Vitalyz associate with leading UK Dementia Consultant
Dr Daniel Nightingale is working alongside the team at Vitalyz to ensure we are able to deliver appropriate training and development courses to those supporting people living through their unique journey of dementia.
In the field of dementia, 2 very important government documents were published during 08/09. ' Always a Last Resort' focussed on a reduction on reliance of antipsychotic medicines such as risperdol, then 'Living Well with Dementia' is the new National Dementia Strategy for England. Both initiatives are geared towards the provision of quality care and support for people living with dementia and their relatives and carers. Vitalyz offer a number of activity based courses which help achieve this fundamental goal.
Vitalyz have secured the services of Dr Nightingale to develop a practical and experiential workshop based around understanding dementia and delivering activities to people living with this condition. Vitalyz now offer the Alzheimer’s Society Approved training course Tomorrow is Another Day (this replaced Yesterday Today Tomorrow). Those successfully passing this are awarded the Alzheimer’s Society Certificate & badge.
Vitalyz support Southern Cross Activity Roadshows
Southern Cross Care Managers and Activity Providers have been attending regional activity roadshows across the UK.
Each attendee receives a Vitalyz stress ball and experiences a short 'taster' of Vitalyz Seated Exercise training to help them promote activities
Tony Duke personally delivered this demonstration in Cardiff and everyone joined in with enthusiasm.
Older people and those with learning disabilities should ‘participate in the widest range of activity society has to offer’
President of the College of Occupational Therapists, Baroness Sally Greengross
said it is vital that older people and those with learning disabilities ‘participate in the widest range of activity society has to offer’.
In her keynote address to the Older People & People with Learning Disabilities annual conference, she said: ‘We have this terribly important role in giving people a purpose in life – being able to feel that life is worth living.’
Colne Housing Society support older people in sheltered housing throughout N. Essex. They provide shared housing for learning & physical disabilities, Autism and Aspergers 
Syndrome as well as supported housing schemes with SCOPE, MENCAP, NACRO and Acorn Village. Colne aim to make a positive difference to the neighbourhoods in which they work so the team were granted funding for a trial of chair-based exercises. Vitalyz trained some of the team to deliver basic seated exercises to individual residents or small groups.
Vitalise is a charity providing short breaks for disabled or visually impaired people and their carers. Two specialist centres in Cornwall & Derby offer activities for disabled adults to help them gain skills, confidence & independence. Vitalyz are pleased to have been asked to train some of the Derby team.
ANGUS GOLD, Scotland This initiative promotes the over 50s interests
and activities.
Instrumental
in giving older residents access to health opportunities within their own communities, funding was obtained to train
volunteers for seated exercise classes, supplied by Vitalyz, of course!
Senior community learning and
development worker Ann Craig said: “There is
good evidence of the benefits of this type of
activity for older people, both physically and
mentally.”
Vitalyz promote activities in Barchester Care Homes
Vitalyz support the Barchester Healthcare Fitness with Care initiative, implementing a programme of fitness related activities for residents such as Nintendo Wii machines and Seated Exercises, into their 170 homes.
Barchester activity staff felt Vitalyz training was fun, very worthwhile and it's given them a new perspective on undertaking seated exercise.
"The group and their management were very enthusiatic and I'm pleased to sayv that they now have Vitalyz equipment to support their improved activity programmes" Tony Duke
Occupational Therapists endorse Vitalyz training 
Vitalyz content and documentation has been scrutinised by COT educators and practitioner assessors and they have endorsed Vitalyz training
“As an associate COT member, I am proud Vitalyz have met the criteria required for this endorsement and I'm looking forward to training COT members”. Tony Duke
The Nintendo Wii - in care homes?
If you're considering introducing a Nintendo Wii into 
a care setting, read on. There are many good and bad implications and it is worth looking into them before spending your money. Vitalyz have developed a Wii workshop which explores some of them in depth.
Bupa care homes - Vitalyz - approved activity trainers
Tim Brooke, Head of Hotel Services & Activities for Bupa, led the activity focussed conference and approved Vitalyz as activity training suppliers for Bupa care homes. Tim said “the training which Vitalyz having facilitated has been excellent. All 600 delegates rated the session excellent or very good and armed with the accompanying DVD, stress balls and their new found skill I am sure our residents and employees will find it hugely beneficial”
Vitalyz met Bupa Activity Coordinators and Managers at a conference where Tony Duke demonstrated how to effectively utilise a Vitalyz stress ball into residents physical activity routine. All BUPA Care Homes now have a copy of a Vitalyz Seated Exercise Stress Ball DVD to include in their regular activities.