The Caritas Association for the Gütersloh District is providing additional innovative impetus to improve the quality of life for its clients in Rietberg and Gütersloh through a health promotion project.
In close cooperation with AOK NordWest, a comprehensive prevention project is being implemented as part of the AOK program “The Healthy Care Facility,” which aims to establish sustainable health-promoting structures in long-term care.
The goal is to strengthen the resources of people in need of care and ensure their quality of life in the long term. The project addresses topics such as healthy nutrition, psychosocial health, the strengthening of cognitive abilities, and the prevention of violence in care settings. To kick things off, the focus is on promoting physical activity: AOK Nordwest is providing Caritas with two “G-WEG” obstacle courses. The “G-WEG” is an innovative exercise program designed to promote safe walking and prevent falls among older adults. The official handover took place recently at the Caritas center in Rietberg.
This special course features marked walking areas that resemble cobblestones and grassy surfaces. On these surfaces, users can practice their stride length and speed, as well as their coordination, in situations that mimic everyday life. Walking aids such as rollators or canes can also be used without any problems. The kit includes 98 instructional and exercise cards. The “G-WEG” is designed to prevent falls and thus avoid fall-related consequences. It can be used flexibly and encourages participants to try things out together. The course is intended not only to be a help in everyday life by training muscle strength, balance, and memory, but also to strengthen a sense of community and be fun. Caritas is receiving the“G-WEG”for its day care centers in Rietberg and Gütersloh.
“We are pleased to be working with the Caritas Association for the Gütersloh District to actively support the health and well-being of older adults and those in need of care,” emphasizes Frank Papesch, an exercise counseling specialist at AOK NordWest. “The goal is to establish sustainable health-promoting structures in everyday life—tailored to the individual needs of older adults.”
“We want our guests to feel safe, empowered, and valued here. This project helps us further develop our care and support services in a targeted way—with a holistic focus on physical, mental, and emotional well-being,” says Zina Lawrenz, Director of Nursing at Caritas Day Care in Gütersloh. “With ‘G-WEG,’ we can provide our guests with greater security in their daily lives and help them maintain their independence as long as possible as they age,” adds Elke Watermann, Director of Nursing at the Caritas Day Care Center in Rietberg.
Andrea Vieweger, Head of the “Aging” Department, sees the partnership with AOK Nordwest as an important milestone: “This partnership enables us to integrate health-promoting elements even more systematically into our daily work. In the context of long-term care, prevention is a crucial factor for quality of life and social participation. Mobility, in particular, is an essential prerequisite for maintaining the quality of life of older adults.”
