Going from strength to strength: meet our inspirational clients, Elizabeth and Anthony

August 25, 2023

HILS provides nutritional support and tailored physical activity programmes to adults living in the community. Our Health & Wellbeing Client of the Season Award is an opportunity for us to celebrate our clients’ achievements and determination, and to inspire more people to seek help if they need it.

Keeping Active

This season we are celebrating 74-year-old Elizabeth, a resilient and determined Active Ageing client with a positive outlook on life. Elizabeth used to enjoy walking with her husband but several years ago, Parkinson’s disease resulted in her becoming reliant on a mobility scooter for outings. So, with help from her Active Ageing Instructor, Yvonne, she set a goal of improving her mobility.

Each week of the programme Yvonne introduced new challenges, including performing sit-to-stand movements mimicking a breaststroke, an exercise Elizabeth was initially unable to perform. By the last few sessions, she was completing six consecutive repetitions of this task, and managed to achieve a 1.2 mile walk around her local park! By diligently practicing her exercises, Elizabeth has achieved her overall goal.

“Despite the complexity of the exercises, Elizabeth remained committed to her fitness journey. She is an inspiring woman filled with positivity and determination in the face of adversity.” – Yvonne, Active Ageing Instructor

Staying Healthy

Our second winner is 74-year-old Anthony, who was nominated for being committed to his health and improving daily eating habits.

Anthony was referred to our Nutrition & Wellbeing Team for support after struggling with poor appetite and weight loss that put him at risk of malnutrition. Nutrition & Wellbeing Visitor, Stuart, worked with Anthony and his carers to create a meal plan which included snacking for weight gain and recipes to make fortified milkshakes.

With determination and commitment, Anthony was able to steadily increase his weight by 1kg each month over a four-month period. What a fantastic improvement! Keen to maintain a healthy and stable weight, Anthony now drinks at least one fortified milkshake every day and has felt an improvement in both his appetite and his overall health.

“Anthony has slowly built up his weight and has achieved a substantial change in his outlook on life as well as his physical health. Well done!” – Stuart, Nutrition & Wellbeing Visitor

Congratulations to both Elizabeth and Anthony for their commitment and becoming our Health & Wellbeing Clients of the Season. Their results are testament to the improvements that can be made to your health in later life.