It’s an uncertain time. While there’s a great deal of optimism about technological advancement and social change we are also aware of diminishing resources and economic instability. This makes it very hard for us to plan for or even anticipate our future. It is becoming clear that the security that would have been available to us even ten years ago is no longer guaranteed.
· Advances in health technology mean that we can expect to live longer.
· Limited resources mean that health services that are possible may not be available to everyone when they need them.
· There will be an increased demand for social care as people are unable to manage their daily living skills as they become infirm.
· The raising of the pension age and more limited expectations on what pension funds will provide mean that people will no longer be able to look forward to retiring into a more restful lifestyle at 65 or 60.
We need a way to ensure that people live the majority of their lives as actively and independently as possible with as small a demand as possible on expensive resources such as the Health Service. On average people are dependent on others for support for around 25% of their post-retirement years, and this does not take into account that the majority of people will require long term pharmaceutical or therapeutic support well in advance of this, possibly while they are still working.
Similarly employers and employees need to work together to ensure that later working years are as fulfilling and productive as earlier years, with workers feeling energised, motivated and in control of conditions that could otherwise elevate levels of sickness and tiredness.
Health Promotion needs to be more than receiving government led messages to eat more fruit and go for a walk. Chi Kung offers an opportunity to engage with people as individuals, in the workplace and supplementary to the health service in order to encourage activity that will prolong good health and prevent the symptoms of some long term conditions.
THE WORKPLACE
· Day workshops on movement that will help with back and joint problems, plantar fasciitis, digestion, overcoming breathlessness.
· A course of workshops which would include health issues, relaxation, assertiveness and confidence building.
· Exercise classes, and clinics would be available within reach of the workplace, at lunchtime or out of hours. These could even be on site for some organisations
· Sessions would always include information about how the body works, improving vocabulary about basic anatomy and understanding of physiology. This will encourage better self care and enable people to have more informative conversations with specialists when they need them.
THE HEALTH CENTRE
The aim is to reduce unnecessary demand on Health Service resources by giving people an appropriate resource to address health and lifestyle issues and to provide a cheap effective resource to provide the motivation and compliance necessary to maintain healthy regimes.
Pre-emptive interventions
· Back and shoulder pain
· Stress symptoms
· Weight issues, especially when exercise is limited because movement is painful or people become breathless.
· Moderate (non clinical) depression
Supportive interventions (referral)
A key issue for any medical intervention is compliance, whether this is psychotropic medication, exercise routines, or even taking antibiotics. Chi Kung classes would offer peer support and motivation, monitoring and encouragement from a teacher. People making a contribution in terms of class fee would ensure that they want value for money and would encourage people to participate outside the formal medical referral system. They can self refer or even bring a friend along.
· Back school – maintaining posture
· Falls prevention – maintaining posture – falling better
· Plantar fasciitis – reduce/manage pain - enhance posture – move more
· Weight loss and movement clinic
· Bronchial issues
· Arthritis – increase mobility in ways that do not cause pain
· Osteoporosis – increase muscle and bone strength
· Anxiety management and relaxation
Monkeyandtiger looks actively to work with employers, health and social care organisations to pilot and promote regimes that will enhance the health of the general population and reduce unnecessary demand on scarce resources.
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