Chester resident walking again extols benefits of personalised rehabilitation programme

Chester resident walking again extols benefits of personalised rehabilitation programme

Belong Chester resident Tony Mulhearn is able to walk again unaided and has dispensed with pain relief medication thanks to a personalised exercise programme facilitated by the village’s on-site gym and says that he wants to share his story to help others facing similar challenges.

Tony, aged 80, who lives in an apartment at the Belong Chester, was in constant pain, had no movement in his back and was unable to walk upstairs as a result of fused lower vertebrae, as well as knee instability caused by a motorcycle accident over 40 years ago.

Doctors told Tony that the only course of treatment was increasing amounts of pain relief medication, including morphine, leaving him feeling tired and confused.

When he moved to Belong Chester in October last year, he asked the village’s dedicated exercise specialist, Louise Warr, who is also an injury rehabilitation expert, if there was anything she could do to help improve his quality of life. After a chat, the pair settled on a goal of Tony being able to walk without support by Christmas through a programme involving twice-weekly one-to-one personalised training sessions, starting with basic exercises to improve core stability and strength.

All Belong village customers have access to a specialist gym, run by a highly qualified exercise specialist who has experience working with older people. Everyone who moves into a Belong village household for 24-hour support is assessed by the exercise specialist and offered a free personalised exercise or rehabilitation programme, and members of the public and apartment residents can also access the services.

Despite setting out to achieve his aim of walking without sticks in eight weeks, Tony achieved this in just five.

They then set another goal for Tony: to be able to walk up steps so that he could deliver a reading at his local church, which he soon achieved. Around this time, Tony found that he wasn’t requiring as much pain medication, and he was able to gradually reduce the quantity of painkillers that he was taking until he was medication free. His mobility continued to improve, and he can now walk into Chester town centre and go shopping on his own, carrying bags rather than walking sticks.

Commenting on this transformation, he says: “I used to think of myself as a disabled old man. This has completely changed my view of myself. I have got my life back, and I’m able to do more of the things I want to do, including becoming a more active member of the church community and joining in activities and events at the village when I like.”

Tony continues with his training programme and has progressed to building functional strength through more strenuous exercises, including press-ups and pull-ups, and incorporating weights.

He says that he wants to share his story so that others are aware of the potentially life-changing benefits that personalised rehabilitation programmes can have for older people experiencing pain and a loss of mobility.

“This needs to be shared. Without Louise, I would still be in pain and unable to stand up on my own. She is a true professional and remembers where you finished in the previous session, so you don’t waste any time. The privacy offered by one-to-one sessions means that you can engage fully without feeling self-conscious. People need to know about this,” he says.

Louise added: “Many people who develop chronic pain and mobility issues think it is an irreversible part of getting older. Tony’s case is testament to the potential of exercise to help people overcome seemingly insurmountable physical challenges and lead active and fulfilling lives when it is carefully planned and tailored to the individual’s needs. It’s very rewarding to see how far Tony has come in just a short space of time and the impact this has had on his life.”

Pictured: Tony and exercise specialist Louise Warr in the Gym at the Belong care village