Here is a range of useful links to find further support and information.

Parkinson’s UK

A national Charity providing support and advice for people with Parkinson's.

You can use their website to search for local area groups for exercises and there are extensive website resources including exercise class videos.

Age UK

Have a range of classes happening over Bournemouth and Poole ranging from walking groups, seated exercise classes and better balance groups. Details available on their website.

Pavilion Dance

Pavilion Dance is based in studios behind the Pavilion Theatre in the centre of Bournemouth. They have a range of dance classes to suit all age groups.

Parkinsons Dance Group – A fun movement based class designed for people with Parkinsons.

Mature Movers – A dance class to help maintain movement, mobility, coordination and strength.

Jo Sinclair

Jo is an Arni and Later Life instructor who is fully insured.

She runs a Stroke exercise group at Howecroft Community Centre BH11 and an OTAGO balance and strength group in Ferndown.

She also sees clients privately in their own homes to help them progress their fitness and mobility.

Better balance groups

Are you worried about falling or have you fallen recently? Are you over 55? Then come along and join our Better Balance exercise classes every Tuesday afternoon 1.45—2.45 pm at the Canford Cliffs Village Hall, 17 Ravine Road Poole BH13 7HT. £6 per class.

These gentle exercise classes are designed to improve balance, muscle strength and confidence and are based on the Otago Exercise Programme, developed in New Zealand to reduce the likelihood and severity of falls in older people. The sessions will be chair based at first and as confidence grows more standing will be introduced and encouraged using a chair as support. The atmosphere is friendly, relaxed and sociable.

For more information or to book your place call Gary Mason on 01202 530530.

Melodies in Motion: mobile musical exercise 

Wobble Classes

Paracise™ - Low Impact, Fun Exercise Class to Fabulous Music

Younger 4 Longer Exercise Classes

Discounted Gym Membership through BHlive active

Dorset Health and Wellbeing Coaching Service · Help & Care

Exercises to improve balance and muscle strength

Stay Active at Home - Strength and balance exercises for older adults - YouTube

Physical activity guidance for older adults

NHS.uk

Physical activity videos - Make Your Move | Age UK  Balance, strength, and dance.

Keeping healthy and active as you age | The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (csp.org.uk)

Blog | We Can Move

Exercises for multiple sclerosis

Simple exercises for MS | MS Society 

Exercises for Parkinson’s disease

Physical activity and exercise | Parkinson's UK (parkinsons.org.uk)

Exercises for stroke

Getting moving after a stroke | Stroke Association

Discounted gym membership through BH Live Active

Exercise Referral Activities | BH Live Active

Chair-based pilates

Chair-based pilates video workout

Live Well Dorset

Freephone: 0800 8401628

LiveWell Dorset supports people to lead healthier lifestyles by helping them to become more active, stop smoking, drink less alcohol and maintain a healthy weight.

Most people just need a little bit of help, a brief intervention, or a nudge in the right direction. For those that need a little more help, LiveWell Dorset provides personalised, one-to-one coaching.

They use evidence-based behavioural science, developed by University College London to support you to sustain changes in your behaviour. 

LiveWell Dorset provide tailored guidance and support to help people become healthier. The service is free to all Dorset residents over the age of 18.

 

Please see our exercise group resource page for local exercise classes you could join.

Smoking

Quit smoking - Better Health - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

  • Start breathing easier
  • Track your progress
  • See how much you're saving
  • Get daily support.

If you can make it to 28 days smoke-free, you're five times more likely to quit for good!

Drug and Alcohol Service

With You in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

With You offer a free, confidential service and the opportunity to talk to one of their trained staff.

They’ll work with you on your own goals, whether that’s cutting down your drug or alcohol use, stopping completely or just getting a bit of advice.

They can also support you if you’re worried about someone else’s drinking or drug use. They also have a needle and syringe service

Who’s the service for?

This service is for you if you’re:

  • 18 or over
  • living in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole
  • worried about your own drug or alcohol use or someone else's.

Charitable organisation

The Help and Care website provides support to people living with a long-term health condition, carers and those who are isolated or housebound.

Adult social care self-referral (BCP Council)

Adult social care self-referral (Dorset Council)

 

Brendon Care

01962 852133

Brendoncare is a registered charity, dedicated to improving the quality of life for older people. Care, choice and community are at the heart of all that we do.

Brendoncare community and online clubs offer fun and friendship to 1,400 members in Hampshire and Dorset

Their service provides older people with opportunities for social interaction and to meet new friends in a welcoming and supportive environment.

Brendoncare membership costs £12 a month and includes access to our community clubs, online sessions and a range of new and improved benefits:

  • unlimited clubs
  • telephone support
  • online clubs
  • digital support
  • technology loan
  • respite stay offer.

Age UK Day Centres and befriending service

Our hugely popular day centres aim to improve the quality of life for older people by helping them to be independent and be with other people.  

Age UK offer telephone friendship as well as face-to-face befriending: Befriending services | Combating loneliness | Age UK

Arts 4 Dementia

Events | Arts 4 Dementia

Arts 4 Dementia is a UK charity, working with arts venues to:

  • provide training and develop arts programmes.
  • empower and inspire people with early-stage dementia and carers through artistic stimulation.
  • help preserve fulfilling active life together, for longer at home.

