 14% of men over 50 do not have the flexibility to wash their hair comfortably. (Skelton et al 1998)

  3. What is Fit as a Fiddle A Holistic Approach to Improving the Health and Well Being of Older People

  4. About Fit as a Fiddle • £15.1m funding from Big Lottery over 5 years • 24 different projects delivered across the England by over 500 organisations • 2 national programmes • Award winning programme • Recognition from the European Commission and World Health Organisation • Externally evaluated and validated

  5. 280,000older people taking part in physical activity

  6. 265,123older people eating more healthily

  7. Recruited and worked with 4600 volunteers

  8. Interim Evaluation Findings • 21% of fit as a fiddle participants have “not good” health • 42% of fit as a fiddle participants have a limiting longstanding illness • 76% of fit as a fiddle participants were women • 25% of fit as a fiddle participants are aged over 80 • 71.2 average age for men • 70.5 average age for women • 83.8% of fit as a fiddle participants were white British, but higher than average attendances with • 4.3% Asian or Asian British: Indian • 2.53% Asian or Asian British: Pakistani • Source Ecorys Interim Evaluation Report, October 2011

  9. The impacts….. • 33% increase in the amount of walking reported between the start of fit as a fiddle and 3 months afterwards • An average increase per person from 60 minutes of physical activity per week, to 77.5 minutes per week • An increase in strength and balance exercise with a median of 70 minutes per week, rising to 92.5 minutes per week at the end of fit as a fiddle and then rising again to 120 minutes. A 71% increase from baseline. • 13% increase in the amount of fruit and vegetables eaten, rising from 4 to 4.5 • Increased levels of independence and opportunities for social inclusion leading to reduced isolation

  10. The real impacts…… “After suffering from ME for 25 years I am now experiencing a big improvement in my health” “I couldn’t even get out of the bath….so I stopped having baths. Since I’ve been coming I can now do that” “I feel much more confident that I’m not going to fall” “I found within the first 6 weeks, my doctor was saying what are you doing?” “I can now brush my hair”

  11. THANK YOU Any QuestionsJackie Hayhoe jackie.hayhoe@ageuk.org.uk

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