March 19 2025

Yoga in the home enabling independence in recovery

When Rosie Weldon returned to Port Augusta after an extended stay in Adelaide following surgery, the Calvary home care team partnered her with support care worker and qualified physiologist, Beverley Smith, to continue her physical recovery in her own home.
news-main image-Yoga in the home enabling independence in recovery

The 72-year-old had been receiving domestic services through Calvary’s Home Care for the past five years, and she was keen to return home after major surgery to repair a shattered arm bone had caused limited movement of her left arm and hand.

“I was in hospital for three weeks and then went into the transition care program for about seven weeks, which was lovely, and I started my physio and yoga exercises in the chair there,” said Ms Weldon.

“My Calvary case manager, Hayley, was fantastic, keeping in contact with me the whole time, and knowing I didn’t want to stay away said I could come home and continue receiving my existing services and get some additional support funded through my home care package tailored for my needs.”

Home Care tailored to you

Calvary then created the opportunity for support care worker Ms Smith to put her physiology skills into practice, creating a suitable program of yoga and meditation in the home for Ms Weldon. Just three weeks in and the results are positive.

“I want to make it exciting and not boring, and work on that upper strength and getting that arm moving so Rosie can do daily things again and feel good in herself,” she said.

“Rose is my first home care client I have tailored a meditation and exercise program for and I’m hopeful of doing it more for those who could benefit and their home care package allows for the service.

“I’ve been working for Calvary for 21 years and it’s good to see clients increase their mobility and improve their mental health because it’s easy for people to get depressed when they stay at home and have nothing to do,” she said.

“As a support care worker, you get to know your client, so while you’re working to the individual care plans in place you are also looking out for what else the client might need.”

Calvary Home Care provides domestic and personal grooming services, clinical nursing, transportation, and social programs to older Australians aged over 65 years old with a home care package.