Recent research found that unpaid carers find physical activity harder compared to other adults and face poorer health outcomes as a result of their caring commitments. According to Carers UK’s ‘Carers and Physical Activity’ report, 75 per cent of unpaid carers want to be more active than they currently are, yet 88 per cent of unpaid carers don’t have the time to exercise.

Carers UK has partnered with 1FitLife to create bespoke activity wellbeing videos as part of its Carers Active Project to help address the challenges the Carers and Physical Activity report revealed. 

Carers Active, the three-year project, funded by Sport England, has allowed the charity to create a ‘Carers Active Hub’ to help this group make being active part of their daily routine in the light of research that shows carers are often isolated and finding the time and affordable access to physical activity is challenging.   

“Physical activity is often the last thing a carer would be thinking about while they may be looking after a loved one, family member or friend. The videos are tailor-made specifically for carers, taking into account the various challenges they face which carers have told us are so important,” says Helen Walker, chief executive of Carers UK.

The sessions are bitesize and no longer than 15-20 minutes long. In addition, a series of 30-second videos are available, demonstrating simple, functional movements and stretches, which unpaid carers can incorporate into their daily lives.

Filmed at the 1FitLife studios, the videos featured unpaid carers to reflect their real-life experiences, says David Langridge, managing director at 1FitLife.

“The programme we created was always mindful of carers’ circumstances, understanding their energy levels and time available may be short. The online sessions are simple, often with seated exercise variations, and were voiced over in post-production to gently guide carers through the routines. It was important to 1FitLife that the sessions help carers not only to get more active, but to improve their self-worth and value.”