Planet Feel Good and Wimmera Health Care Group have worked together for more than a year to improve the health and wellbeing of team members and they are now expanding that to the whole community.
With the health and wellbeing of the broader community at a greater risk, they have teamed up again with the aim of getting the Wimmera connected and active during ‘lockdown’.
Planet Feel Good owner Lisa Cosson said with gyms and other recreational spaces closed down, there was a high risk of people suffering mentally and physically.
“I was worried at first about the team members at Wimmera Health Care Group because we have been working for a while to improve their health and wellbeing,” Ms Cosson said.
“Then I started to think about the overall community because exercise is so important both physically and mentally,” she said.
“There is such a risk of mental suffering with isolation and lack of physical activity so I spoke to Wimmera Health Care Group about how we can try and get something done to keep people active and connected.”
That is how they developed a series of free online interactive exercise sessions, starting at 11am today.
“Sessions are run on the Zoom platform so it is interactive and we can speak to each other as well as see each other. Tuesday and Thursday sessions are for WHCG team members and Monday, Wednesday and Friday are open to everyone,” she said.
“We have a range of half an hour sessions planned out that call all be seen in Zoom and cater for all levels of ability from chair exercises and stretching to higher intensity.”
Human resources manager Glenn Hynes said it was an opportunity for the health service to support the community on a broader scale.
“Our partnership with Planet Feel Good has helped improve the health and wellbeing of our team members, and during this particularly difficult time we thought this would be a great way for us to be able to expand on that and help the community as well,” Mr Hynes said.
“The platform allows for people to get physical activity and social connection while adhering to isolation regulations. We know both physical activity and social connection are at risk of being reduced at this time, so this is one way we can help.”
To access the Zoom group and exercise classes, log onto the Wimmera Health Care Group website www.whcg.org.au and go to the Publications section.