The study highlights a near year-long partnership between Be Great Fitness and Tanglewood Care Homes, where weekly seated exercise sessions have been delivered since August 2024.
Movement as Essential Care
Residents taking part in the accessible group sessions reported improved mobility, emotional resilience, reduced isolation, and stronger relationships with staff. The programme has also been particularly beneficial for residents recovering from strokes, living with dementia, or coping with visual impairments.
The report makes three key recommendations:
- Recognise physical activity as essential, not optional, in adult social care.
- Support workforce development through physical activity training.
- Empower GPs and social prescribers to refer care home residents to in-house exercise programmes.
Professor Martin Green OBE, Chief Executive of Care England, said:
“This report shows that movement in care is about far more than fitness. It restores purpose, dignity, and joy. We’ve seen residents reconnect with themselves and others through these sessions, and that is the true meaning of person-centred care, which also delivers a significant financial benefit to the NHS.”
Transforming Care Culture
Delivered by Bailey Greetham-Clark, Founder of Be Great Fitness, the sessions use music, colourful equipment, and engaging seated routines to stimulate both physical and cognitive health. Importantly, staff join in too, helping to foster a social, inclusive environment.
Bailey Greetham-Clark said:
“Our goal has always been to meet people where they are. We celebrate every bit of progress, every smile, every moment of connection. These sessions prove that even small movements can have a big impact on someone’s confidence and wellbeing.”
Daniel Rowark, Chief Executive at Tanglewood Care Homes, added:
“What we’ve seen across our homes is incredible. Residents are not only more active, but more sociable, more engaged, and more positive. These sessions have brought our teams and residents closer together, and we’re proud to see the difference this collaboration has made.”
More Than Fitness
The report also highlights wider benefits, including:
- Cognitive stimulation through colour-coded equipment.
- Early identification of health changes during activities.
- Increased feelings of safety, inclusion, and motivation thanks to familiar routines and trusted instructors.
By embedding physical activity into everyday care, the Be Great Fitness–Tanglewood partnership shows how small, consistent changes can deliver big improvements in both quality of life and care culture.
