Help dealing with Long-Covid
While for many, Covid is over. In fact the government’s message is that we simply have to live with it, millions are still experiencing its effects. Long-Covid is estimated to have affected 2 million people in the UK, and almost 145 million globally. Many of these individuals are still suffering and so Voluntary Norfolk’s Long-Covid Service is continuing to support people struggling with the ongoing effects of the virus.
One patient was referred to the Long-Covid Exercise Service back in June. She was fatigued, suffered with depression and anxiety, lacked self confidence and spent most of her free time sleeping due to exhaustion. Furthermore, she couldn’t walk very far without getting out of breath, and was feeling low that she couldn’t spend quality time with her family.
Support we offered
Catherine Hill (A Long-Covid Exercise Facilitator for Voluntary Norfolk) began supporting her overcome these issues. The only positive experience she had with exercise in the past was at a gym. Therefore we decided together that this would be the way to get started. Because she wasn’t working and had six children, the cost of joining a gym was a real barrier.
Catherine managed to find her an exercise referral scheme at a gym close to her and the PT there offered to do the first few sessions for free to see if she liked it and then they would work out a plan from there. The plan had originally been to find a buddy to help her with the new exercise routine. However, someone was not available for several weeks. It was therefore decided that the PT would be her buddy. Whilst waiting for the exercise referral to start, Catherine had regular check ins with the client and also sent her some online exercises she could do. She was also doing Slimming World, which gave her another support network.
Benefits of our support
Fast forward to today, and she is now attending the gym every week. The PT is spending time with her at each session and the client says how supportive and motivating they are. With support from the PCAS Team, Slimming World and the exercise referral scheme, she has lost 3.5 stone. She can now walk 2miles without even thinking about it. She has also found the confidence to get herself a part time job. This week, she decided that she felt that she had made so much progress and felt confident enough to carry on by herself without needing direct support from Voluntary Norfolk’s Long-Covid Support Service.
We are so pleased for her and the amazing journey she is on. Everyone at Voluntary Norfolk wishes her all the best for the future.
