New year wellbeing and fitness boost for staff and residents at Ideal Carehomes

During the dark, cold month of January it can be hard to motivate yourself and look after your health and wellbeing. But, staff and residents at Ideal Carehomes have been given a helping hand to get the year off to a great start with the launch of its first Wellbeing Month.

Throughout January, employees and residents at all Ideal Carehomes have been encouraged to get active and take steps to improve their mental wellbeing and physical health.

A whole calendar of events has been organised, including online Zumba classes, HIIT and yoga workouts, as well as sessions on nutrition, mental health and menopause awareness. Gym and fitness discounts have also been made available.

Ideal Carehomes employs over 1,300 members of staff and their Wellbeing Month runs throughout the whole of January. Each day, care team members are sharing their personal achievements and experiences on social media to inspire others.

In 2021, Ideal Carehomes’ head of development and engagement, Sarah Colling, created a ‘Wellbeing Pathway’ which is available to all members of the team and consists of a 24 hour counselling support line, face to face stress management training, regular mindfulness techniques and advice on nutrition, exercise and ways to reduce stress and improve overall health and wellbeing.

With recent reports suggesting that many social care workers have considered quitting the sector after working on the frontline during a pandemic, Sarah is keen to promote the benefits of working in a care environment to draw new workers into the sector.

Sarah said: “There really is no better time to start focusing on your wellbeing than January. Whether you have a goal in mind or just want to take small steps, we want to support our teams with easy ways to improve their wellbeing that can last well past January.

“Our teams have been amazing over the last two years, looking after our residents and keeping them safe through the pandemic, but in order to look after others, they need to make sure they are looking after themselves, and that’s where the Wellbeing Month comes in, offering them guidance on where to seek help alongside tips and techniques to improve their mental health and boost morale.”

Stacey Linn, managing director of Ideal Carehomes, said: “Throughout January, there are lots of ways our teams can join in as well as lots of information for them to take away. We have also created a fun competition across our care homes, a 3-week step challenge!

“The wellbeing of our staff is vital to the running of our home and, as an employer, we want to spend the month focusing on things that will help them to be the best version of themselves whilst having a little fun along the way.”

Ideal Carehomes currently operates 28 homes throughout Yorkshire, the Midlands and the North West and is due to open further homes over the next few years. The company was a finalist for Care Employer of the Year at the Great British Care Awards, as well as Commitment to Training and Development at the Caring UK Awards. Ideal Carehomes also hosts its own Ideal Care Awards to recognise and reward team members who regularly go above and beyond.