Care home residents have wheel-y good time during wheelchair ice-skating

Residents at Manor House nursing home in Merton, Oxford, spent a thrilling afternoon at Oxford Ice Rink as they took to the ice for wheelchair ice-skating.

The afternoon saw a group of eight residents glide along the ice in their wheelchairs, and the session was a particularly momentous outing for six residents, for whom it was the first time they had ever been ice-skating. Residents thoroughly enjoyed spending the afternoon giving fellow ice-skaters a run for their money at the fully wheelchair-accessible Oxford Ice Rink, which was refurbished in 2012.

Whilst on the ice, residents enthusiastically participated in an Oomph! exercise class, where they shook pompoms as they twirled around the ice rink. Oomph! is a new and inclusive exercise programme which is designed to promote health, wellbeing and happiness, and supports care home residents to participate in physical exercise that is accessible and fun.

Members of staff work closely with residents to co-design the exercise classes, which aim to improve mobility, and focus on creating a positive and exciting environment where residents can participate in accessible physical exercise. The Manor House team received training from Oomph! where they learnt how to design fun exercises that can be tailored to meet the needs to residents living with complex conditions and mobility challenges.

Sharon Wheeler, Activities Manager at Manor House, commented:

“This is the second time we’ve come to Oxford Ice Rink, and a wonderful experience was had by all those who took part. We were impressed with how easily accessible ice-skating on wheelchairs is easy for residents of all abilities.

“The session proved very popular with residents at Manor House, and we look forward to bringing a bigger group in the future.”

Manor House, part of Embrace, provides personalised nursing, residential and dementia care for older people.