Exercise Right Week: Louisa and Kaitlen

In our third installment of #ExerciseRightWeek, we’re shining the spotlight on Louisa and Kaitlen 🔦

Kaitlen and Louisa have been working together to improve Louisa’s health and wellbeing since the beginning of 2020.

Louisa’s current fitness goals are:

🌟 Increase strength slowly
🌟 Exercise daily
🌟 Increase balance
🌟 Build muscle mass

Louisa is living with chronic arthritis which in the past, has been incredibly disabling and created barriers for Louisa in terms of accessing the community.

Since joining the Therapy Care community three years ago, disability support workers and allied health assistants who have been working with Louisa have all noticed significant improvements in Louisa’s physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing.

“I love being a part of the Therapy Care community. I’ve met so many lovely people and had a lot of fun over the past three years.

Kaitlen and the rest of the team really care about improving my physical wellbeing and how that impacts my overall health,” says Louisa.

Allied health assistant, Kaitlen, who is also undertaking a masters to become an exercise physiologist, works with Louisa

Kaitlen says, “I love supporting people everyday and feeling as though I’m contributing to improve the quality of their lives.

“I really enjoy meeting new clients and building a connection with each and every one of them.”

As Louisa’s condition affects her mobility and causes significant discomfort in her feet, knees, hip, mouth, hands, wrists and spine, Kaitlen needs to create a personalised exercise routine that can challenge Louisa without causing further discomfort when working out.

“Exercise is really helpful in easing joint pain and stiffness. With Louisa I make sure that the weight and how we progress her is very gradual so we avoid overdoing it.

“I’m really impressed with Louisa’s dedication and commitment she shows to perform her exercises daily. It really helps with her progress and to manage the arthritis,” says Kaitlen.

Since working with Louisa, Kaitlen has noticed her strength has really improved and puts it down to her attitude; she never shies away from a challenge. But more importantly, Kaitlen and the wider Therapy Care team have noticed a complete transformation in Louisa’s mental health.

“Louisa is an absolute joy to be around. She is always smiling, having a laugh and telling jokes. This is a whole new Louisa than the one we first met three years ago,” Kaitlen says.

It has been truly wonderful to see Louisa’s quirky character come to the surface!