Over the last few months, Liam and Dom from our Preston services have spent some time developing a programme that aims to challenge everyone at Active Pathways to try new things together, engage in different activities and to simply enjoy themselves. We spoke to the Dom about her role, inspirations, and how Theme Months will work…
Dom, how long have you worked at Active Pathways and what is your role?
I’m the lead Occupational Therapist and I started with Active Pathways in February 2021. Since joining I’ve worked on a development plan for the OT service, and this is now taking some shape. Overall, it feels like I’ve always been here, and I could not imagine being anywhere else.
What was your inspiration for the Theme Months?
Myself and our Activities Coordinator, Liam, are always discussing ways to improve the experience of the residents and the staff team. We wanted something to help motivate and engage the whole Active Pathways community, while encouraging the wellbeing and recovery of those at the heart of our service. We both have creative and passionate brains, and when we collaborate, we shine as a duo. Liam then led the process of developing the map and posters to use, and we launched the initiative in March.
How does it work?
We will plan and take part in sessions which link to the theme of each month. This will also be open to suggestions from residents and staff. We’d love the teams in every service to let us know what they are doing each month too. Ultimately, we would love it to develop and become a movement for all and most of all FUN!
Which month are you most looking forward to and why?
For me, Active April will be brilliant, as it will help me focus on creating more balance and looking after my physical health. It will also help me to support our service users to consider their own health and fitness across a few weeks. We plan to run some taster sessions that will range from chair exercises to rambling, so there’s something for everyone to get involved in.
What do you hope the outcomes will be?
We hope we can create some buzz and excitement about incorporating both activities and occupations for wellbeing. We also hope people will try new things that they hadn’t previously considered, and increase people’s curiosity while encouraging them to get involved with ideas and interactions. Most of all we want everyone in our Active Pathways community to have enjoy themselves and live a healthy life.
If you need any information on referrals for Brookhaven , The Hamptons or any of our other services, please contact Lisa.Mullineux@active-pathways.com