BCP website

Information, advice and services for adults with care and support needs or who have caring responsibilities.

CRISP (Carers Resource/Information/Support/Programme)

“If you look after someone, we're here for you.”

CRISP provides support to family/unpaid carers, looking after someone in the Bournemouth, Christchurch or Poole area who would not be able to manage without their support. They help carers continue in their caring role while looking after their own health and wellbeing.

They keep you up to date with social events, training courses, new services, and anything else which may be helpful for you to know about through a bi-monthly newsletter.

Always at the end of the phone to offer advice, information, and emotional support, carers can contact via:

Tel: 01202 128787

Email: carersupport@bcpcouncil.gov.uk

https://thenationalcareline.org/

The National Careline

0800 0699784

The National Careline provides support and information to the elderly, their carers and their families.

There is no rehearsal for so many of the situations we find ourselves in, so the National Careline empowers people by giving them the information they need to get help.

Their website contains lots of information, as well as refers on to other trusted sites, including Turn2Us, Tax Help for Older people and others.

They also have a service to help people get Lasting Powers of Attorney and Deputyship Applications.

When they take on a case, they complete the forms and monitor the case right through to completion. They also take on cases where people need to apply to the Court of Protection, especially those who are caring for a disabled member of the family and need help to cope with the legal issues around this.

Age UK

There is help available if you're having trouble with everyday tasks. This helps is often called homecare, domiciliary care, or sometimes home help.

Canary Care –Remote Activity Monitoring System

Canary Care provides families with peace of mind and supports independent living. It is used by local authorities, NHS trusts, private sector care/housing providers and individual families.

It is a passive remote activity monitoring system that uses sensors, placed around a property, to gather information about a person’s daily routines.

The system detects movement, door activity, temperature and light levels and can also keep track of visitors to the property. It can be used to notice longer term trends or behavioural changes, such as disturbed sleep patterns, increased bathroom visits etc. These can be used to inform care decisions and can raise alert if something unexpected happens.

Alerts can be sent by email, text message or app push notification, to confirm that everything is okay or to alert to a potential issue.

There are no cameras or microphones and no existing internet connection or even landline is required. The data can be viewed via web/mobile apps, making it easy to see current activity.

Good Life Sorted

PramaLife | Working with Older Adults and Carers

Supporting People & Communities To Live The Lives They Choose · Help & Care

BCP Handyvan Service

BCP Council offers a variety of minor handyperson repairs around your home. The BCP Council Handyvan Service provides practical and useful help to support those living in their own homes to maintain their independence. From general household tasks to small repair jobs.

All staff are police checked, taking the stress out of domestic repairs and meaning you stay in control.

You may prefer to purchase your own aids privately from a local mobility store or the internet rather than waiting for an assessment. If you would like information on how to use a walking aid safely and how to measure the walking aid to ensure it is the correct height for you, please contact the office to request an information sheet. We have information on using walking sticks, crutches, frames and rollators. See the links below for online everyday living aids shops.

Everyday living aids – Parkinson's shop (parkinsons.org.uk)

Healthcare Pro - the new online store for NRS Healthcare

 If you need equipment such as grab rails, toilet frames, perching stools, commodes, stand aids or hoists, and do not have rehabilitation goals, then the Social Services Occupational Therapists would be more suitable to review you. Please contact them 01202 123654.

If you have been provided with equipment from the NHS previously and find it is broken or worn, please contact NRS on 0344 8936364 to arrange repair or replacement.

Healthcare Pro - the new online store for NRS Healthcare

Remap

Remap is a charity that helps disabled people of all ages to live more independent lives. Their network of skilled volunteers design and custom-make equipment free of charge.

Remap - custom made equipment for disabled people

Red Cross wheelchair hire

Safe + Well - Equipment

Supporting people who want to buy their own daily living aids to help them live more independently.

Steps 2 Wellbeing

Telephone: 0800 4840500

Email: dhc.s2w.urban.admin@nhs.net

Steps2Wellbeing is the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Service jointly commissioned by Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group and Southampton City Clinical Commissioning Group.

They accept referrals for patients over the age of 18 only, who are not engaged with other mental health services.

They aim to treat people suffering from mild to moderate anxiety and depression-based problems, including:

  • generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)
  • obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)
  • health anxiety
  • post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • phobias.

They also have an extended service which offers help to people suffering from long term health conditions (LTHC) and aims to address the disparities in mental health conditions (and knock-on effect on physical health) between the general population and those experiencing LTHC

The service helps with:

  • chronic-pain (including fibromyalgia)
  • diabetes
  • respiratory conditions
  • stroke.

Access Wellbeing

Applying for a Blue Badge

Blue Badge scheme: information from your council - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Blue Badge parking scheme | Hampshire County Council (hants.gov.uk)

Blue Badges - Dorset Council

Blue badges for disabled parking (bcpcouncil.gov.uk)

If you're disabled or have a health condition that affects your mobility, you can apply for a Blue Badge. 

You can also apply for a badge if you care for a child with a health condition that affects their mobility.  

You can only get a Blue Badge from your local council or at GOV.UK. 

BCP Council Accessible Transport