Service Users who engage in arts and crafts activities benefit from practical and emotional opportunities ranging from developing their fine motor skills and improving concentration, reducing their stress levels and a means of relaxing.

They also feel a sense of pride in their accomplishments which are often a means of self expression which provide the opportunity to engage the world on a more meaningful level.

At Careline Lifestyles we have fully qualified chartered physiotherapists who work closely with our service users. Each service user has an individual fitness regime devised specifically for them to ensure that they achieve the best possible rehabilitation and co-ordination skills.

The equipment provided is to the highest specification to ensure that the latest techniques and opportunities are made available to our service users.

Prior to using the equipment, a full assessment of service user’s ability to use the equipment is completed by the physiotherapist – a risk assessment is devised based on assessment and demonstration of how to support the service user is performed with members of staff.

Hydrotherapy is an effective way to treat individuals with short and long term neurological and physical conditions.

Service users enjoy a freedom of movement only experienced in the hydrotherapy pool. The water provides them with extra support and the reduced fear of falling can aid mobility and enable them to perform actions that they would otherwise be unable to do.

Hydrotherapy can be used to speed up the recovery of service users who are unable to weight-bear or can only partially weight-bear, by doing exercises against the resistance of water and dynamic exercises which increase the range of movement, improve muscle strength, balance and co-ordination.

For those individuals who cannot use the steps to get into the pool, there is a mechanical or overhead hoist to lower you into the water. Other benefits of hydrotherapy include:

• increase mobility
• reduce pain and muscle spasm
• improve and maintain joint range of movement
• strengthen weak muscle groups
• increase physical fitness and functional tolerances
• re-educate normal movement patterns
• improve balance
• improve co-ordination
• improve posture
• improve self confidence
• stimulate circulation

The service users of Careline Lifestyles have an active social programme and regularly go on trips to local amenities and further afield.

A big hit this summer has been days out to various beaches along the North East Coast and when the weather hasn’t been too good, some of our service users have opted for a day out at the Metro Centre!

In addition, we have some football fans who regularly attend matches at St James Park to cheer on Newcastle United.

The mini bus is shared on a rota basis between all the homes and can be booked in advance with the appropriate Home Manager.

Careline Lifestyles have created sensory gardens at our homes which provide individual and combined sensory opportunities for our service users that they may not normally experience.

Each sensory garden is different, however all are designed with a layout which provides a stimulating journey through the senses, heightening awareness, and bringing positive learning experiences. They contain features such as: scented and edible plants, sculptures and sculpted handrails, water features designed to make sound and play over the hands, textured touch-pads, magnifying-glass screens and braille descriptions.

When designing the gardens we ensure that they will provide experience for multiple senses; scent, sound and we also install features which provide opportunities for developmental, learning and educational outcomes.

All of our sensory gardens have an infrastructure suitable for wheelchair access and meet other accessibility needs for the disabled.

At Careline Lifestyles all of our Homes have a state of the art sensory room where Service Users can explore, develop and stimulate their senses and skills. However, the sensory room can also be used to help them become calm and to de-stress.

Each of our multi-sensory rooms have various features including padded floors and walls and interactive equipment which make dramatic changes to the sensory room environment using sound, lighting and fragrancing.