Occupational Therapy News OTnews February 2019_Joomag | Page 25

LONG-TERM CONDITIONS FEATURE
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medications reviewing, to manage their diabetes better, to get
more exercise, to lose weight, to stop smoking and/or drinking,
and generally live as well as they could with multiple chronic health
conditions.
A plan was agreed with each participant and profession-specific
visits were arranged if needed, such as a medication review,
equipment provision, therapeutic intervention, or referral to other
services.
Some participants managed their health well, but were at risk
of deteriorating or losing their resilience to cope. For these people,
the team explored local community support, and some wonderful
activities evolved.
In Beeston, alliances were developed with Leeds Get Active (a
city council-run initiative to help people get more active) and the
Level up Academy (a private business set up to teach basic free
running skills).
Participants of the Level Up Academy engaged in a 12-week
trial to see if the basic principles of free running could support
increased activity and falls prevention. The basic training offered by
the Academy practised skills used to negotiate objects and space
in a fun way, and participants certainly enjoyed it, with one stating:
‘It beats the usual chair based exercise problems on offer’.
In Cross Gates, the Live Well Leeds team started a Learning
Café – a safe space where people could come along to join other
service users and healthcare professionals to learn, share and
support each other – which was initially run by the occupational and wellbeing topics, decided by the participants, for example,
dementia friends, anxiety management and mindfulness
sessions.
Over time, the project team has witnessed participants gaining
in confidence and taking on leadership roles. Earlier this year, a
workshop was held to understand participants’ experiences and
benefits of the Learning Café. Feedback included how it had
given them support, reduced their isolation and had given them
something to look forward to – ‘a reason to get up’.
therapist and health adviser.
The first Learning Café started with an icebreaker and just
allowed conversations to grow; the energy in the room was
palpable.
The café was a complete success and now meets weekly at the
local library. There is a loose framework of activities related to health Liz Spence, senior occupational therapist, Leeds Community
Healthcare, email: [e-mail]. With
acknowledgements to: Leeds South and East CCG, Dr Tom
Gibbs and the Live Well Leeds team; Leeds Community Health
Care for the opportunity; and Dr Rob Brooks, Course Director,
Occupational Therapy at Leeds Beckett University
Benefits and evaluation
The benefits of the Live Well Leeds project have begun to be
recognised by the local care partnerships, which have seen
improved patient wellbeing and a reduced footfall at general
practice surgeries.
The Live Well Leeds team has found the project’s new
approach to health a productive way to engage people so that
they can learn and share coping strategies, manage symptoms
and recognise when they need to see a medical doctor.
The Live Well Leeds project is currently being formally
evaluated and the team is hopeful that it has demonstrated
tangible and measurable benefits for people, and that the new
resources within primary care can bring services and people
together to form community networks that embed behaviour
change and enable people to manage their long-term conditions.
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